The Bristol Magazine September 2022

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THE

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£4.25 where sold

Issue 214

I

sePTeMBeR 2022

MAGAZINE

THE RISE OF INDIGENOUS ART Rainmaker Gallery celebrates first exhibition at new Clifton-based premises

FOOTBALL CAME HOME Bristol captains talk the future of women’s football

MAKING HISTORY Circumstance Distillery prepares to launch Bristol’s first whisky in 80 years

FORGET FAST FASHION Sustainable Fashion Week returns with debut catwalk

CORE VALUES

Meet the brains behind Bristol-based business Presca, the world’s first climate positive sportswear brand

PLUS...

SO MUCH MORE IN THE CITY’S BIGGEST GUIDE TO LIVING IN BRISTOL

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Contents 26 SEPTEMBER 2022

20

The team behind Sustainable Fashion Week

10 CITYIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Meet Bristol actors Kayleigh-Paige Rees and Mollie Holder

12

BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Circumstance Distillery releases Bristol’s first whisky in 82 years

... reflects on the circle of life

14 THE RISE OF INDIGENOUS ART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rainmaker Gallery opens its first exhibition in new premises

16 BETTER FOR THE PLANET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Presca: the world’s first climate positive sporstwear brand

20 FORGET FAST FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A closer look at Bristol’s slow style pioneers

A sit down with Dara Ó Briain ahead of his appearance in Bristol ............

Circumstance Distillery releases Bristol’s first whisky in 82 years

30 WHAT’S ON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Book your tickets! Discover all the great things to see and do...

36

A look at the UK’s first conference dedicated to voice in gaming

48 THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S FOOTBALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Catch up with the captains of Bristol Rovers and Bristol City

56 STEP INTO THE METAVERSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Access Creative College teams up with metaverse specialists

24 ON THE ROAD AGAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26 “BRITAIN’S MOST INNOVATIVE DISTILLERY”

44 WE SPEAK GAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

60 EDUCATION SPECIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Find out all about Bristol’s best schools

82 SHADES OF THE MOMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bristol-based interior designer on the colours of the season

86 FLOWER FIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Elly West explains how to keep your gardens bursting with life

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What’s showing at our local galleries

40 HOTLY ANTICIPATED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bristol’s first feature film since 1962 prepares to hit the big screen

42

THE JOYS OF EXPLORING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Andrew Swift looks back at the history of public footpaths

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ON THE COVER Photograph by Wayne Reid Instagram: @freewheelimages

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from the

EDITOR

Grassy Beach, Lake Michigan

by Doug Klemm – more on p.14

B

ristol is well and truly stepping onto the world stage this month. Gracing our September cover is Presca – the world’s first sustainable sportswear brand. Created by a group of cyclists, runners and triathletes who are on a mission to produce high-quality clothing that is not only better to wear but better for the planet, we sit down with the co-founder and newly appointed creative director on p.16 to hear all about their core values and why they chose Bristol as their home.

What’s more, Cicumstance Distillery – ‘Britain's most innovative distillery’, according to renowned whisky retailers Master of Malt – is preparing to release its first whisky. The creation will be the first whisky to come out of Bristol in 82 years. This month, we were lucky enough to take a look around the distillery and learn all about how the team are pushing the creative boundaries in the world of whisky.

Elsewhere, in film, Bristol local Will Stone will be making his directorial debut with the release of his new film The Fence. It will be the first feature film to be made independently in Bristol since 1962. On p.40, we delve into the story and the cast full of famous faces including Bristol’s Jayde Adams, Joe Sims and Paul Holbrook, alongside Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones), Eugene Simon (Game of Thrones), Paul Cooper (This Country), David Perkins (Hollyoaks). It’s absolutely one to check out.

Furthermore, Rainmaker Gallery - Europe's only art gallery dedicated to Native American art - is launching its first exhibition in its new Clifton-based premises. On p.14, we take a look at the rise of indigenous art and how Rainmaker and the artists showcased on its walls are being recognised by some of the most prestigious galleries in the world.

So, with all this, coupled with September’s sense of a fresh starts and new beginnings, we look forward to the autumn season with heady optimism. There’s no doubt – Bristol is the place to be this month...

Millie Bruce-Watt

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ZEITGEIST

top things to do in September

Celebrate The Bristol Shanty Festival is back celebrating our beautiful city in songs of the sea. On 17 September, visitors can expect to see over 50 performances at three main stages and 10 other venues all along the harbour and in historic King Street. The festival will set sail at 12pm and dock when the pubs close. This fabulous free-to-attend day of shanty singing and songs of the sea is not one to miss.

• bristolshantyfestival.co.uk

Listen A storming live band with energetic performances, impeccable musicianship and sparkling vocal harmonies, Canadian Bluegrass quartet, The Slocan Ramblers, are a must-see on 18 September at Bristol Folk House, blending bluegrass, folk and Americana to dazzling effect. For an exclusive 10% discount on tickets use the code RAMBLERS10 at checkout.

• Tickets available at: bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

Credit: Lidia Crisafulli

Enjoy

Theatre Orchard’s award-winning outdoor arts festival ‘Whirligig’ is back in Weston this September with its trademark line-up of extraordinary, eclectic acts and guaranteed crowd-pleasers. This year, look out for some extra special, monster-sized surprises coming to town...

The free, annual spectacle will begin on the evening of 9 September with an epic opening event to get you in the festival mood, featuring ‘Saurus’ by acclaimed Dutch company Close Act Theatre whose giant, prehistoric creatures will be stomping through town.

Followed by a jam-packed day on 10 September at The Italian Gardens, with highlights including internationally-acclaimed acts.

Visitors can also enjoy the Culture Weston bar, which will be serving up the best of the region’s tipples, mouth-watering ice creams from Weston-based Bo Bom Gelato and locally sourced street food to tantalise your tastebuds – the team has all the ingredients to make a perfect day of it!

• For more information, visit: theatreorchard.org.uk and cultureweston.org.uk

Admire On 24 September, The Bristol Classical Players will celebrate the 150th birthday of one of Britain’s very greatest composers: Ralph Vaughan Williams. Born in Gloucestershire in 1872, Vaughan Williams was a great advocate for the preservation of folksong heritage, including those used in his Norfolk Rhapsody. The delicacy of The Lark Ascending needs no introduction; this muchloved work has consistently been voted one of the most popular pieces of classical music, and will be played by Sara Stagg.

As well as writing pastoral-inspired shorter pieces, Vaughan Williams was perhaps Britain’s greatest writer of symphonies. The serene 5th symphony, written during the turmoil of World War II, is the expression of longed-for peace and serenity; but a dark undertow lends the work shattering power.

Be entertained

• stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

• Tickets available at: wineescape.co.uk

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A 1920s murder with a twist… WINE ESCAPE – the UK’s first immersive escape room event – is coming to Bristol on 9 and 10 September as part of a brand-new tour, and with it brings a new level of escape room entertainment.

Guests will enjoy a night of glamour and a two course meal at The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel following fun problem-solving games to beat the ticking clock. Step back into the roaring 1920s and enjoy the extravagance of Hawker Wine Estate.

You have been invited to an exclusive party hosted by the very wealthy owners, the Von James family – but the celebrations turn sour when a storm of vengeance, lies and deceit ruins the evening. You must stick together, hold your nerve and beat the clock in order to escape Hawker alive…

Tickets start from £59 per person. 10% off all tickets exclusively to The Bristol Magazine readers – use coupon code: BRISTOLMAG10 at the checkout.

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Stunning lighting

for your home, conversion, renovation or extension

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THE CITYist

My

BRISTOL Meet Bristol actors, Kayleigh-Paige Rees and Mollie Holder

Taking to the waves A new type of prosthetic arm – the first of its kind in the world – which has been designed to help surfers with upper body limb differences to ‘pop-up’ on their board, has proven to be an instant hit in the water.

A group of limb different surfers from across the UK were invited to put the new prosthetic through its paces at a special launch event held at inland-surfing destination, The Wave, in Bristol.

Named ‘Nicole’ after the individual who inspired its design, the prosthetic has been developed by UK startup Koalaa, which is on a mission to make prosthetics comfortable, affordable and accessible for anyone on the planet.

After months of development and a successful trial, the tool is now available for surf fans of all ages around the world.

Koalaa’s patented design sees a soft fabric sleeve being worn that can be fitted with different tool attachments, depending on the task the user would like to complete.

Among the surfers taking to the waves in Bristol was Nicole Brennan, age 30, from Chichester who was born with a congenital limb difference meaning that her right arm did not fully develop before birth. She has worked closely with the team at Koalaa on the design of the new prosthetic, which has been named in her honour.

Nicole is founder of The IAMPOSSIBLE Foundation, one of the only disabled-led charities for those with limb differences in the UK and which aims to create a world where ability is not defined by an individual's form or physical appearance.

• For more information, visit: yourkoalaa.com; thewave.com

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Kayleigh-Paige: Bristol has always been very special to me and my career. Bristol was where I shot my first feature film and my first lead role. I had the pleasure of meeting Mollie when we shot Sanditon in Bristol [cast as the Beaufort sisters]. I also founded my production company, Raspberry Films. The wonderful thing about Bristol is it offers so much and it is constantly evolving.

Mollie: I have lived in Bristol since I was two, so it is my home and I have loved growing up here. I love the fact that at one moment you’re on a really funky road full of cute coffee shops and little vintage stores and then you’re walking along the harbourside enjoying the gorgeous view.

K: Keep Calm & Carry On is a four-part mockumentary covering three very different but related families in the dreaded lockdown.

Produced by Raspberry Films for Amazon Prime, the families document their lockdown lives through the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic. When we shot the series in Autumn 2021, it was the largest cast and crew we had produced. It was a big challenge for Raspberry Films and I am so proud of the show we have created.

K: The whole ethos of Raspberry Films is bridging the gap between independent filmmakers and mainstream media. The level of talented individuals in Bristol and surrounding areas is what helps and allows for production companies like ourselves to keep producing in Bristol.

K: 2022 has been a big year for me and my company. We have expanded our team and have five projects in post-production. We are currently working on our biggest feature to date which starts shooting in Prague this winter.

M: I am currently working on a really thrilling new series for Paramount+, I’m so excited about it and can’t wait for people to see it!

K: I love the Bristol Hippodrome. Musical theatre was my first passion from a child so having the opportunity to watch performances live gives me a buzz I can’t even explain. I also have such a love for stand-up comedy. Abi Clarke is a local standup comedian in Bristol and if I see that she is performing in Bristol you can bet I am there!

M: I really love watching am-dram theatre productions; the actors’ performances are always incredible. I also love walking around the streets of Bristol and being inspired by strangers. I think that’s the best way to develop a character that you have to play, by watching other people and looking more deeply into other people’s mannerisms.

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(L-R) Mollie Holder and Kayleigh-Paige Rees

K: I just went to watch Where The Crawdads Sing and felt so inspired by the storytelling and raw performances throughout. My guilty pleasure this past month has been The Summer I Turned Pretty. I watched the series and listened to all three audiobooks within a week. I have also developed an unhealthy obsession with anything to do with the disgraced company Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes. I’ve watched every documentary, TV series, audiobook and interviews around it.

M: I am currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I am quite late to the trend with this one, but I am really enjoying it. I am watching the new series of Never Have I Ever, which is my guilty pleasure programme. The next thing I need to watch is Everything I Know About Love – I’ve read the book and loved it.

K: After serious thought, I would like to have dinner with Queen Elizabeth I. What a legend! I want to know everything!

M: I think it would be amazing to have dinner with Audrey Hepburn because I just think she is the classiest lady. And also… Harry Styles because… who wouldn’t!

K: I have worked very hard to understand that the outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Other people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you.

M: My philosophy in life is that you only have one so why regret things. I often have to remind myself that no one is thinking about/looking at you, everyone is too busy worrying about themselves!

• Keep Calm & Carry On is out on Amazon Prime on 28 September; raspberryfilms.com

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Wildscreen launches international storytelling internship scheme

Bristol-based conservation charity, Wildscreen, has launched its latest flagship initiative, the inaugural Wildscreen Storytelling Internship Scheme.

The scheme, which has the backing of WWF-UK, will provide paid internship opportunities for six UK-based and six internationally-based 18-25 year olds, wanting to pursue careers in natural world storytelling and content creation within the TV and conservation sectors.

From Autumn 2022, 12 internationally renowned wildlife TV production companies and conservation NGOs will open their doors to aspiring storytellers and content creators, providing paid, practical experience across a variety of roles spanning camera operating to editing, from story development to scriptwriting. As well as being provided with the opportunity to gain valuable ‘hands-on’ professional skills and experience, the cohort will also benefit from one-to-one mentoring within the host organisations and oneyear’s membership to the Wildscreen Network, the world’s biggest professional community for the wildlife film and TV genre, to help launch their careers in the natural world storytelling industries.

• To find out more about the Wildscreen and WWF-UK Storytelling Internship Scheme, visit: wildscreen.org/industry/talent-schemes

Grayson by David Bailey

Be in with a

chance to WIN

celebrity artwork Bristol Museum & Art Gallery is inviting art lovers everywhere to enter a prize draw to win a celebrity artwork. For just £5 per ticket, hopefuls can be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win an original artwork by: Tom Allen, David Bailey, Boy George, Harry Hill, Alex Horne, Sue Perkins, Jane Seymour, Russell Tovey, Holly Walsh or a replica artwork

by Grayson Perry or Philippa Perry.

The works are currently on display as part of the hugely popular Grayson’s Art Club exhibition at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, which has been visited by over 200,000 people since opening in December 2021.

Net proceeds from the prize draw will raise money for Bristol Museums Development Trust, which funds vital community projects and conservation work that bring culture, creativity, history, and art into the lives of over 1.2 million people every year. Prize draw tickets are available to purchase online at bristolmuseums.org.uk/win until 11.59pm on 23 September 2022. Full terms and conditions are available on the website.

• The Grayson’s Art Club exhibition finishes on 4 September 2022. Entry is ‘pay what you can’. The show is sponsored by UWE Bristol. Exhibition tickets are available on the door or online at bristolmuseums.org.uk/grayson

Up, up and away Words by Daisy Game Every year, in the weeks leading up to the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, a series of community launches take place, giving Bristolians city-wide the chance to balloon-watch from their own gardens.

After a two-year hiatus, the fiesta returned last month. We were invited along for a ride in the iconic Thatchers Cider balloon...

It’s an early call time: we arrange to meet our balloon and its pilot, Nick Dunnington of First Flight Balloons, at Fishponds’ Vassals Park for 5.45am – but we’re not the only ones to have set our alarms.

Children on the first days of their long-awaited summer holidays mill about between the various balloons (our ride is part of a colourful crowd) whilst fellow passengers hover excitedly next to their aircrafts. After a few minutes of preparation – each balloon must be hoisted from the ground using the air from large fans – Vassals park is transformed into a launch pad. We clamber into the Thatchers basket, grab a hold and begin our ascent.

Bristol is a beauty from any vantage point – but seen from above, the city is a small wonder. We fly over a patchwork of houses and gardens; parks and high streets. Every now and then, we hear a dog barking (their sensitive ears are not a fan of the balloon’s propulsion system) or spy a family waving from the pavements below.

As we drift, Nick tells us more about the rather magical world of ballooning; he comes from a long line of balloonists, first taking to the skies at just six weeks old in an aircraft piloted by his parents. He also tells us how it is good etiquette to fly with a gift on the off chance that you are forced to land in a farmer’s field. For Nick, a crate of Thatchers normally does the trick.

My travelling companions all agree that hot air balloons and their pilots have some valuable life lessons to impart: to allow the wind to take you where it will; to pay more attention to the journey than to the destination. It’s a balloonist’s life for us.

• With many thanks to First Flight and Thatchers Cider for inviting us into the skies with them this year; hotair-balloonrides.co.uk, thatcherscider.co.uk

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THE

B R I S TO L MAGAZINE

Contact us:

The circle of life

A

s of the end of this month we will officially be empty nesters. Now, there’s a phrase I never thought I’d use. ‘Oh, we’re empty-nesters,’ a fellow veteran of the school run would say in response to a casual how-are-you in the park.

‘Thingummy is living with his girlfriend in Bradley Stoke.

Whatsit is in Peru.’ That may be the case, I’d want to say, but they’re not birds and you don’t live up a tree! You don’t have an empty nest, you have a house which is free at last of younger people who hide mugs in their bedroom! Was I maybe missing the point?

One of the peculiar qualities about being a parent is seeing the things you experienced as a child from the other side. One moment you’re the three-year-old screaming their head off because it’s time to leave the beach even though the incoming tide has not yet reached the sandcastle.

The next you’re the parent promising ice cream and wishing you’d built the damned thing further down the beach – but at the same time feeling echoes of your own frustration all those years before.

I didn’t particularly remember my first day at primary school, until we took Ms B for hers. As we neared the gates her hand clutched mine more tightly before abruptly letting go. In the Reception classroom she submitted to kisses goodbye then turned away, one ridiculously small, self-assured figure among what seemed to be hundreds. Along with sadness I felt a certain amount of satisfaction at a job well done – or at least done (or partially done, anyway)… And, simultaneously, a shiver of memory. That sense of walking in a dream away from safety towards… what? Life?

In some ways my children’s lives have been very different to mine.

Ms B belongs to the last generation who can remember life before smartphones, social media etc, so in that sense she has more in common with us than her younger brother. Meanwhile, I grew up in the country, where you had to be driven everywhere, whereas they could mostly get around on foot or by bike. Every few years their world would expand until the day came when Ms B announced she was going to Cabot with her friends. This naturally led to a lengthy debate, the laying down of ground rules, etc, and then off they trotted.

Further debates-slash-arguments preceded her other leaps into freedom (first party, first club night, etc), and on each occasion I could hear my voice saying grown-up things about keeping in touch and being home by such-and-such a time… I heard my voice saying these things but at the same time I remembered the feeling of being a teenager and not just wanting to go somewhere with whoever it was, but needing to go. Having to go. Once again, life beckoned.

When she went off to university her brother was still at home, but now it’s his turn to go and suddenly we’re confronted by this phrase – this cliché. Empty nesters. I suppose as metaphors go it’s apt, but how gloomy! I mean can you think of anything emptier than a bird’s nest with nothing in it? A nest has one purpose, and once that purpose is fulfilled it just sits there, abandoned, waiting to fall apart…

OK, so it is going to be strange, after all this time, to suddenly just be two of us again. But come on! Surely the beauty of having an empty nest is that you no longer have to sit in it for days on end or fly dangerous missions collecting worms. If it’s just us now we can do what we like – go to Paris for the weekend… or Peru! Oh but wait. I’m forgetting something. The nest isn’t quite empty. There’s still a furry little cuckoo sitting there, waiting for his grub. The notorious D O G. ■

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Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

Jane Miklos jane@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Editor Tel: Email:

Millie Bruce-Watt 0117 974 2800 millie@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Assistant Editor/Web Editor Daisy Game Email: daisy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales

Liz Grey liz@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

For advertising enquiries please contact us on: 0117 974 2800

Email: sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

The Bristol Magazine is published by MC Publishing Ltd. An independent publisher.

Every month The Bristol Magazine is hand delivered to more than 15,000 homes in selected areas. We also deliver direct to companies and businesses across the city.

Additionally there are many places where we have floor-stands and units for free pick-up:

The Bristol Magazine Tel: 0117 974 2800 www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2022

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bristol Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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FOOD & DRINK Recipe by Melissa Blease

The Body Shop: Box of Wishes & Wonders Ultimate Advent Calendar

Recipe: Iced Mocha In a small pan, gently heat 100ml semi-skimmed milk with 50g milk or dark chocolate buttons until the chocolate has melted and leave to cool (do not allow the mixture even come close to boiling!).

Meanwhile, prepare around 70ml espresso or very strong coffee and leave that to cool too. When you're ready to serve, half-fill 2 large glasses with ice and top with the cooled chocolate milk, another 200ml semi-skimmed milk (divided between both glasses) and the cool coffee. Stir to combine and serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream (or ice cream?) and a dusting of cocoa powder.

The Body Shop's Ultimate Advent Calendar is bursting with iconic full-sized bestsellers as well as exciting new products, beauty tools and everything you need to nourish your body and soul. Scrub, soften and slather your way to your most beautiful Christmas yet with luxurious Sheet Masks, nourishing Body Butters, and rejuvenating Body Scrubs; £145, worth £219.

Available now from thebodyshop.com

BEAUTY

WHAT’S ON Nature Based Courses from Field Studies Council Practical Bird Field Skills Get to know more about the wonderful birds that call our countryside home – and how to get started on your birdwatching journey. This beginner course will cover basic fieldcraft and techniques including the use of binoculars and field guides and will give you a chance to get out into the beautiful woods and heaths surrounding Grow Wilder to put this theory into practice. Thursday 8 September, 10am – 5pm.

Botanical Folklore Trees and wildflowers have been beneficial in terms of industry and medicine but also sacred to a variety of civilisations throughout time.

This introductory folklore course will look at the history, mythology, and significance of a variety of trees and common wildflower species.

Sunday 18 September, 10am – 5pm.

Field Studies Council at Grow Wilder, Frenchay Park Rd, Bristol BS16 1HB; field-studies-council.org/bristol

Great Day Body Scrub from NEOM Organics, London An energising, 100% natural body scrub, expertly blended with organic sugar, safflower oil and jojoba oil that gives skin a rich exfoliation and deep nourishment and hydration. Fragranced with the uplifting scent of wild mint & mandarin essential oils; £38 for 350g.

Available from neomorganics.com

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Mskwnegek, oil pastel on incised archival paper

Bbon Yatsokéwen (Winter Stories), oil pastel, silver leaf and copper embroidery thread on incised archival paper

Keepers of the Fire is the first exhibition in the new space showcasing the work of multidisciplinary artist Jason Wesaw. A citizen of the Pokagon band of Potawatomi, Jason works in ceramics, textiles, photography, original drawings and installation art. His exquisite minimalist drawings are the focus of this exhibition.

Mokek Ndodaskéwen, oil pastel on incised archival paper

Mnedowanek, oil pastel and embroidery thread on incised archival paper

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RAINMAKER GALLERY

The rise of

Indigenous art

As Bristol’s beloved Rainmaker Gallery – the only dedicated contemporary Native American art gallery in Europe – prepares to open its first exhibition at its new premises on Whiteladies Road, we take a closer look at the rise of Indigenous art...

T

here is an explosion of contemporary Native American art happening right now in major art institutions in the United States of America. Concurrently, Bristol’s very own indigenous art gallery, Rainmaker Gallery, has expanded into a beautiful new space on Whiteladies Road in Clifton.

Frequently ahead of the arts and culture curve, Bristol boasts the only dedicated contemporary Native American art gallery in Europe.

For over three decades Rainmaker Gallery has championed many of the same artists now lauded by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and Whitney Museum of American Art. These venerable New York institutions are at last embracing contemporary Native art and are currently vying for the best artists and exhibitions. Chemehuevi fine art photographer Cara Romero, whose astonishing images have been featured in shows at Rainmaker Gallery for over ten years, is the inspiration for the exhibition Water Memories that opened at The Met this spring. Also featured in the exhibition is the community-driven work of artist Cannupa Hanska Luger from Standing Rock. Both artists have visited Bristol for exhibitions at Rainmaker Gallery and both were featured on The New York Times Magazine covers this summer. In fact, Cara Romero’s photography has also graced the covers of two of our own issues in recent years.

For over three decades Rainmaker Gallery has championed many of the same artists now lauded by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and Whitney Museum of American Art

It is not just the large institutions and international press getting in on the action. Leading Manhattan galleries are tussling to sign up artists they would have dismissed as unmarketable in years gone by.

Rainmaker Gallery owner Jo Prince is understandably delighted by this long overdue acknowledgement of these artists whom she cherishes as friends as well as colleagues.

“For centuries Native artists were excluded from the mainstream art world and relegated to natural history museums. At last, they are getting the recognition they deserve,” Jo says.

For Rainmaker, the timing couldn’t be more perfect as this month the gallery celebrates the official opening of its new space at the top of Whiteladies Road. Events kick off on 27 September with an exciting new exhibition, a fascinating artist’s talk and a fun artists’ reception.

This celebration has particular significance for Jo as a way to thank all of the people who enabled Rainmaker Gallery to make the

transition to their fabulous new home. Rainmaker had to leave its previous location of sixteen years and the future was uncertain.

Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign and a substantial grant from Bristol City Council, the gallery is powering ahead for a fourth decade, bigger and better than ever.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity of so many customers and artists. It proves just how much they value the work we do. The new gallery is a collective achievement by everyone who has supported us and I can’t begin to express how grateful I am,” says Jo. Keepers of the Fire is the first exhibition in the new space showcasing the work of multidisciplinary artist Jason Wesaw. A citizen of the Pokagon band of Potawatomi, Jason works in ceramics, textiles, photography, original drawings and installation art. His exquisite minimalist drawings are the focus of this exhibition.

Through expanses of carefully chosen colour drawn with oil pastel on incised archival paper, he describes a deep connection to nature and his ancestral lands.

“The beautiful quiet tales that have been told in the Great Lakes by my tribal ancestors are familiar and personal. Yet, they hold a universal perspective that inspires me to reinterpret these stories into my work and bring them to a global audience,” says Jason.

The artist’s abstract works are complimented by the bold oil paintings of landscape artist Douglas Klemm, also a citizen of the Pokagon Potawatomi Nation. The opening will be attended by Jason, Doug and his family, as well as Diné sculptor Jazmin Novak.

Rainmaker Gallery also carries a unique selection of Native American jewellery, carvings and blankets. n • The artist talk with Jason Wesaw will take place on 27 September from 2-3pm, with a reception from 3-7pm. To book a place, contact the gallery. Keepers of the Fire will be running from 27 September – 5 November; rainmakerart.co.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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Better for the planet As Bristol-based brand Presca Sportswear – the world’s first climate positive sportswear brand – hires its first creative director, we catch up with Lily Rice and co-founder Rob Webbon to find out all about their core values...

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FASHION

D

esigning and manufacturing high-performance sportswear that is made ethically and sustainably, the team of cyclists, triathletes and runners at Presca – who are all just as passionate about the world we live in as the sports they love – spend a huge amount of time thinking about how they can be part of the solution, rather than a continuation of the problem. Working to address the issues that determine each piece’s ecological impact throughout its manufacture and lifecycle, the team are always striving to do better.

Honest about their journey and aware that, for now, they’re still a part of an industry that is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions and over 20% of global water pollution, they are hoping to drive brands in the right direction.

This month, as Presca becomes one of the sponsors for Sustainable Fashion Week – which is set to take place in Bristol from 16-25 September – we caught up with newly-appointed creative director Lily Rice and co-founder Rob Webbon...

Women’s conscious

capsule

collection

Conscious Capsule Leggings in Black £75

TBM: Where did the inspiration for Presca first come from? What did you set out to achieve?

Rob: Guy and I spent a lot of time racing together in triathlons and endurance cycling and running events. My background as an environmental scientist made me particularly curious around the impacts of the clothing that we were wearing to race. I recognised that all these clothes came from crude oil and there was a real lack of transparency around how and where they were made. So we set up Presca to lead the sports industry in creating positive climate and social impact through the creation of gear we love and use that stands the test of time.

Lily: Our mission is to make sportswear better. Better made. Better to wear. Better for the planet.

Conscious Capsule Tee in Forest Teal £45

Why did you choose to base the world’s first climate positive sportswear brand in Bristol? What makes the city so special in your opinion?

R: I went to university in Bristol so it’s a place that I know and love, and Lily is a proper West Country lass. Besides that, there are so many reasons to base ourselves here; Bristol was the UK’s first cycling capital, and the European green capital in 2015. The cycling and running scenes are really strong here, and the environment is really important for a lot of the Bristol community. Probably because we’re surrounded by some incredible natural beauty, which is pretty easy to access – there aren’t many cities where you can get onto some amazing trails within minutes of your doorstep.

Tell us about Presca’s circularity approach to making highperformance sportswear and how it uses recycled, renewable and deadstock materials and ethical manufacturing...

One of the key principles of circularity is reducing waste so we’ve always looked to use the lowest impact fabrics that we could for our clothing. Initially, we did that through the use of recycled fabrics from plastic bottles and ghost fishing nets and as our product ranges increase we now incorporate renewable fabrics and those from end of line and deadstock materials.

Another aspect of circularity that is less discussed is keeping products in use for as long as possible – this is a great way to affect the impact of that product, as it reduces the need for new products.

So we manufacture using the highest quality fabrics and production techniques to ensure our clothing stands the test of time.

We are also designing our garments to be as recyclable as possible and are working with innovative technology providers to look at how we can take these clothes back at the genuine end of their lives and recycle them into new products.

Women’s core

collection

Core Collection Gold Jersey £85

Core Collection Violet Jersey

Tell us about Presca’s trade-in scheme and how customers can earn credit in store for returning unwanted garments...

We have committed to taking responsibility for every garment we have ever made and ever will make. That means that when a customer no longer wants or needs an

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FASHION

Core Collection Gold Winter Jacket

Men’s

£140

core

collection

“Our mission is to make sportswear better. Better made. Better to wear. Better for the planet...” item of clothing or if it is at its genuine end of life then we will take that product back and re-home re-purpose or, ultimately, recycle it into something new.

As part of that promise we have our trade-in scheme where customers can gain credit towards future purchases by returning their old Presca clothing. This type of approach is being taken by a lot of companies now and cynically a lot of them are doing it just to sell more clothing so we’re taking a different approach to the standard. Instead of credit reducing overtime, which incentivises rapid return of clothing, we have committed to increasing credit for all our garments kept over two years (which is the average lifetime of a piece of clothing). So we’re actively incentivising our customers to hold onto their clothing and keep it in use for as long as possible because longevity is one of the key aspects of sustainability in clothing.

Core Collection Black Bib Shorts £105

Core Collection Green Jersey

How is Presca adapting kit for those with disabilities? How can customers request adaptations?

Sport and being active is for everyone and sportswear shouldn’t be the barrier. To help alleviate this blocker we offer to amend any of our garments for free for anyone with a disability, whether that’s a sleeve or length alteration or something more specific for a wheelchair user. We will also offer this on other brands garments for a small fee. We feel really passionate about inclusivity and not just paying lip service to this but actually creating change.

Tell us about your B Corp status...

We began our B Corp application last year, and submitted this spring. We’re aiming for B Corp status because it’s the accreditation that we see as being the most holistic assessment of £85 a company’s sustainability and intentions in the environment and social space. That’s not to say it’s perfect, and some companies who might not on the face of it look particularly sustainable have got accreditation but the key point is about continual improvement and B Corp challenges companies to always be better. The B Corp community is a natural home for Presca and it will help to grow our community.

There’s quite a queue to get evaluated by the B Corp analysts so we’re waiting for that at the moment, but we’re very positive that we’re going to be successful.

Men’s

conscious

capsule

collection

What do you hope for the future of Presca – and for the future of fashion?

We genuinely believe that we are radical in our approach to sportswear and the clothing industry and so to spread our impact as far as possible we need to grow. But that cannot be at the expense of the climate and wider environment. So we’re planning on massively increasing the scope of our workshop repair function Scan the QR code to and have an ambition to repair shop the collection: one million items of clothing with that service.

Conscious Whilst this cost of living crisis is Capsule Tees going to be very challenging for so many in Blue and of us I do believe it’s an opportunity for us all Green to step back and rethink our buying behaviours. £45 It’s a critical time for us all to recognise that less is more and that buying quality over quantity is much better for our planet, our mental health, and ultimately our wallets. n • Find out more and shop the range at: prescasportswear.com 18 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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For flights call

01934 852875

www.firstflight.co.uk

THE

BRISTOL M A G A Z I N E

Our customers sell their current, on-trend clothing and accessories for cash or trade credit. Other customers buy these items, helping to save money and the environment, so you know you’re doing good too.

Our store is filled with the clothes you want at prices you can’t resist!

Book an appointment on our website to sell or

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AUTUMN BEAUTY EVENT – SEPTEMBER 14TH This September at The Harbour Hotel, Harvey Nichols presents their Autumn Beauty Event featuring guest brands Tom Ford, Dr Dennis Gross and GHD.

Join us from 5.30pm when you will be welcomed by live music, a Havana Sling Cocktail and an opportunity to browse the pop-up shops available on the evening. The GHD station will be open, offering complimentary styling sessions to get you event ready!

At 6.30pm, the guest brands will take to the stage where Dr Dennis Gross will be sharing tips and tricks on how to keep your skin bright and hydrated, followed by Tom Ford running a live masterclass demostrating this season's must-have make up look.

From 7.15pm, enjoy more live music, a glass of prosecco and seasonally themed canapés from Bristol Harbour Kitchen & Bar. The pop-up shops will be open until close to allow you to purchase your favourite products.

The evening will include time for a Q & A, a gift with purchase and the opportunity to win an exclusive beauty hamper from Harvey Nichols.

The details: Wednesday 14th September 2022 at The Harbour Hotel.

5.30pm to 8.30pm. Tickets: £40 per person.

To book your tickets call: 0117 203 4445

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FASHION

Forget fast

fashion

As the city welcomes the UK’s first Sustainable Fashion Week back to its streets this month, which will debut its brand-new catwalk show, we take a look at how some of Bristol’s slow style pioneers are moving from fast to ‘forever fashion’...

Bristol welcomes the UK’s first Sustainable Fashion Week

• For more information about all the talks and events taking place, and to book tickets for Sustainable Fashion Week’s first catwalk on 21 September, visit: sustainablefashionweek.uk

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Amelia Twine, Founder of Sustainable Fashion Week along with the team

A model from last year’s Sustainable Fashion Week

Image: Future Leap @ Sustainable Fashion Week 2021

The UK’s first and only Sustainable Fashion Week will debut its brand-new catwalk show on 21 September in Bristol.

Models will strut their stuff in upcycled, vintage and sustainable clothing with the ethereal venue of The Mount Without providing the perfect backdrop to explore creative clothing and switching up attitudes towards buying new.

The catwalk show will unite the week’s four driving themes, Regenerate, Rewear, Repurpose and Reconnect, which will encourage attendees to look at their wardrobes in a new light to end the fast-fashion cycle.

Sustainable Fashion Week’s four community partners will be bringing each of the themes to life. This includes Bristolbased Wear My Wardrobe Out, which offers rental outfits for every occasion and Black2Nature who foster environmentally-focused conversations with ethnically diverse communities. They will be joined by Future Leap, working in partnership with popular clothing brand Lucy & Yak. Lead partners, the City of Bristol College, will be representing the Reconnect theme, and are using textiles donated by St Peter’s Hospice to make their designs for the fashion show. The finished garments will be showcased in some of the charity shop’s windows which will be specially decorated by the students.

Sustainable Fashion Week starts on 16 September, welcoming clothes swaps, panel talks, workshops, film screenings, augmented reality experiences and photo exhibitions. Taking place in locations across Bristol and online, the community-led events are accessible for all to join. Bristol students can expect a wardrobe upgrade with a Re-fresher Your Style sustainable student shopping day, taking place on Park Street and Queens Road in the city centre on 22 September. This event will be followed by a panel discussion and live styling from industry experts at 6.30pm at The Vintage Thrift Store.

Local Bristol businesses will be sharing their love for ecofriendly fashion throughout the week too, including Loot Vintage, Sobey’s Limited and Oxfam, by offering a range of uniquely sourced, second-hand clothing to prove that preloved fashion is always in style.

A wider discussion to raise environmental awareness will be led by Bristol businesses such as Wagamama, Ryman and Audio Excellence, promoting sustainability through recyclable cutlery, stationery and tech, and implementing a bring your own container scheme.

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FASHION

Benedict Raven: now and forever made in England Born in Bristol with all products now and forever made in England, Benedict Raven is a luxury British menswear brand who craft exclusive wardrobe staples for the man who seeks more. Based in Quakers Friars, the brand has sourced the finest fabrics from around the world to create a timeless collection, all made in limited numbers. Never driven by seasonal trends, Benedict Raven aims to create timeless clothing for man’s everyday moments. All garments are designed in the city and are made by skilled artisans around the country. The brand’s approach is all about quality over quantity with sustainability and style at the forefront of everything it does.

Bristol Bomber Jacket, Dove Grey, £145

• benedictraven.co.uk; Quakers Friars Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BZ

ClothingXchange calls for pre-loved items ClothingXchange is an exciting new concept in brick-and-mortar sustainable retail where customers can buy, sell or trade current, on-trend fashion in store. Having recently opened its first store in Broadmead, CXC’s two floors are packed with good quality clothes, shoes and accessories from well-known labels and high-end designers including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen. The business model is the first of its kind on a UK high street but bears similarities to proven companies in the US such as Crossroads Trading, Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet. Customers can bring their pre-loved items into the CXC, where they are assessed by a buyer for saleability. The seller can choose either cash (25%) straight away or trade credit (50%) on a gift card, based on the price the items are expected to sell for in store.

• clothingxchange.co.uk; 62 Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3ED

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The Watersmeet Hotel in Woolacombe, a four star hotel on the water’s edge.

Indoor and outdoor pool & spa. Two restaurants to include a bistro and a fine dining option, both with stunning sea views.

‘Ramblers Package - 3 nights’ Explore the coastal footpaths on our doorstep. sea view room • Deluxe course dinner • 3Devon cream tea for 2 • £990 per couple inclusive 'Luxury Suite Offer' Luxury Suite Bottle of champagne From £350 per night.

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‘3 Night Break’ (Sun-Wed) Deluxe sea view room B/B £660 per couple inclusive

•

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 21

Mallory Chopard Bristol Page V2.qxp_Layout 1 26/08/2022 10:11 Page 1

CHOPARD at

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Happy Hearts 18ct Rose Gold Mother of Pearl and Diamond Earrings - £2,880

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Happy Hearts 18ct Rose Gold Mother of Pearl and Diamond Pendant £3,600

Founded in 1860 and passed on from one generation to the next, Chopard’s identity has been forged over time, and with the contribution of every member of the Scheufele family who oversee it.

Heritage Silk Twill Scarf - £273

Havana Sunglasses - £449

Renowned for its creativity, its state-of-the-art technology and the virtuosity of its artisans, the Maison has become one of the leading names in the high-end watch and jewellery industry.

Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition Steel 44mm Watch - £6,680

As well as beautiful timepieces and jewellery, discover a selection of Chopard luxury accessories at Mallory including sunglasses, leather handbags, purses, wallets, silk scarves and many more – all in unique and covetable designs.

Happy Hearts 18ct Rose Gold Mother of Pearl and Diamond Bangle - £2,620

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Happy Sport Steel 36mm Watch - £8,150

Ice Cube 18ct White Gold Diamond Earrings - £1,630

Ice Cube Mini Bag - £1,040

Ice Cube 18ct White Gold Diamond Ring - £850

Ice Cube 18ct Rose Gold Diamond Ring - £1,490

22 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 23

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IN CONVERSATION

On the road again

After five years away from the stage, Dara Ó Briain is bringing his brand new show So... Where Were We? to the Bristol Hippodrome on 14 and 15 September. As he prepared to get back on the road earlier this year, James Rampton caught up with the Irish comedian to talk live audiences, finding the magic and how comedy can be used to articulate something quite profound...

I

t is five years since Dara Ó Briain last started a nationwide tour. It would have happened sooner, he says, “but there was a small matter that intervened and caused an interregnum…. Cards on the table; I ate a bat and decided to take some time off.” This is typical of Dara, an immensely entertaining presence on and off stage. You will be delighted to hear that he has returned to the live arena with a major new national tour entitled So… Where Were We?, which is coming to the Bristol Hippodrome for two nights on 14 September.

To say Dara is looking forward to being back on stage is an understatement that would surely win a gold medal at the Understatement Olympic Games. “I’m desperate to be out on the road again!” exclaims the comedian, who is chatting to me in the run-up to the tour.

Dara, who has also had a very successful TV career on popular shows such as Mock the Week (on which, by the time the final series airs this autumn, he will have chaired over 200 episodes since 2005), Stargazing Live, Robot Wars, The Apprentice: You’re Fired! and Go8Bit, continues: “It was very similar to being on stage at midnight on New Year’s Eve. As you finished the countdown, you’d get an enormous cheer. At that moment, even though you know they’re cheering the New Year, as a performer you cannot stop yourself from taking credit for that. ‘Look what I just did! Look at the round of applause I just got! Aren’t I a brilliant comedian?’

“Now it’s the same thing – ‘look at us all here in the room!’ You haven’t earned that! You get a massive round of applause as a free gift.

But that will wear off soon enough and the audience will tell me, ‘Right, you have to say something genuinely funny now.’”

That won’t be a problem for Dara, one of the most naturally gifted comedians on the planet. He is a magnetic, lightning-fast performer, endowed with marvellous storytelling skills and an unparalleled ability to pluck wondrous improvised routines out of thin air.

The critics agree. The Evening Standard calls him, “pure, undiluted comic genius”, and The Guardian says, “his set is a masterclass in intelligent, no-frills stand-up.” Meanwhile, The Times declares, “if you want a comic who can hold an audience in the palm of his hand for two hours, here’s your man.”

One of Dara’s outstanding qualities is connecting with his audience.

He possesses an unrivalled capacity to riff on the smallest piece of information that they give him. The comedian, says, “You can really feel the electricity when it’s a live show.

“That’s especially true when I’m messing with the audience, which is something I love doing. When people throw things in, that’s what makes each night special and unique. There is something enormously fun about creating something on the spot that then runs throughout the show.”

He goes on to give an example of a recent show the other day in Ireland, where an audience member inspired a piece of comedy magic.

The audience member told Dara he worked in “tech”, before admitting that he was actually employed at a ladies’ hair removal clinic. “I asked him, ‘Do you zap them or do you pull them?’

“At the end, I said to the audience, imagine you’re at a big disrupters’ conference in San Francisco with loads of billionaires.

‘Great to be here with all these tech bros. I hear you work with lasers.

What do you do? Transfer of data?’ ‘No, hair removal’.”

It is these priceless, off-the-cuff moments that make a Dara’s live act so compelling. The comedian thinks the spontaneity of his stand-up means, “it never turns into The Mousetrap.

“Could you imagine being in that show? ‘I’ve only been doing this play for 60 years. Watch out, Mr Butler, I’ve got my eye on you. What’s that you’re hiding, Miss Fanshawe?”

So what subjects will Dara be covering in So… Where Were We? “I’m always loath to say, ‘this is what’s in the show’. Nobody asks Beyoncé, ‘what’s your new album about?’”

Of course, he adds with a laugh, “I’m very much Beyoncé in this analogy! The similarities are uncanny. Over the years, I’ve had lots of letters from her saying, ‘don’t tread on my IP.’” The Irishman proceeds to disclose that the second half of the show will be a long, moving and yet very funny story centring on a very personal revelation. Dara says, “I’ve never told this story before outside of the third bottle of wine at a dinner party.

“The story is full of revelations. You’ll be reeling from surprise after surprise, each one more surprising than the last. After one show recently, someone said to me, ‘that’s a lot more personal than you’ve done in the past’. ‘Of course it is,’ I replied. ‘I haven’t got any other stories – nothing has happened in the last two years! I’d love to tell you funny stories from the road, but I’ve just been sitting at home for the last two years.’”

This section of the show emphasises that comedy can be a very good vehicle for articulating something quite profound. “The tension you create with a true-life story is both serious and funny, and that’s great fun to play with,” Dara says. “You ramp up the tension and the audience are thinking, ‘hang on, this could be serious’, and then you drop it. The audience then really laugh as they’re releasing all that tension.”

As he looks forward with delight to the forthcoming tour, Dara underscores that he retains an unquenchable passion for stand-up.

“Amazing as this sounds, I don’t think I’m the hot new thing in comedy anymore, and it may even be that I haven’t been one for a while. I know, it’s astonishing! By this stage, I’m supposed to have moved into an acting career, or some serious, grown-up backstage job. Sadly, I just keep coming back to stand-up. It turns out that this is what I do because this is what I love.”

Dara jokes: “That said, at some point, the temptation may be to burn it all down and do something risky, like a totally improvised character show, or a silent clowning show. Take 25 years of goodwill with the audience I’ve built up, and dynamite it with an hour and a half of me miming being trapped in a box. That could be my new direction now!”

The comedian closes by reflecting on what he hopes audience members will be saying to each other as they leave So… Where Were We? “Well, if they come out in any way intrigued or moved, that’s fantastic but first and foremost I just want them to be entertained.”

Above all, though, Dara trusts that his audiences will be filing out of the theatre having enjoyed a brilliantly entertaining night out. “I’d just be delighted if they say, ‘yeah, that was funny’ to each other as they’re getting into the car. Ultimately, that’s what I want. I’m not looking for a statue. Maybe I’ll get to put my hands in some wet concrete someday.”

“I’m always reminded of what’s written on Max Wall’s grave in Highgate Cemetery: ‘I believe that since my life began, the most I’ve had is just a talent to amuse.’” There is no doubt at all that Dara shares that talent. In spades. n • Dara Ó Briain will be performing at The Bristol Hippodrome from 14–15 September. Tickets are available at: atgtickets.com THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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Circumstance's distillers Andrew Osborne and Matthew Keegan Credit: Yuup Bristol 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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BRISTOL BUSINESS

Boundless innovation

As Circumstance Distillery prepare to release their whisky on 5 September – the first whisky to be produced in Bristol for 82 years – we sit down with team to find out more about their creations and why they were dubbed “Britain’s most innovative distillery”...

I

n the 19th and 20th century, Bristol, London and Liverpool were major producers of English whisky, with the Bristol Whisky Distillery, based in St Philips, being the city’s most famed producer. During the Blitz in December 1940, however, the distillery was totally destroyed, putting an end to all production in Bristol for an entire generation.

Now, from the founders of Bristol-based business Psychopomp Gin, Circumstance Distillery is set to release its inaugural whisky on 5 September – the first to be produced in Bristol in 82 years and an occasion so special that a bottle of the Single Grain Whisky will be held in the Bristol Museum.

The four-year-old distillery, known for its ‘new-world’ style, has been dubbed by renowned whisky retailers, Master of Malt, as Britain’s most innovative distillery. Their approach to making whisky is to respect the traditions without being confined by them. The team specialise in organic grains, non-traditional yeasts and long fermentations and strive to be as experimental as possible while always living up to their green credentials. “If you can’t do something sustainably, it’s questionable whether you should be doing it at all,” states their website.

Ahead of the launch this month, we caught up with co-founder Liam Hirt and Sales and Marketing Manager Sara Sanna, who took us around Circumstance Distillery, located in a former warehouse on Whitehall Trading Estate off Gerrish Avenue, and explained exactly how distillers Andrew Osborne, Matthew Keegan and the team are pushing the boundaries in the world of whisky.

Certified organic There are a number of factors that make Circumstance a stand-out distillery. For starters, it is certified organic by The Soil Association as an organic producer and by Carbon Neutral Britain as a carbon neutral business. What’s more, all of its grains are organically certified from a local maltster, which just so happens to be the oldest in the country.

The Single Grain Whisky being released this month was created from malted barley (85%) and unmalted barley (15%) that was processed by hand, but Circumstance also use a mixture of grains from English fields. “We have three different types of whisky coming out of our process: a traditional barley-style whisky, a wheat whisky and a rye whisky,” Liam explains. “The bit where we differ significantly from other distilleries is the way we do our fermentations,” he continues. “Most distilleries in Scotland use the same strain of yeast, however, newer distilleries have started working with more interesting yeasts. It is fairly well established now that in your bottle of whisky, 60% of the flavour comes from the casks, and around 40% comes from the mash. The mash was traditionally quite neglected as they thought that all the flavour came pretty much from the barrel, although brewers have known for some time that the yeast plays an important part in the flavour of their beers. We are predominately using beer yeasts, which comes

“There’s only been one release of a spirit that has been aged in Andean oak and that was a Mount Gay rum. Our whisky will be one of the first whiskies from Andean oak to get bottled...”

with an excellent flavour. We particularly use a French saison yeast and it adds a fruit character that can be noticed even after three or four years.

“The industry standard for fermentation is 36 hours. The newer distilleries are using longer fermentations because it builds flavour.

Bimber Distillery in London, for instance, calls its fermentations ‘extra-long’ as they go up to five days – we do 14 days, so I don’t think there is a word for that yet.”

After fermentation, the flavour is selected in Circumstance’s custombuilt 1,800-litre still. “The choices we make here are about how the still is set up, the temperatures we allow it to get to, and where we cut the heads and the tails. The first part that comes out we don’t use, it has quite a lot of volatile things in it, and the last parts we don’t use either, that has a lot of earthy notes, so that’s the decision to make: where to leave in some of the volatiles and earthy notes – that’s how we’re selecting flavour.

“The new make comes out of the still and then sits in a cask for a minimum of three years to be called whisky by European standards.

Other countries don’t have those laws. America, for example, has whisky after a year.

“We’re very proud of our new make – we spend a long time selecting flavours from the still, we think it’s really important what comes out the other end. The wheat is one of my favourites. It is underrepresented in whisky – it has been very neglected as an idea everywhere else in the world but I think it’s delicious. We use a Bavarian wheat yeast, which can give some banana-ey flavours and the wheat gives it a real biscuity flavour. A single grain rye whisky and a single grain wheat whisky should be ready for release in the near future,” Liam explains.

A world first?

One of the most exceptional features of Circumstance’s whisky lies in its casking process. Due to the laws in America, bourbon has to be aged in new oak barrels for at least a year, which means once the barrels have been used once, they can’t be used again.

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“We’re very proud of our new make – we spend a long time selecting flavours from the still, we think it’s really important what comes out the other end.”

Credit: Dan Bird

Circumstance also make delicious vodka, award-winnng rum and innovative grain spirits – shop the collection via the website Credit: Yuup Bristol

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All of Circumstance’s grains are organically certified from a local maltster Credit: Yuup Bristol

There’s therefore a huge market for ex-bourbon barrels and distilleries all around the world are snapping them up to use time and time again, making ‘first-fill ex-bourbon casks’ the industry standard. What Circumstance is doing with their whisky, however, is potentially a world first. “We are using Andean oak – a species of oak found only in Colombia and Panama. It’s a species that hasn’t really been used very much in aging spirits,” explains Liam. “There’s only been one release of a spirit that has been aged in Andean oak and that was a Mount Gay rum. Our whisky will be one of the first whiskies from Andean oak to get bottled.”

Experiments with different types of wood doesn’t end there for Circumstance. The distillery earned its reputation for being the most innovative in the country when it began to work with the flavours of English oak, which is almost impossible to use for casking.

We have an opportunity to do something different here. We’re going very experimental; we want as few rules as possible so that we are free to do our own thing

“There are some very rare examples of English oak casks that have been made,” Liam tells me. “The English oak is a difficult species – it is very slow growing and when it does grow, it doesn’t grow straight, it twists and it branches low. The only way you can make staves is from the trunk, before it branches, on a straight bit, which you don’t normally get. However, we can get the flavour of English oak into spirits by using spindles, which have been toasted and charred as a barrel would be and then dropped into the spirit. We can’t call it whisky when we do that because it needs to be in a cask, but it’s interesting and its fun and you can experience the different flavours of English oak – it’s much spicier, so we’ve released some of them. We’ve had to call them grain spirits, which are young whiskies or nontraditional whiskies made in different ways. No one in the UK is doing this at the moment.”

Bristol collaborations As Circumstance is Liam Hirt and Danny Walker’s second venture and follows the success of Psychopomp Microdistillery, which is situated on St Michael’s Hill, the team have been able to collaborate with a number of local businesses that they have come to know well. Most recently, they made something new with Clifton Coffee.

“We took an ex-bourbon barrel and invited Clifton Coffee to come and put a load of green coffee beans in it before leaving it for a few months,” Liam says. “The beans essentially seasoned the barrel. They then took the beans out and did a whisky-seasoned coffee and we filled it with rye. Our rye whisky is essentially a green coffee beanseasoned ex-bourbon cask that has had rye whisky in it. We love working with other Bristol businesses. We’re quite lucky to be able to work with all kinds of people; to have an idea and try it every couple of months and compare it to the last one.”

Cask ownership Without a doubt one of the most impressive projects happening at Circumstance at the moment is its Still in Cask scheme – a brand new global platform that is giving consumers the opportunity to buy shares in a cask of spirit directly from the distillery, from as little as £20 per cask share. The platform helps whisky enthusiasts get involved in cask ownership while supporting their favourite distilleries.

“We have 300 people that have bought shares in one of our casks – we send them updates every year and they get to be involved and understand what’s going on. There are eight or nine distilleries involved in Still in Cask around the world. The latest one to join was Stork Club in Germany – a really lovely European rye.

“If people have £20, they can get involved, if they’ve got £100 to spend, they could have a cask share from us and four other distilleries around the world and build up a portfolio.”

Circumstance is keen for their cask owners and their customers to know everything about the whisky they’re drinking, which is why each bottle has a unique code printed on the label. “All of our bottles have different codes, which is in line with us being transparent with our customers,” Sara explains. “We want to be able to give all the information to people who want the information but if people just want to have a bottle without knowing everything, that’s fine as well, we don’t have to put all the information on the back. If you go on our website, the code will tell you everything about how we make things.

It starts with the mash bill, the type of fermentation that we use, the type of yeast and distillation, the type of cask we use, what percentage of what goes in and how long it’s been aged.”

As the tour comes to an end, it becomes increasingly apparent that the team’s creativity knows no bounds, and it’s a joy to witness. When asked about what the future holds for Circumstance, Liam’s answer is clear: “The way we see it, the Scots do a very good job of making scotch and we don’t need to try and compete there. We have an opportunity to do something different here. We’re going very experimental; we want as few rules as possible so that we are free to do our own thing.” n • Circumstance Distillery’s Single Grain Whisky will be released on 5 September and will be available to buy from the distillery. To be in with a better chance of picking up one of the 500 bottles, sign up to Circumstance Distillery’s newsletter via their website and find out more about their innovative creations at: circumstancedistillery.com

TASTING NOTES The Single Grain Whisky glows a golden straw colour with aromas of scrumpy cider, lemon zest and milk chocolate. On the palate there is a hay-like sweetness with cream soda and some wonderful delicate spice. The mouthfeel is oily and creamy. The finish is zesty with a hint of savoury.

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Katy J Pearson at Trinity Centre Credit: H Hawkline

WHAT’S ON Think Global: Act Bristol n Throughout September, M Shed Bristol has declared climate and ecological emergencies. How did we get here? What’s our city’s role in it, and how can we help get out of it? What does a just, green future look like? Think Global: Act Bristol explores big environmental questions affecting people here and worldwide, and presents perspectives from a wide range of local voices. bristolmuseums.org.uk

people were buried or memorialised in the Cathedral and its grounds. Around 200 (20%) of them had a close connection to the slavery-based economy. bristolcathedral.co.uk Cables & Cameras present: Inspired n 2 – 4 September, Watershed Inspired is back with a packed programme of VR workshops, keynote speakers and short film screenings and previews to celebrate home-grown filmmakers of colour from across the country.

With contributions from Anthony and Teanne Andrews of the award-winning We Are Parable, guiding audiences on how to engage with international events in Black cinema, and Somali feminist art collective dhaqan collective presenting the premiere of the acclaimed Somali film The Gravedigger’s Wife, hear from a plethora of exciting names in a packed schedule set to explore Black / POC culture and talent both in front of and behind the camera. watershed.co.uk FORWARDS Festival n 3 – 4 September, Clifton Downs Formed by Bristol-based Team Love and AEG Presents, Forwards brings the biggest names in international music to Bristol Downs this September, blending a cutting edge lineup with a platform for social purpose and timely debate. Let’s harness the legacy and power of music events to bring people together for positive change.

FORWARDS’ stellar international music programme featuring The Chemical Brothers, Jamie XX, Little Simz, Róisín Murphy, Khruangbin, Caribou, Fred Again.., and

Bristol Bridge Club n Throughout September Bristol Bridge Club is starting two new bridge beginners weekly courses. From 6 September at 10am and from Wednesday 7 September at 7.30pm. The courses will run for 10 weeks and cost £90, which includes the Beginning Bridge Book One, produced by the English Bridge Education and development. You will be a tutorial member of the Bristol Bridge Club. For registration and more details, email: teaching@bristolbridgeclub.co.uk. What’s more, free online Zoom lessons are currently running every Saturday morning at 10am, just go to Bridge club website and follow the links. bristolbridgeclub.co.uk All God’s Children n Throughout September, Bristol Cathedral Bristol Cathedral launches a new exhibition, All God’s Children, as part of its work to understand its links with the transatlantic trade of enslaved people. Research that informed the exhibition discovered that between 1670 and 1900, roughly 1,000 30 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Shygirl is not one to miss. forwardsbristol.co.uk Sean Connery: Beyond Bond n 4 – 25 September, Watershed To celebrate the launch of UWE Bristol Professor Andrew Spicer’s new book Sean Connery: Acting, Stardom and National Identity, Watershed presents Sean Connery: Beyond Bond, a series of screenings and an illustrated talk on the Scottish star. Beyond Bond showcases films from across Connery’s career, and examines both Connery the ‘star’ as well as Connery the person. watershed.co.uk Katy J Pearson n 8 September, Trinity Centre A magnetic blend of soaring, widescreen melodies and warm, intimate storytelling, Katy J Pearson is old fashioned country heartache and dancefloor romance combined.

Her debut album, Return, saw her go from being a Bristolian newcomer to a criticallyacclaimed breakthrough star. Selling out shows up and down the UK, she is praised for the arresting quality of her Kate Bushmeets-Dolly Parton vocal delivery. trinitybristol.org.uk MOHITO launch party n 10 – 11 September, The Workshop, Hampton Lane, BS6 6LE Brand new fitness studio, MOHIITO is celebrating the launch of a new workout concept in Bristol with a host of free fitness classes at the team’s launch party. Over two days, you can try their rowing-based HIIT Continued page 32

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Harvey Nichols Bristol’s Autumn Beauty Event at The Harbour Hotel

Manu Brazo at Tetbury Music Festival

medium of collagraph and collage. Utilising textured and contrasting materials, she layers and constructs plates and stencils for printing. The preview will take place on 16 September from 6–8pm – everyone is welcome. blackswanarts.org.uk

workout, M Power, or their M Body barre classes for free, while taking a look inside the new fitness studio in Clifton. There'll also be giveaways, mocktails, and a chance to simply walk in and take a look around.

The sister studio, M Lab, situated in the same location will also be open for a firstlook.

To save a space at the free opening weekend, classes must be booked online in advance, while walk-in visits are welcome at any time during the morning. Book online at: mohiito.com

Tetbury Music Festival n 24 September – 2 October, Park Farm, Shipton Moyne, GL8 8PR Tetbury Music Festival is returning this month as a highlight of the autumn calendar.

Enjoy events with Manu Brazo, Sarah Dunant, The Consone String Quartet, Professor Natasha Loges and many more.

The nights are drawing in and a week of fine music and meeting friends is the best way to embrace the season. tetburymusicfestival.org

Harvey Nichols: Autumn Beauty Event n 14th September, The Harbour Hotel This September, Harvey Nichols presents its Autumn Beauty Event featuring guest brands Tom Ford, Dr Dennis Gross and GHD. Join the team from 5.30pm when you will be welcomed by live music, a Harvey’s Havana Sling Cocktail and an opportunity to browse the pop-up shops available on the evening.

The GHD station will be open, offering complimentary styling sessions to get you event ready. At 6.30pm, the guest brands will take to the stage where Dr Dennis Gross will be sharing tips and tricks on how to keep your skin bright and hydrated, followed

by Tom Ford running a live masterclass teaching you this season’s must-have make up look, plus so much more. Tickets: £40 per person. harbourhotels.co.uk/bristol/offers-andevents/harvey-nichols-beauty-event

Encounters Film Festival n 27 September – 2 October, Canons Road, BS1 5TX Encounters is the UK’s leading short film, animation and virtual reality festival. From a one-off celebration to mark the centenary of cinema, to an international success story, Encounters provides an international platform for celebrating talent and innovation in short film, animation and virtual reality. The jam-packed programme in September presents a diverse selection of short film screenings, features, special guests, Q&As and headline events, alongside an intensive industry event programme with high level masterclasses and workshops. encounters.film

A Vocabulary of Making Revealed n 17 September – 23 October, Black Swan Arts, Frome BA11 1BB A new show at Black Swan Arts by artist Cath Bloomfield features collagraph and collaged prints inspired by the human form and landscape. Cath Bloomfield explores colour, texture and narrative using the 32 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Craft4Crafters Show n 29 September – 1 October, Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet Over 100 leading craft and textile suppliers plus new and popular features including needlecraft, crochet, felting, weaving, jewellery making, paper crafts, stamping,

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sculpture, embroidery, lacemaking and much more. Plus, quilt and textile displays, workshops, demonstrations, make and takes.

Special feature: Spectacular handmade ‘Alice in Wonderland’ display created in felt – fundraising for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Free parking, restaurants, cafes, free shuttle bus service. craft4crafters.co.uk COMING SOON! Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society: 60th Anniversary Gala Concert n 1 October, Newman Hall, BS9 4DR Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society are delighted to be celebrating their 60th anniversary with a gala concert. Richard Suart (ENO, Scottish Opera) and Pamela Rudge (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School) will be joining the company for a concert celebrating each of Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta, including the famous Little List from The Mikado and We Sail The Ocean Blue from HMS Pinafore. Performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. bristolgsos.co.uk Antique, Vintage & Collectables Fair n 2 October, Ashton Court Mansion An Aladdin’s cave of fine jewellery, china, furniture, paintings, memorabilia, vintage clothing, retro items and so much more. With 40 indoor stalls plus a café serving light bites and cream teas, there’s truly something for everyone. Entry: £2, under 16s free. Main car park: Kennel Lodge Entrance via Portishead Road.

Contact anniehawksley@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

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FAMILY DIARY

DISCOVER THE BEST THINGS TO SEE & DO WITH THE FAMILY THIS MONTH See Monster n Coming soon, Weston-super-Mare The transformation of a decommissioned North Sea offshore platform is a world-first that is set to become one of the UK’s largest public art installations, aiming to inspire global conversations about the repurposing of large industrial structures and design-led solutions to sustainable futures. See Monster can be experienced from the seafront, beach and on board and will feature four publicly accessible levels animated by a 10-metre-high waterfall; a 6,000-piece kinetic installation forming the monster’s shimmering scales; an onboard oasis of grasses, plants and trees selected to thrive in a seaside micro-climate, and so much more. seemonster.co.uk

Beauty and the Beast at Bristol Hippodrome

Wake The Tiger Amazement Park n Open now, Albert Road BS2 0YA From the artistic team behind the groundbreaking festival, Boomtown Fair, journey to the world of Meridia. Having spent over a decade creating one of the most large scale immersive festival experiences in the world, the team wanted to expand and diversify their creative potential by establishing a year round arts and events venue where audiences can experience the work in a non-festival environment. wakethetiger.com Scribble and Sketch n 10 September, Easton Community Centre Join RWA’s Scribble and Sketch artists at locations across the city on Saturdays once a month for FREE family workshops. These sessions are designed for children and grown-

ups to take part in together – everyone is welcome. Admission is free. No pre-booking required. Suitable for all ages, children must be supervised. rwa.org.uk

poetry, engaging story-telling and exciting artmaking, all seasonal themes. Six-week term running Monday and Friday. trymwoodstudios.co.uk

Workshop: Fledglings n 12 September & 16 September, Trymwood Studios Nature-based, art-making workshops for Children 0 - 4 years. Delightful songs and

Bristol Film Festival: Encanto n 25 September, Clifton Observatory Bid farewell to the summer with a dose of colour and creativity with the visually stunning Encanto, which won Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars. Go for the beautiful animation, stay for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s incredibly catchy songs and a surprisingly moving narrative that defies some of the conventions of the Disney formula. bristolfilmfestival.com Disney’s Beauty and the Beast n 29 September – 12 November, Bristol Hippodrome Disney’s beloved Olivier Award-winning stage musical Beauty and the Beast – which has been re-imagined and re-designed in a completely new production – will make a triumphant return to Bristol this autumn, as part of its UK & Ireland Tour. The new production of Beauty and the Beast originally opened at the Bristol Hippodrome in August 2021, enjoying a sold out season and thrilling audiences. The acclaimed musical will return to the city with performances beginning from 29 September , for a strictly limited season until Saturday 12 November. atgtickets.com/shows/disneys-beauty-and-thebeast/bristol-hippodrome

Wake the Tiger Credit: Andre Pattenden

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Building a Martian House, M Shed, until 30 October Building a Martian House is a public art project that has made a prototype of a real Martian house. The project has brought together space scientists, architects, engineers, designers, and the public to explore how we live today and stimulate visions for new ways of living here on Earth and on Mars.

Mars is a place where you’d have to live carefully and resourcefully.

Imagining how a small community would live there offers a sharp lens on our lives here and now on Earth.

The house is open until 30 October on M Shed Square with a threemonth programme of workshops, talks and events for all ages, about sustainability and future living.

Opportunities to view the inside of the Martian House are available now. Viewings are free but booking is required. There is also an accompanying programme of workshops and panel discussions.

Building a Martian House is by artists Ella Good and Nicki Kent in collaboration with Hugh Broughton Architects and Pearce+. The installation is presented in collaboration with the Think Global: Act Bristol exhibition at M Shed.

• bristolmuseums.org.uk

Courses available at Spike Print Studio, throughout September Get the kids into school and start September with a short taster course at Spike Print Studio. This month, the studio is running lead-in workshops to support Impact 12 International Print Conference (more information at: cfpr.uwe.ac.uk/impact-12-theprintmakers-voice).

Fall in love with print with one of the studio’s courses: Charles Shearer Experimental Collagraph day workshop on 3 September; Chitra Merchant Screenprinting Bootcamp on 5 and 6 September; Vicky Willmot Reilef Printmaking on 5 and 6 September; Jess Bugler Riso Riot on 12 and 13 September; and Gail Mason Experimental Screenprinting on 12 and 13 September.

• spikeprintstudio.org/courses; Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6UX Image: artwork by Charles Shearer

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Keepers of the Fire, Rainmaker Gallery, 27 September – 5 November The team at Rainmaker Gallery celebrate the opening of their new gallery with an exhibition of work from the Potawatomi Nation. The minimalist drawings of Jason Wesaw are juxtaposed with richly textured landscape paintings by Douglas Klemm. Through expanses of carefully chosen colour drawn with oil pastel on incised archival paper, Wesaw describes a deep connection to nature and his ancestral lands. As a landscape artist Klemm is directly inspired by the natural world. This exhibition encourages us to be more respectful of the lands that we inhabit. Artists’ talk 27 September 2-3pm. Contact the gallery.

A note from Jason: “Many Potawatomi fled or were forcibly removed from these lands where my small tribe still calls home. History is important, yes. But in my work, it is a means to an end to call notice to our continued presence in the land that nurtured us since the beginning of time. It encourages people to think about who we are in the present and future, not just the past. My work is intentionally bright, simple, and abstract because I seek to create in a visual language that blows up the stereotype of looking at Native Americans through a black and white lens. The bold colors and simple patterning lend itself to a visual language that comes across more meditative and reflective in the way we all feel when seeing a beautiful sunrise or looking out across a vast expanse of mountains. It is this amazement, this wonder, that is at the heart of our relationships in the natural world and forms the core of our identity as 'Keepers of the Fire'.”

• rainmakerart.co.uk; 140 Whiteladies Road, BS8 2RS Image: MGEZHWASH, oil pastel and gold leaf pen on archival paper

by Jason Wesaw

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EXHIBITIONS

Forest: Wake this Ground, Arnolfini, until 2 October This summer, Arnolfini welcomes visitors to celebrate what lies above and below the forest floor with Forest: Wake this Ground, a major group exhibition including artists, writers, filmmakers, and composers from across the globe: Rodrigo Arteaga, Mark Garry, Alma Heikkilä, Eva Jospin, Jumana Manna, Zakiya Mckenzie, David Nash, Maria Nepomuceno, John Newling, Rose Nguyen, Ben Rivers, Ai Weiwei, and Hildegard Westerkamp.

With works that recycle, reuse and repurpose resources, discover the forests’ ancient rhythms and explore stories, myths, and folktales passed down between people over centuries.

The exhibition is accompanied by a programme that includes live performance, film, family events and creative workshops inviting you to share and create your own ‘forest tales’ and to very gently encourage us all to take a look at the impact the changing climate has on nature and the world around us.

• arnolfini.org.uk; 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA Image: Soil unsoiled, 2020. A collaboration between Zakiya McKenzie and Khady Gueye

Born Free Forever Bristol, until 30 September In 1966, Virginia McKenna OBE and Bill Travers MBE starred in the classic wildlife film Born Free.

The film told the true story of conservationists Joy and George Adamson, who rescued a lioness cub called Elsa and successfully returned her to the wild.

Virginia and Bill went on to make a number of wildlife films together, including in 1969 An Elephant Called Slowly with an elephant calf called Pole Pole (pronounced Poly Poly). When filming was over, Pole Pole was gifted to London Zoo by the Kenyan government. In 1982, Virginia and Bill went to visit Pole Pole at the zoo. Pole Pole, in clear distress, remembered Virginia and Bill and stretched out her trunk to reach them. Virginia and Bill launched a campaign to give Pole Pole a better life but in 1983, aged 16, Pole Pole died. Determined that her death would not be in vain, in 1984, Virginia, Bill and their eldest son Will launched Zoo Check – the charity that has evolved into Born Free.

This year, Born Free has launched a UK-wide exhibition with 25 life-size bronze lion sculptures touring the country to raise awareness and vital funds for lions.

Visit the exhibition at Clifton Downs, marvel at the sculptures and learn the true stories behind the Born Free lion pride.

• bornfree.org.uk; Sea Walls, Circular Road, Clifton BS9 1PG

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Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781 2022, Royal West of England Academy (RWA), until 11 September The final instalment of the RWA’s elements series, Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781-2022 tackles the most expansive and urgent of subject matters, bringing together important modern, historical and contemporary artworks, co-curated by artist Emma Stibbon RA RWA, art historian Professor Emerita Christiana Payne (Oxford Brookes University) and Nathalie Levi (Head of Programme – Curator of Exhibitions, RWA).

The exhibition examines how attitudes towards the landscape have evolved over the centuries and how artists’ approaches have changed over time; from the pastoral idylls of the 18th century, through representations of the Romantic Sublime, to present-day confrontations of the climate emergency. Encompassing depictions of the natural world from geological, spiritual, industrial, cultural and scientific perspectives.

• rwa.org.uk; Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1PX Image: Rodney Harris MRSS (b. 1966), A Delineation of Strata of England and Wales with parts of Scotland, Ireland and France, based on the original geological map by William Smith in 1815

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Expert opinion From Chris Yeo, Valuer at Clevedon Salerooms and regular expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

“Mr. Bristol” Shortly after I began working with Ken Stradling, who died recently at the incredible age of 100, a friend said to me ‘I hear you’re working for “Mr Bristol”’. It was an apt title for a man who, for well over half a century, was the beating heart of the city’s cultural scene. Ken was, for many years, Managing Director and subsequently Chairman of the Bristol Guild, the shop on Park Street he joined in 1948, which under his leadership, became a beacon for outstanding and innovative art and design. Following his retirement, in 2006, he founded the Ken Stradling Collection Trust, showcasing his nationally important collection of 20th and 21st Century artworks from its home on Park Row, where I worked as Curator for over ten years. He was also a former trustee of the SS Great Britain, Chair of the Gane Trust, which supports young people working in the arts, and a supporter of many other local causes.

Ken was a Bristol boy to the core but his influence stretched much further. He was one of the first retailers to introduce Scandinavian modern design to the UK, and in the 1950s and ‘60s became a standard bearer for the look that style aficionados today call ‘Mid Century’. He was also an enthusiastic and visionary patron, providing valuable – and sustained - support to many local artists and crafts people, whose work he sold at the Guild.

A familiar face at events around the city, Ken was an instantly recognisable figure, in his trademark suit, black shirt and fedora, with the impeccable manners of a true gentleman. As someone at the epicentre of the design world for so long, his address book was remarkable, as were his stories about some of the many well-known people he’d known, all delivered with his warm, deadpan wit. His abiding memory of lunch with the legendary food writer Elizabeth David was that she “smoked between courses”.

It was a proud moment for all his friends when, in 2020, Ken received an MBE in recognition of his contribution to Bristol’s cultural life. It was well earned. So, on behalf of the city he loved and for which he did so much, I say goodbye Ken, and thank you. ■ • clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

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THE FENCE – FEATURE FILM v3.qxp_Layout 2 26/08/2022 16:14 Page 1

FILM

Hitting the

big screen

As the first independently made feature film to be produced in Bristol since 1962 prepares to hit the big screen this month, we catch up with director Will Stone, delve into the true local story and take a look at the cast packed full of famous faces...

A

highly anticipated feature film from director Will Stone and cinematographer Adam Pickford is set to be released this month, making it the first independent feature film to be produced in Bristol since 1962.

The Fence follows an 18-year-old working class lad living in Hartcliffe who has his motorcycle stolen the day he buys it.

He seeks the help of his scoundrel friends and notorious older brother to track it down before it’s gone forever. Throughout the film, there is a strong moral theme examining the culture of the period, peer pressures and difficult individual choices. “The short was based on one of many stories from my father’s childhood,” Will says. “He grew up on a council estate in Hartcliffe during the late 70s and early 80s – the estate was one of the most deprived and notorious in the South West. The main secondary school was the biggest in the country at the time, with around 3,000 students. He described it as a zoo, with fights everyday. He had plenty of stories of his childhood about school, fighting, stealing and all kinds of stuff. The bike story was just one of many really. But it’s one that stuck with me for a while and I eventually thought it was perfect for a short film project.” says Will.

The Fence doesn’t shy away from the poverty and social issues faced by Hartcliffe in the 1980s and yet the film is filled with moments of nostalgia, brilliant comedic timing, and pure charm that are worthy of attention

The feature film is a development of an original short film of the same name that Will released on YouTube as part of his Film Production and Cinematography degree course at Bournemouth University in 2018. The 20-minute film, soundtracked by absolute classics from The Beatles and The Pogues, was shot on a £2,000budget on an estate in Salisbury while he studied in the south of England. Although he had modest hopes for his film, it reached a million views in six months and garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews. After watching the views skyrocket into the millions but finding no success in his pitches to production companies, the young filmmaker set out to write a screenplay himself, deciding to commit to the project during the first lockdown.

After tireless work, Will and Adam managed to secure funding for a low six-figure budget and filming for The Fence ran from 9 to 28 August 2021. The directors then launched a crowdfunder to raise £40,000 for the final stages of the project, which was successful.

Around 90 per cent of the film was shot in south Bristol with locations including Whitchurch, Stockwood, Keynsham, Warmley,

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Hollyoaks’ David Perkins appears alongside Sally Phillips and Paul Cooper (below)

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Cadbury Heath and Radstock. What’s more, around 50 speaking parts were filled by actors from the local area, bringing opportunities to young Bristol teenagers.

Most impressively, The Fence features some of Bristol’s most famous faces including Jayde Adams, Joe Sims and Paul Holbrook.

Furthermore, the likes of Sally Phillips (Miranda, Bridget Jones), Eugene Simon (Game of Thrones), Paul Cooper (This Country) and David Perkins (Hollyoaks) also appear in Will and Adam’s directorial debut. Behind the camera, award-winning co-producer Guy Davies – best known for his debut feature As I Am (2019) played a key role, along with a strong team of creatives.

The Fence doesn’t shy away from the poverty and social issues faced by Hartcliffe in the 1980s and yet the film is filled with moments of nostalgia, brilliant comedic timing, and pure charm that are worthy of attention.

Will and Adam’s talents and abilities have been recognised by experienced filmmaker (and the directors’ former university teacher) Tim Dodd, and Mark Thompson – an experienced businessman and entrepreneur. The two men joined forces with Will and Adam to form the company Red Anchor Films Ltd in 2020.

“I’m delighted to say we’ve successfully adapted the short into a feature,” says Will. “I was able to really expand on the world and the characters that people seemed to connect with. It’s taken years of incredible hard work to make it a reality and I couldn’t be happier with the finished film. I think what we’ve achieved with our microbudget is hard to rival. Every penny is up on the screen where it should be and I truly believe this is one of those few little Indie films that has the potential to break the mould and surprise people.” n • The Fence (18) is set to be released exclusively in Bristol on 2 September at Showcase Cinemas. For more information the making of the film, visit: thefencefilm.co.uk

Will Stone and cinematographer Adam Pickford shot 90 per cent of The Fence in Bristol and its surrounding areas

Director Will Stone with his father, Paul, on whom the film is based

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ANDREW SWIFT – SEPTEMBER V3.qxp_Layout 2 22/08/2022 16:27 Page 1

The joys of exploring

The Ridgeway in Wiltshire is one of the oldest rights of way in Britain, having been in continuous use for over 6,000 years

This month, Andew Swift looks back at the history of Bristol’s public footpaths, remembers those who fought to save them and explains why they are always worth fighting for...

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oday, walking is more popular than ever, with many people having discovered the joys of exploring public footpaths during the pandemic – proof, perhaps, as John Harris of The Guardian puts it, ‘that when our leisure options are suddenly shut down, a lot of us instinctively seek solace in one of the most primal pastimes there is’.

Footpaths are so ubiquitous, so much a part of what we cherish most about the countryside, it is easy to take them for granted. Yet if they had not been fought for, few of them would have survived, and continued vigilance is needed to ensure we do not lose them.

For centuries, while some land was always off limits, people could wander more or less where they liked, although few of them did it for pleasure. William Wordsworth may be better known for his poetry, but he was also one of the first pioneers of walking for enjoyment, notching up an astonishing 180,000 miles in his lifetime. Jane Austen was also a keen walker – although on a much less ambitious scale – and featured several fairly challenging country walks in her novels.

By their time, however, enclosure was already changing the face of the land, as vast swathes were enclosed, and access to them prohibited. Between 1725 and 1825, parliament passed nearly 4,000 enclosure acts, awarding more than six million acres to wealthy landowners. For countryfolk who had been used to walking through local woods and fields, the loss was devastating, but not only were they powerless to stop it; if they tried to exercise their ancestral rights the penalties were severe.

In 1812, a writer in the Bristol Gazette lamented that ‘they who remember Ashton, Leigh, Westbury, Kingsweston, Clifton, and Stapleton 20 years ago, will need no description to recall to their minds the delightful and healthy walks now untrodden by vulgar feet – then open to the public for exercise or pleasure’. Other enclosures followed as Bristol and the surrounding villages continued to grow.

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for building and quarrying, however, the outcry was so fierce that the city council was forced to take action. In 1861, after lengthy negotiations, the council paid £16, 296 to the Merchant Venturers and the Lords of Henbury Manor so that 442 acres of Clifton and Durdham Downs could be kept open and unenclosed ‘for the public resort and recreation of the citizens and inhabitants of Bristol’.

Elsewhere, though, land continued to be enclosed and footpaths that people had used for generations were closed at the whim of landowners. Although an Act as to Closing Footpaths had been passed in 1815, it was largely ineffective. All that was required to legally close a footpath was the consent of two justices of the peace, and, as many justices were landowners, obtaining such consent was rarely difficult.

Enclosure not only stopped people walking in the countryside; it also forced many off the land, giving them little option but to seek employment in rapidly expanding industrial cities. However hard their lives may have been in the country, in the city, crowded into insanitary slums and breathing polluted air, for many it was far worse.

Fortunately, there were campaigners ready to take up the cudgels on their behalf, and among them were those anxious they should have access to the countryside for health and recreation.

The battles to save Bristol’s footpaths were as rancorous as those fought elsewhere. In 1887, the owner of St Annes’ Wood in Brislington, where people had wandered freely for generations, padlocked the entrance and erected signs forbidding trespass. After he refused to back down, the Bristol & District Footpath Preservation Society organised a mass trespass, as a result of which he took them to court. The case lasted 18 days, at the end of which the rights of way through the wood were upheld and the owner was ordered to pay costs.

The year 1887 also saw the Merchant Venturers try to close a wellused footpath alongside the River Frome at Stapleton, by building a wall and employing a watchman to keep people out. The problem, as

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Hiking gear has moved on a bit since this party had to negotiate a tricky section near Glastonbury around 1910, but obstacles like this will still be encountered

Around 10,000 people attended the mass rally at Winnats Pass in 1931

Access through St Anne’s Woods was only restored after a lengthy court hearing

they saw it, was that people were using the path to get to a popular bathing spot. The Merchant Venturers viewed this as a public nuisance, but intervention by the Footpath Preservation Society persuaded them to restore access.

Over 35 years later, Bristolians were once again faced with the loss of one of their most popular open spaces. When John Ballard bought Trooper’s Hill in 1923, he blocked paths leading to it and put up signs prohibiting trespass. After two local residents took him to court and won their case, however, access to the hill was enshrined in law for perpetuity.

By now, campaigning for greater access to the countryside was gaining momentum. In 1932, parliament decreed that, if a footpath had been used without restriction for 20 years, it could be designated a public footpath. There was another battle to win, however – unrestricted access to wilderness and moorland – and here the initiative was taken not by middle-class campaigners but by workingclass ramblers from northern industrial cities. A rally attended by 10,000 people at Winnats Pass in the Peak District in 1931 was followed a year later by the legendary Kinder Scout trespass. The result of such robust campaigning was the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949. Although this set up ten national parks, it fell far short of demands for open access to uncultivated land. This is still – despite the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 having extended access to some mountains, moors, heaths and downland – very much unfinished business today.

No less controversially, the 2000 legislation also set a cut-off date of 1 January 2026, after which public rights over thousands of paths which had not been recorded as public footpaths would be extinguished for ever. As the deadline approached, the Ramblers Association calculated that around 49,000 miles of paths could be lost in England and Wales in England and Wales, with 76 miles in Bristol alone. Earlier this year, as the backlog of applications mounted, however, the government bowed to pressure and removed the cut-off date from the legislation.

Despite this piece of good news, footpaths are under threat as never before. Lockdown not only saw people walking in the countryside; it also led to landowners closing permissive paths and blocking rights of

way, justifying their actions by citing safety concerns and the need to prevent anti-social behaviour. Hundreds of miles of footpaths have also been closed indefinitely because ash-dieback has rendered the trees lining them liable to topple without warning – a perfectly reasonable measure, but whereas some landowners are working to remove the trees, along with the risk, the danger is that others may see it as a way of closing paths for good.

Britain has 91,000 miles of footpaths, together with 20,000 miles of bridleways, 2,300 miles of byways and 3.700 miles of restricted byways, yet it is estimated that around 10% of the network is either blocked off or impassable. The best tribute we can pay to those who fought over the past two centuries to preserve these ancestral rights of way is to go out and walk them, and, when we find them blocked or impassable, report it to the appropriate local authority footpath officer.

In the words of Robert Macfarlane, one of today’s most committed long-distance walkers, ‘footpaths are mundane in the best sense of the word: “wordly”, open to all. As rights of way determined and sustained by use, they constitute a labyrinth of liberty, a slender network of common land that still threads through our aggressively privatised world of barbed wire and gates, CCTV cameras and “No Trespassing” signs.’ They can also lead us to strange, wonderful and occasionally scary places, and are a resource like no other. Above all, they are worth fighting for. n • Andrew Swift is the author of Walks from Bristol’s Severn Beach Line and Country Walks from Bath; akemanpress.com

Further information: Ramblers: bristolramblers.org.uk Open Spaces Society: oss.org.uk Bristol Walking Festival: bristolwalkfest.com

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WE SPEAK GAMES V5.qxp_Layout 2 25/08/2022 12:50 Page 1

We Speak Games is the first UK conference dedicated to voice in gaming, launching on 27 September

We Speak

Games

As the games market continues to grow and yearly revenues are predicted to pass $200 billion in 2022, the UK’s first conference dedicated to voice in gaming – We Speak Games – launches in Bristol this month. Ben Ackland, the brains behind the operation, tells us more...

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ver three billion people worldwide play video games, and the number of gamers continues to rise. Fuelled by the increase in smartphones and accessibility of online streaming platforms, video games are by far the most lucrative sector in the entertainment industry.

This month, creators, developers and strategic thinkers will be taking a step into the future of the games industry at the first We Speak Games summit. This eagerly anticipated event, which is expected to be hosted annually, will take place on 27 September in Berkeley Square and will be streamed live online to delegates all over the world.

“A few years ago Siri and Alexa didn’t exist – they weren’t even part of our vocabulary,” explains Ben Ackland, the brains behind We Speak Games. “Today hundreds of millions of people worldwide talk 44 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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to these personal assistants on a daily basis.” Ben believes voice in games is set to follow a similar trajectory.

A creative technical officer at Bristol-based studio, Web App Services, who are hosting the not-for-profit event, Ben works with an experienced team delivering solutions for web and mobile. Web App Services is already an established innovator in voice interfaces and conversational artificial intelligence (AI) for gaming and interactive entertainment.

“Voice control and conversation has a huge potential to create more interesting and deeper ways of interacting with games,” he explains.

“But it’s in its infancy in the UK. There have only been a handful of talks on it, and no significant events that would give innovators and early adopters the chance to come together. So I decided to run an event myself!” Here, we caught up with Ben to find out more...

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Why is Bristol the ideal home for We Speak Games? How are the tech and creative industries booming in Bristol?

Bristol is among the most successful European cities for tech investment in 2022 and it’s the third top UK city for tech investment.

Tech is Bristol’s fastest-growing industry, with over $1bn invested since 2014. Bristol is well-known for its creative industry and outputs: music (particularly electronic – Xample, Massive Attack, Eats Everything), film and TV production (Wallace and Gromit, Casualty, Deal or No Deal), and it has a thriving art scene – just check out the diversity of street art around town.

The University of the West of England (UWE) offers TIGA-accredited (The Independent Game Developers’ Association) degrees in games development, with students and local developers also being members of the Bristol Games Hub (one of 18 industry hubs in the UK).

In addition to this, Bristol continues to strive to be a green, sustainable, ethical city and these values and ambitions align with my own and those of my team, making technology work for people, and respecting the fabric of society in the process.

The city is big enough for this event to grow, and it’s also wellconnected to the rest of the UK and Europe – by trains and a large airport. With Bristol being named one of the best places to live in the UK by The Sunday Times, it’s also a fantastic place to visit.

Bristol welcomes one and all – and so do we.

TBM: Can you tell us about your background and experience in the industry and how you became involved in We Speak Games?

BA: I’ve always been creatively driven – I’m a maker, a builder – growing up playing adventure and strategy games and more recently, creating my own. My background is in web and mobile technology, which has a strong overlap with mainstream gaming – known as ‘gametech’. Over the years, I’ve also worked on an early Oculus VR project, business-class event management software, and a live zombie survival experience.

As voice and conversation technology has become more prominent on smart speakers, mobile, and the web, I decided to explore what was possible by applying them to games. That started a couple of years ago, and since then I have given a number of talks on the subject, met some fantastic people in the process, and am now working on making this technology work for game developers.

Throughout this journey, I’ve not found any real place or time when the voice-in-gaming community comes together. No focussed event existed in the UK, so I decided to start my own – and We Speak Games was born with the support of my friends and colleagues, and our inaugural speakers.

Can you explain what exactly people will be able to do in games with the use of voice input, conversational AI and computer-generated speech and how this technology will change games forever?

Voice input allows a player to speak to the game itself (e.g. navigate a menu or interface) and/or talk to the characters in it. One may be familiar with ‘controlling’ Alexa or Siri to perform tasks. This is stage one for games – voice control; stage two is having conversational interactions with characters – e.g. asking a character if they have a key for a castle, and them pointing you in the right direction (or not); stage three is having more-freeform conversations with characters – e.g. formulating a plan together, discussing the strategy of an ongoing battle.

Conversational AI allows a system to determine appropriate responses to a player’s words or speech (voice or text input) in a way that appears intelligent – ie. not entirely pre-programmed.

This is making it possible to have a wider variety of responses, more relevant responses, and more dynamic responses (e.g. specific to a player) when interacting with characters and their worlds.

Computer-generated speech is the process of trying to create human-like (or in some cases, deliberately robotic or cartoon-like) speech in a computer, often from text and other contextual information. So when characters (or e.g. a storyteller) ‘talk’ to the player, their speech can be generated on-the-fly depending on the situation.

Some responses will be pre-defined, some will be dynamic. Regardless, the dialogue is delivered consistently using each character’s voice. All three of these come together to deliver what we’d call a natural language interface between the player and game/characters.

How will this technology make games more accessible to people with disabilities?

I think it’s useful to consider this in two parts – understanding the game and interacting with Ben Ackland, the brains behind We the game. Computer-generated speech – also Speak Games, will also be delivering known as ‘AI voices’ – offers the potential to help the summit’s keynote a player better understand a game if they otherwise get a less-than-ideal experience. For example: if they THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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have limited vision or are blind.

Voice input – speaking to the game or characters in it – has the potential to provide a more engaging way to interact with the game.

If standard controllers are a challenge to a player (which might include people who just aren’t familiar with them), using speech can offer a viable, intuitive alternative. I very much see these going beyond instructing the game to do something – e.g. ‘turn left’, ‘unlock the door’ – although that’s a core principle. We’ll go into this in more detail at the summit.

Can you tell us about the speakers at the conference and what audiences can expect from the event?

From the outset, we have aimed to cover a broad set of topics that fall under ‘using voice technology in games’; and in the process, consider what we can learn from the past, what’s possible now, and how we unlock the potential for these technologies going forwards.

We expect to cover around 10 key topics in at least six talks, including audience Q&A. There will also be a handful of related demos along the way.

We’ve tried to encourage speakers with a variety of profiles to join us – from both inside and outside the industry, any gender, ethnicity, research or application-led background. Our line-up of speakers includes Thomas Keane – developer of voice-controlled adventure game, Unknown Number, who has worked with some of the world’s leading tech brands including Xbox and Microsoft. Nomi Gallagher – from gaming charity SpecialEffect – who will share a case study on the effectiveness of adding customised voice control to a mainstream game for improved accessibility. Chris Woolcott will also share his lessons from developing two popular roleplaying games for Alexa, and will join us remotely from Nashville, Tennessee.

After the talks there will be a chance to network at The Square Club where we have a private area for a drink or two.

Attendees can join the complete event inperson, or the talks remotely via a live stream. We’ve kept the prices as low as possible and this is a not-for-profit event.

As the UK’s first conference on voice in gaming for creators, developers and strategic thinkers, what do you hope this conference will do for the industry as a whole?

For creators, developers and strategic thinkers, I hope this summit will give them the knowledge, inspiration, tools, and a community in which to start exploring this technology – a head start if you like. I also believe it’ll give them some 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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insight around privacy and accessibility; in order to make decisions and strategy that takes into account ethics and people when they make use of voice, cloud, and AI systems. For the industry as a whole, I hope the event raises awareness of the potential of voice, and gives those who are leading the way a chance to share our experiences and innovations. The event is also an opportunity for tech investors to explore the gaming space, and investors from the creative sector to explore gametech.

By 2030, what do you predict games will look like? What is the future of gaming in your opinion – and where does Bristol fit in to it?

The metaverse is going to creep into our lives more and more, whether we like it or not, largely driven by big tech’s global mission. We can already see this in the games world, with the continued growth of immersive 3D platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. Hundreds of millions of people are already hanging out in them, and the time we spend in these kinds of worlds will likely increase as our mainstream experiences become more virtual and allencompassing.

As we interact with these virtual environments across a variety of devices, I expect voice technology to continue to grow as a way to interface with these worlds and their characters. While we might tap a message to a virtual assistant today – e.g. a customer services helpdesk – typing messages won’t be the interface of choice on consoles and TVs. Voice will provide the most familiar way to communicate, through natural language.

Conversation with characters will offer deeper immersion in games – e.g. voice allows for a broader expression of emotion; it allows for negotiation; and it’s almost infinitely descriptive.

Alongside this, as developers and studios leverage more cloud services, they will become aware of the value of their data and how to manage and protect that in an increasingly connected environment.

I hope that we’ll see a continued push to increase the accessibility of games, and a commitment from project leaders to consider players’ privacy as devices become more and more integrated into our lives.

Bristol can play a substantial role in this – as a top UK and EU city of creativity and innovation, with a genuine desire to be ethical and welcoming, and an exciting location for in-person events.

Perhaps we’ll even see the first voice in gaming teaching module here in the UK? n

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• We Speak Games summit will be held at Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square from 2–6pm on 27 September; www.wespeak.games

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SPORT Bristol City Women’s Football Club

The future of women’s

football

As interest continues to rise in the wake of the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 glory, we catch up with the captains of Bristol City Women’s Club and Bristol Rovers Women’s Club and discuss their hopes for the future of the game...

L

ike many big cities around the country – Manchester, Liverpool, for example – Bristol is made up of two halves.

One side is red, one is blue – and we’re not talking politics.

Bristol City (red) and Bristol Rovers (blue) have been fierce rivals for what seems like millenia and die-hard fans will never miss a chance to engage in some pre-game fight talk.

With that said, however, when I spoke to the captains of Bristol Rovers Women’s Football Club and Bristol City Women’s Football Club this month, following an explosion of interest in the game thanks to the Lionesses’ recent win at the UEFA European Women’s Football Championship, one thing became abundantly clear: the two teams are nothing but united in their efforts to inspire the next generation.

Bristol Rovers Women’s Club – now affectionately known as The Gas Girls in recognition of the club’s unofficial nickname, The Gas – has an interesting history. After forming in 1998, the club hit financial difficulty in the mid-2000s, which led to the funding for the women’s team being cut and them being renamed Bristol Academy W.F.C. in 2005. Some 11 years later, to add insult to injury, the team was taken over by Bristol City.

A ray of light came in 2019 when Matthew Davies joined the Bristol Rovers Community Trust and worked tirelessly to correct the imbalance within the club. Together with Nathan Hallet-Young, they formed The Gas Girls as part of the Community Trust. At the first open trials that were held for the team, over 100 women and girls showed up, highlighting the desperate need for such a team in the local area.

Although women’s teams existed within Bristol, there was a Gas Girlsshaped hole in the offerings – a gap between those who wanted to play professionally in the FA Women’s Championship with Bristol City and those that wanted to play for fun.

The team’s inaugural 2019/20 season – captained by Natalie Coles – saw The Gas Girls achieve a 100% record in the Gloucestershire County Women’s League, the seventh tier, before the season was declared null and void due to the pandemic. The team returned the next season after training hard at their home ground of Lockleaze Sports Centre to win the title and a promotion. The 2021/22 season in the South West Regional League brought another title. Their final game of the season earlier this year was under the lights at the Memorial 48 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Stadium. In front of a crowd of over 2,000 people, the team were crowned champions of the South West Regional League (Northern Division). This season, the team will start in the South West Regional Premier Division, the fifth tier, with their eyes firmly fixed on the top spot.

As for Bristol City Women’s Club – which were once Bristol Academy W.F.C. and now widely known as The Robins – the team have been competing in the top flight of women’s football in England for over a decade. In 2011, Bristol Academy W.F.C Limited won a licence to compete in the new FA Women’s Super League (WSL). This allowed the team to become semi-professional and an untested Mark Sampson became first team manager. Sampson remained in the post until he left to take up the prestigious England Women’s manager role in 2014. In that time Bristol Academy reached two FA Cup finals and competed in the Champions League. In 2015, shortly after Willie Kirk was appointed as manager, the FA WSL management committee approved the name change for Bristol Academy Women’s Football Club to change to Bristol City Women’s Football Club. Summer of 2018 saw Kirk depart and new manager Tanya Oxtoby take the helm.

Playing their home fixtures at the Robins High Performance Centre, City Women had a positive 2021/22 season, finishing third in the Championship. For the upcoming campaign, the Robins have

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brought in the very experienced Anita Asante along with seven new signings including the permanent signing of Fran Bentley from Manchester United.

The rising interest in women’s football shows no sign of slowing down. The women’s FA Cup drew an attendance of 49,094 in May and the Euros final between England and Germany saw a crowd of 87,192 at Wembley Stadium, beating the highest total recorded in either the men’s or women’s editions of the tournament. This month, we get to know the captains of Bristol’s two top teams. Without further ado, meet Bristol City captain and midfielder Aimee Palmer and Gas Girls captain Natalie Coles…

TBM: Tell us about your journey as a professional footballer and where your love for the sport first began...

Aimee Palmer: My love for football first began at the age of five. My best friend played football at school so I decided that I should give it a go. I started playing for my local boys team and got scouted to play for Norwich City Centre of Excellence, where I then played from the age of six to 15. At this point, it was clear that if I wanted anything out of football I needed to move away from the east of England so I moved to Bristol at 16 to play football for the development squad, alongside taking my A levels. The assistant coach at the time, Willie Kirk, then

Bristol City captain Aim

ee Palmer

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moved to Manchester United and took me along with him. During my two-year spell at United, I went on loan to Sheffield United to get more game time. After the two years, I came back to Bristol and have been here ever since.

people would be where I am now. I also think it’s important for us to show them that we are just normal people. When we engage with them, I think it allows them to really believe in the journey, especially here at Bristol – the pathway is very successful.

What has the reaction been since the Lionesses’ victory in Wembley? Have you noticed an explosion of interest over the last couple of months?

I definitely felt like the whole country was behind the Lionesses throughout the competition. Whenever I was out and about watching the games, people would come up to me and ask me more about the women’s game as well as being impressed with the ‘state of the game’. I also took the opportunity to tweet about our matches being at high performance centre which got a lot of attention, so I hope that we see the funnel of interest into our game. I do believe that the interest in women’s game has increased year on year which makes the future very exciting.

What are your hopes for Bristol City’s next season?

My hopes for the season are for us to get promoted, I think Bristol City as a club should be in the Women’s Super League (WSL) and I genuinely believe that this season is our season. We have a very good squad on the pitch and off the pitch, which is something that I believe separates us from the rest of the league.

Bristol City does a lot to promote, engage and inspire girls to kick start their career in the sports industry – why is this work so important to you and the team?

I think it’s super important to inspire the next generation and show any youngster that it’s possible. I know that as a kid if women’s football was more visible – and there were more role models – many more

Gas Girls captain Natalie Coles

What are your hopes for the future of women’s football as the recent victory has changed the sport forever?

I hope that women’s football continues to grow, and that the increase in visibility has made many more people aware of just how good the women’s game is. Although it will never be like the men’s, it should be just as loved and available for everyone from all backgrounds to watch it. I hope it has inspired both young boys and girls to be involved in the sport and even businesses to invest and help grow the game.

What would you say to young girls in Bristol looking up to you – what advice would you like to pass down?

My advice to any young person would be to enjoy the game, football is all about enjoyment – even in an elite environment you play your best when you’re enjoying it. I would also say that they should expect there to be bumps in the journey – no journey is ever plain and simple, and if you want to get to the highest level, be fine with things not always going right. My final piece of advice would be to always work hard, in anything that you do, training or games because then you will have no regrets.

The Gas Girls A shining example of hard work, The Gas Girls have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with. Storming through the leagues season after season, they are both celebrated on the pitch and cherished off of it. The Bristol Rovers Community Trust’s tagline is ‘community, education, participation and performance’ and with local people at the heart of everything they do, the team have made national headlines for fighting discrimination within the sport. In 2021, The Gas Girls’ special edition away shirt, which celebrated the amazing work that Bristol Pride do for the LGBTQ+ community in the city, was inducted into the National Football Museum.

Just months later, The Gas Girls became the first club to donate the front of their away shirt to Her Game Too, an organisation which aims to foster an ethos in football in which women are welcomed and respected equally. Chairman Adam Tutton and club secretary Matthew Davies were honoured as the first recipients of the Her Game Too Hero Award for their contribution to the anti-sexism campaign. All profits from the shirt sales go towards fund free football sessions for young girls in Bristol, which are organised by the Community Trust.

Although currently on maternity leave, Natalie has led The Gas Girls to victory for the last two seasons. We sit down with the defender to find out more...

TBM: Tell us about your journey as a footballer, the clubs you’ve played for and where your love for the sport first began...

Natalie Coles: Some would say I was late to the sport, but when I was growing up, women’s football wasn’t as big in the 90s/early 2000s as it is today. I started when I was in Year 7 at school because my friend’s dad ran the team and I was quite sporty – it just went from there. I first started playing for South Bristol Wanderers, which then became Clevedon Town Ladies. Unfortunately, the club folded so I then went onto play for St Nicholas Football Club Ladies, followed by Brislington Ladies Football Club before joining Bristol Rovers. I’m currently on maternity leave and so have handed the reins over to our vice captain Libby Bell for the next season.

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The Gas Girls

What has the reaction been since the Lionesses’ victory in Wembley? Have you noticed an explosion of interest over the last couple of months and what has that been like?

It’s been great to see how much interest there is in the sport now. I think the women’s victory at Wembley is going to do masses for women and girls in football. The interest in our team has already been huge – our inbox has been crazy since they won the Euros!

already doing a great job as captain. I’m definitely missing it a lot, I’m missing the girls – I try and stay as involved as I possibly can. There are definitely high hopes for this season. We’ve signed lots of new younger players and they’ve added some depth to the team for sure. What’s good about signing the younger players is that there is potential to be able to develop that player and, in turn, improve the standards of the whole team.

The Gas Girls became the first club to donate the front of their away shirt to Her Game Too, an organisation which aims to foster an ethos in football in which women are welcomed and respected equally

Gas Girls’ tagline is ‘community, education, participation & performance’ – why it is so important to you and the team to work closely with girls and women in the community?

One of the reasons why people love the club so much is not just because of what we do on the pitch but it’s the stuff that we do off the pitch as well. We go into schools and run free sessions at Lockleaze and try and get as many girls into football as we can. It’s been getting more and more popular over the years but there’s definitely been an explosion of interest this summer. For me, I always loved football but I never had a team to play with in their local area – I think a lot of girls and women struggle with this. Hopefully now that it’s picking up a lot, people’s potential will be spotted earlier.

What are the hopes for Gas Girls’ next season?

Libby was vice captain for the last two seasons and, from what I hear, is

What are your hopes for the future of women’s football?

My hope is that women’s football becomes more and more accessible for anyone of any ability to enjoy the game. I hope, with the next generation, we can eradicate the negativite stereotypes that impede the potential of so many women and girls and we see positive growth within the sport.

What would you say to young girls in Bristol looking up to you – what advice would you like to pass down?

I would say just don’t listen to people who tell you you shouldn’t be playing – go out there and enjoy it. Keep pushing forward. Train hard.

Live those dreams that you’ve got. n • Stay up to date with Bristol City and The Gas Girls via their websites and social media channels: bcfc.co.uk/bristol-city-women; bristolroverswomensfc.com All images courtesy of Bristol City and Bristol Rovers Community Trust

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TASTING NOTES

FOOD & DRINK

TASTY TIDBITS FROM THE CITY’S BEST RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS

Get Growing Trail returns The Get Growing Trail is now back to full participation, with 30 groups opening their gates for the weekend of 17 September. During the national lockdowns, increased interest in connecting with family and friends outdoors bloomed, and there was an increased interest in growing. This trend has continued, leading to a surge in community growing in Bristol this year. After a digital Get Growing Trail during the pandemic, and a smaller event for 2021, the 2022 Trail promises to be a wonderful weekend of opportunities to connect with Bristol’s growing communities. As well as garden tours, this year’s trail includes apple pressing, mini markets, pond dipping, tree planting, a scything workshop, seasonal produce tasting, and crafts such as making origami seed packets, and drawing. Plus, the weekend offers the opportunity to learn about permaculture systems, no-dig methods, food justice and other aspects of community growing – all for free.

Say cheese!

The team behind London’s Borough Cheese Company is bringing their new venture to Bristol. North Street Cheese Company will be open six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, from 5 September, selling a range of continental and local cheeses, plus charcuterie, Italian Parma ham, pancetta and salami from small butchers in Italy and local cider vinegar.

Owner Dominic Coyte, from Devon, gained his experience in the industry in London before moving to Bristol, where he went to university. The shop will be managed by Kim Trethowan, whose name will be familiar with local cheese connoisseurs. The Trethowan Brothers have won awards for their pitchfork cheddar and gorwydd caerphilly, both of which are made in Puxton and will be sold in North Street Cheese.

North Street Cheese Company will also have the British crumblies, Cheshires and Lancashires as well as soft cheeses – soft goats and sheep.

• For more information, visit: bristolfoodnetwork.org

Credit: Hal Miller

• For more information, follow North Street Cheese Company on Instagram: instagram.com/northstreetcheeseshop

On a knife edge The impact of the cost of living crisis is taking a huge toll on local farms and food businesses, including The Community Farm, one of the largest hubs for local, organic food in the South West which is now struggling Credit: MAHPhotographs financially. The Community Farm is a not-for-profit, organic farm that grows, sources, and delivers food to households across the local area, as well as supplying local food shops and restaurants. Every year, thousands of local people benefit physically and mentally from courses, events and volunteering on the fields.

Since the start of the year, rising costs and a dramatic fall in customer sales, which has been felt across the organic sector, has left the farm’s future on a knife edge. Kim Brooks, Managing Director, said: “We’d like to call on as many people as possible to get out there and shop with local, ethical food businesses for the benefit of local people and wildlife.”

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Starlings – an independent café and wine bar in the heart of Clifton – is bringing modern food and drinks, locally roasted Bristol coffee, fresh British produce and a warm atmosphere from sunrise to sunset, offering a humble menu to eat and drink both inside and out.

Starlings has a delicatessen providing the best of British (especially South West) produce and a café selling hand-made Bristolian cakes from the likes of Cakesmiths and The Bristol Loaf as well as exciting brunch options using exceptional seasonal fruits and vegetables.

In the evenings, Starlings transforms into an atmospheric bar, selling a wide selection of local beers, organic wines and innovative cocktails. The Bristol indie is on a mission to build relationships with some of Britain’s best independent businesses and bring them to the people of Bristol.

• starlingsuk.co.uk; 99 Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LW

• thecommunityfarm.co.uk

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THE

BR I S T O L MAGAZINE

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IT’S WINE O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE A 1920’S MURDER MYSTERY WITH A TWIST… WINE ESCAPE, The UK’s first immersive escape room event is coming to Bristol on Friday 9th September & Saturday 10th September as part of a brand-new tour and with it brings a new level of escape room entertainment to the area.

Guests will enjoy a night of glamour and 2 course meal following fun problem-solving games to beat the ticking clock. Step back into the roaring 1920’s and enjoy the extravagance of Hawker Wine Estate.

YOU have been invited to an exclusive party hosted by the very wealthy owners, the Von James family. BUT the celebrations turn sour when a storm of vengeance, lies and deceit ruins the evening. You must stick together, hold your nerve and beat the clock in order to escape Hawker alive...

The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

Tickets start from £59 per person and include: A fabulous 2 course meal, live show and entertainment, thrilling and exciting games and an immersive, interactive experience.

10% OFF ALL TICKETS exclusively to Bristol Magazine readers Use coupon code: BRISTOLMAG10 at the checkout.

Tickets available at: wineescape_uk

www.wineescape.co.uk wineescapeuk

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NEWS FROM THE CITY

BRISTOL UPDATES NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Tobacco Factory Theatres announce cast for

world premiere of REVEALED

Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Theatres today announced the full cast for their autumn production, REVEALED. Set against the backdrop of an uprising, following an incident in police custody that stuns the nation, REVEALED tackles themes of racism, masculinity, sexuality and mental health, through the prism of a powerful and poignant family drama.

The cast, representing three generations of the same family, includes Everal A Walsh (Rockets And Blue Lights at the National Theatre, Dr Who for BBC and Oscar-nominated Best Picture of the Year 2019 The Favourite), Dylan Brady (best-known for his portrayal of Danny in Coronation Street) and the play’s writer Daniel J Carver (Henry VI Parts 2 and 3 at Royal Shakespeare Company). REVEALED builds on Tobacco Factory Theatres’ commitment to producing original work that delights and provokes. The play has been developed with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme and it was co-commissioned with The Red Earth Collective.

• For more information and to book tickets, visit: tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Bristol tech firm

reaches new heights Bristol-based tech firm Yeti Tool Limited has celebrated a product patent milestone by taking their unique portable large-format routing machine up a Welsh mountain to operate a computer numerical control (CNC) on a summit.

SmartBench, the world’s only portable large-format CNC routing machine, was granted a full patent recently, and Yeti Tool members of staff decided to celebrate in style – by transporting a SmartBench PrecisionPro (the firm’s flagship router) up a mountain in the Brecon Beacons to cut a plywood project.

A team of 17-strong took the CNC router on a four-hour trek up to Corn Du in the Brecon Beacons, where a plywood bench was cut, as Technical Director and Yeti Tool co-founder highlighted: “We’ve had a patent pending for some time, which has given the unique CNC technology in our SmartBench product protection, but to get a full UK patent granted felt like it deserved a really unusual event to celebrate it. We opted for CNC on a summit.”

Corn Du is a summit of the twin-topped Pen Y Fan and the second highest peak in South Wales. Situated in the stunning Brecon Beacons National Park, Corn Du is 2,864 feet high.

Manufacturing is becoming more robotic and automated, and the SmartBench PrecisionPro provides the perfect portable product for construction professionals looking to make products in all kinds of locations on site.

The bench was made at the summit with a memorial plaque to Ian Adkins, the inventor of SmartBench, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away in 2019.

• To find out more about SmartBench, visit: yetitool.com 54 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Osborne Clarke launches new internship scheme

International law firm Osborne Clarke’s legal and business services teams welcome 11 interns across its three UK locations including Bristol, as part of its sixweek #10,000 Black Interns (10KBI) Programme.

The firm’s Bristol office will host six interns with two legal interns joining the corporate team, and three interns in the IT and Osborne Clarke Solutions teams, while HR will also host an intern. In London, there will be two legal interns, one in real estate and the financial institutions group as well as a sales and marketing team intern. In Reading, the firm welcomes two legal interns, with one in corporate and the other in banking.

Each intern will have dedicated buddies to help support their learning journey, while junior and senior mentors have also been selected to inspire the interns and provide guidance for how to develop their careers. The mentors will maintain their relationship with each of the interns and plan monthly catch-up meetings throughout the programme and afterwards.

Bola Gibson, Head of Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility commented: “We hope that this programme really inspires the participants and means that we can make some progress in growing the representation of black people in Osborne Clarke and other professional services businesses.

“We are also providing all our legal and non-legal interns with recruitment and employability training, and our legal interns will spend a week gaining experience in the in house team of one of our clients.”

10KBI seeks to offer 2,000 internships each year for five consecutive years. The programme has partnered with firms from 24 different sectors to deliver paid work experience.

• osborneclarke.com

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Step into the

metaverse

This year, Access Creative College – the UK’s leading games, music and media college – has teamed up with metaverse specialists Condense and venture capital fund LocalGlobe to launch a fully-funded Metaverse Development Scholarship Programme. We discover more...

T

his year, Access Creative College (ACC), Condense and LocalGlobe have announced the launch of a fully-funded Metaverse Development Scholarship Programme to start in September, responding to the growing diversity problem within the tech sector and in metaverse development. According to Tech Talent Charter, only one in ten ALevel Computer studies students is female.

Access Creative College – the UK’s leading games, music and media college – has teamed up with metaverse specialists Condense and venture capital fund LocalGlobe, to offer up to eight fully-funded scholarships. The successful applicants will take part in a 12-week 56 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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programme, full of rich and intensive study.

Condense, which was founded in Bristol in 2009, is the only company in the world with the end-to-end capture and streaming technology to live stream real-world events, like music and sports events, into 3D applications. The company uses cutting-edge computer vision, machine learning and proprietary streaming infrastructure to capture and embed live 3D video (Video 3.0) into any metaverse game, mobile app or platform created with Unity or Unreal Engine. After recently raising $4.5 million (£3,809,430), it has opened the world’s first metaverse studio in partnership with Watershed – Bristol’s cultural cinema and creative technology venue

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EDUCATION

(L-R) Bristol artists Lebo, Dread MC and Badliana were invited into Condense’s cutting-edge metaverse environment to perform

Condense, which was founded in Bristol in 2009, is the only company in the world with the end-to-end capture and streaming technology to live stream real-world events, like music and sports events, into 3D applications

– to give established artists and emerging talent access to the technology. The studio is a “metaverse-first” event space, and can also accommodate a live audience.

Video 3.0 gives fans completely new experiences online. Audiences can attend gigs or sporting events with friends, with the freedom to move among the virtual crowds and get up close to the action.

Because performances are live, fans can interact with the artist – a digital step forward from holding a banner at a gig – and artists can respond in real-time, giving shout-outs, answering questions or performing a requested track.

To coincide with the launch of the scholarship, leading Bristol artists Dread MC, Badliana and Lebo, were also invited into Condense’s cutting-edge metaverse environment to perform. Using a state-of-the-art 360-degree camera rig constructed by Condense, the three artists each stepped into a virtual landscape to record their own performance. It is the creation of these virtual landscapes and their live-streaming capabilities which Access Creative College are now offering the chance for students to study.

Jackson Armstrong, Executive Head of Marketing at Access Creative College, said: “What better way to celebrate the launch of this new scholarship programme than by having some of Bristol’s brightest upcoming artists perform in the metaverse, which our scholars will be working to produce.”

Successful scholars will learn how to stream live events into one of the world’s most exciting new technologies: the metaverse. The successful applicants will take part in a 12-week programme, full of rich and intensive study, completely funded through the scholarship.

Jackson continued: “When it comes to board positions within

leading tech companies in the UK, the statistics are deeply concerning with the lack of gender split and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. We’re excited at the prospect of helping to change that through this new scholarship programme.”

Successful applicants will receive college accreditation and certificate; hands-on experience with the latest technologies and techniques; real world industry skills to support the next step in their career; high level of exposure to local employers; a potential career with Condense at the end of the 12 weeks; and a £1500 bursary (dependent on learner performance).

CEO and co-founder of Condense Nick Fellingham explained: “The Bristol scene has long been a world-renowned melting pot of different cultures and music and, in the last few years, it’s become a hub for games development too. Now we’re going to put Bristol on the map once again with the world’s first metaverse live streaming studio to bring together the energy of live events with the massive scale of the metaverse. The Video 3.0 infrastructure we’ve built takes out the technical complexity of streaming live into the metaverse, so people are free to put their creativity in. Video 3.0 is going to change not just how we experience live events online, but fundamentally how we engage with each other.”

Condense harnesses the feelings of connection you get from seeing your favourite band, artist, team or sports star perform live, while introducing an unprecedented level of access, participation and inclusion never before seen – all while providing artists, rights holders and metaverse platforms the opportunity to create completely new revenue streams.

Ziv Reichert, partner at LocalGlobe (recently ranked the UK’s number one seed investor by Dealroom) adds: “Hundreds of millions of people are hanging out in immersive 3D platforms like Roblox, Rec Room, Fortnite, Sandbox, Decentraland and VRChat; attending virtual events, socialising and being creative. At the same time, player demand for live entertainment inside these virtual worlds has never been greater. Condense has built the infrastructure to connect the two – now music artists, sports stars and creatives can perform and play live in the metaverse, to the largest stadium audience imaginable.”

• Find out more at: accesscreative.ac.uk and condense.live THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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SCHOOL SUCCESS

EDUCATION NEWS

NEWS FROM THE CITY’S SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

New name for Colston’s

Greenhouse Learning: Catch-up tuition Local education business Greenhouse Learning is looking forward to delivering catch-up tuition to primary and secondary schools in Bristol under the National Tutoring Programme. Having been approved as a tuition partner, Greenhouse Learning has worked with 10 schools in the South West region, serving nearly 350 students in the last academic year.

For the 2022/2023 academic year, the Department for Education has issued new guidelines that if schools are using external providers for catch-up tuition, they should only use quality-assured, approved tuition partners.

Greenhouse Learning is the only local Bristol and South West Englandbased provider to be approved for the National Tutoring Programme, offering both in-school and online lessons for all academic subjects.

Parents who feel their child needs additional tutoring support are encouraged by the Department for Education to contact their schools’ leadership as part of their Parent Pledge, which states that: “any child who falls behind in English or maths will get support to help them catch up, and that schools will keep parents updated on their child’s progress.”

• For more information, please contact General Manager, Lucy via telephone: 0117 463 0300; email: lucy@greenhouselearning.co.uk; online at: greenhouselearning.co.uk; or drop in to the team’s office at: 84 Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8BN

Belmont Estate: Nature-based

education programme

The sound of children splashing in a river and the smell of elderflower fritters cooking on a campfire, while Tamworth pigs forage the woodland floor around you is a just a normal day out for the lucky children who have experienced a Belmont Estate nature-based education session.

Set in their rewilding project ten minutes outside Bristol, Belmont’s nature-based education programme gives children the chance to get 58 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Following a lengthy and considered consultation process, the Governors of Colston’s School, founded by Edward Colston in 1710, have announced that, from September 2022, the school’s new name will be Collegiate, or Collegiate School, Bristol.

The name was chosen following hundreds of suggestions received from students, parents, staff and former students, with Collegiate being a strong contender due to its previous connection with the school. In 1991, upon merging with the Collegiate School in Winterbourne, the school became Colston’s Collegiate and for the first time was fully co-educational.

Chair of the Board, Nick Baker, explained: “Collegiate not only represents the inclusive nature of the school, but the way in which the different sections of the school and the school community work together. Our Nursery, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form all work together for the collective good, so too the school with our parents, former pupils and its wider community.”

The Governing Board is clear that this change must not be interpreted as an attempt to change or deny the school’s history.

Nick continued: “We believe it is important that students attending the school continue to be taught about its history; specifically, Edward Colston’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. In order to assist with this, some historical aspects of the school, for example the crest and motto, will be retained and explained, rather than removed.”

The school will formally be known as Collegiate from the start of the autumn term in September, with its first open morning under the new name taking place at the end of September.

• colstons.org

muddy hands, wet feet and to cook around a campfire, fully immersing themselves in nature.

Nature connection is at the forefront of Belmont’s ethos encouraging all visitors to reconnect with the natural world. They are building connections with the wider community, local schools and colleges to provide inspirational opportunities for children and young people to get closer to nature, creating truly accessible, free, educational resources for those without the opportunity to get there alone.

Nicola Gliddon, the Outdoor Education Leader at Belmont says: “We’re hoping to kindle connections and a passion that will last a lifetime. The sessions at our woodland base are all about connection and well-being, so we want the children to connect with nature as much as possible and to then reap the benefits for their own well-being. It is really important to us that the programme is free, removing any financial barriers and making it genuinely available to all. We’re extremely passionate about our education programme, and it it’s our attempt to rebuild that missing connection with nature.”

After welcoming 3,000 pairs of wellies to the rewilding project in the past year, they are set to continue inspiring young minds as the new school year begins. Belmont is an estate deeply rooted in the heritage of North Somerset with an exciting vision for the future.

• If you would like to learn more, please contact info@belmont.estate; belmont.estate

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BADMINTON SCHOOL

BRISTOL GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3BA Tel: 0117 905 5271 www.badmintonschool.co.uk Name of Principal: Mr Stuart Dalley - Interim Head Day fees per term: ££3,640 - £6,100 Nursery sessional fee: £30 per session Boarding fees per term: £8,300 - £14,180

University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SR Tel: 0117 973 6006 www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk website@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Headmaster: Mr J M Barot Age of pupils: 4 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1,350 approx.

Day fees: £3,127 - £5,391 per term.

Includes lunch for Reception to Year 1 Religious denomination: Non-denominational From their first lesson, aged four to eighteen and looking ahead to university and the wider world, BGS supports each child on their educational journey. Inspiring a love of learning and with a huge range of opportunities in and out of the classroom, every child can flourish.

Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: The emphasis at Badminton is on a holistic education, not narrowly academic, and both the curriculum and the timetable are constructed to create a balance between academic achievement, personal development, life skills and other enterprising activity.

Extra-curricular activities: The Enrichment programme is extremely important in the overall development of the girls at the School, as it provides opportunities to pursue wider interests and to contribute to the community. There are many activities on offer and they range from clubs with an academic bias such as model United Nations, Ancient Greek and science research to those that allow the girls to pursue creative interests, such as Leiths School of Cookery, art and drama. Music is also an important part of school life, with nearly 80% of girls learning at least one instrument during their time at Badminton.

Pastoral care: The size of the campus and community at Badminton gives a homely and vibrant feel to the school. This, coupled with excellent pastoral care, leaves no scope for anonymity, but rather lends itself to strong mutually supportive relationships between girls as well as between girls and staff.

Badminton wish every girl to feel happy and confident about her school life and work to ensure a well-ordered and supportive environment where girls are asked to take responsibility for themselves and others. This gives them opportunities to face challenge and build resilience.

Outstanding characteristics: While Badminton retains a nationally outstanding academic record, the community gives girls a chance to develop an understanding of the viewpoints of others and to think about contributing to the world around them. Girls leave Badminton ready to face the changing and challenging wider world and, when they do, they take with them a strong network of lifelong friends developed through a wealth of shared experiences.

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The curriculum: The infant curriculum covers all of the requirements of the national curriculum. Lessons are linked in to a topic-based curriculum, which allows the children to explore a particular area while linking the subjects into a topic. In the Junior School children enjoy a breadth of education that stretches far beyond the national curriculum. In the Senior School and Sixth Form pupils enjoy choice and opportunity. They can discover their strengths through a wide range of optional subjects, within a curriculum that encourages them to realise their potential, explore their ideas and take their learning as far as they can go. Pupils in the Sixth Form can choose to study either the International Baccalaureate Diploma or A levels.

Extra-curricular activities: The curriculum is supported by an extensive extracurricular programme that includes activities such as photography, samba band, Bee Club, various sports, and many more.

Bursary Awards: A Our Mission at BGS is to provide an exceptional and rounded education to those who might benefit from it, regardless of their background and financial means. We are extremely proud to offer means-tested bursaries, worth up to 100% of fees, to enable pupils to join us whose families would not otherwise be able to find the funds.

Scholarships: Talent recognition Our Scholarship Programme recognises a child’s exceptional academic ability, or their talent in sport or in the creative and performing arts. There is no financial reward to being a Scholar, the benefit is in the recognition and opportunities the Scholars Programme provides, such as the challenge and leadership opportunities.

If you wish for your child to be considered for one of our scholarships and you would also like to be considered for help with the school fees, please submit a bursary application form along with your scholarship application.

For further information or to arrange a visit, please contact Hollie Matthews in the Admissions Office on 0117 933 9885.

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BRISTOL STEINER SCHOOL

CLIFTON COLLEGE 32 College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JH Tel: 0117 315 7118 www.cliftoncollege.com

Redland Hill House, Redland Hill, Bristol BS6 6UX Tel: 0117 933 9990 www.bristolsteinerschool.org Name of Principal: Lorraine Swords Age of pupils: 3 - 11 years Number of pupils: 128 capacity School fees: Kindergarten £903 - £5,460 per annum. Primary £8,640 per annum Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Bristol Steiner School is an independent day school for children from the age of 3 to 11 years. Fundamental to the Steiner Waldorf philosophy is the belief in a child-centred, relational approach to learning and a commitment to promoting the development of the whole child. This is embraced and cherished throughout all aspects of life at school, through lived values rooted in the delivery of contextual learning, with true meaning and purpose. Language and oracy play an important part in school life and children participate in activities that enhance this. Mathematics is taught in class and then used across the curriculum in woodwork, handwork and form drawing. Pupils learn science in class and through outdoor learning in the school garden.

Eurythmy is an expressive artform that combines language, music and movement. Physical education, swimming, music and forest school complement the diverse curriculum.

Extra-curricular activities: Outdoor learning in the school’s extensive gardens is a staple of the curriculum which includes woodwork, handwork, scientific skills through gardening and forest school. Other activities that pupils can benefit from include music tuition, drama and chess.

Pastoral care: Strong relationships are nurtured at school, where teaching and learning are seen as relational activities. Over the course of an education at Bristol Steiner School, pupils will be guided by just two class teachers. A kindergarten teacher nurtures pupils throughout their early years from the age of 3 to 6 years. A main school teacher then moves through the years with pupils from the age of 7 to 11 years. Pupils know all of the adults on site by name.

Small class sizes promote the wellbeing and self-belief of each child.

Outstanding characteristics: Bristol Steiner School provides pupils with the healthiest start in life by delivering a vibrant, uplifting, Steiner Waldorf education that integrates the virtues of academic achievement, emotional intelligence, wellbeing and individuality to benefit the whole child. The curriculum is intrinsically broad and effectively planned to engage pupils in their learning. Teachers build a strong understanding of each child and emphasise the personal development, self-confidence and capabilities of the individual. It is a school that celebrates individuality. The nurturing and warm setting, resonant of a village school environment, is what makes the school truly unique, offering a diverse alternative in an urban setting that places connectedness, wellbeing and happiness at the heart of its ambitions. The school provides the time and space to allow each child to grow and develop an appreciation of themselves and a genuine love of learning, as they journey through the school. Education is a journey, not a race.

Name of head: Dr Tim Greene MA DPhil Age of pupils: 0 - 18 years Number of pupils: 1,276 (Nursery and Pre-Preparatory, ages 0 - 8: 235; Preparatory School, ages 8 - 13: 281; Upper School, ages 13 18: 760) Day fees per term: Nursery from £2,475, Pre-Preparatory from £3,775, Preparatory from £5,030, Upper School from £9,155 Flexi boarding and boarding packages available The curriculum: Clifton College offers an outstanding all-round education. The College is equally strong in STEM, literature, sport, languages and the arts. In 2021, 88% of A Level grades were A*-B with 70% A*-A. 85% of leavers went on to their first choice university, including places at Oxford, Durham, UCL, LSE, Imperial, Warwick, Bath, Bristol and Exeter.

Extra-curricular activities: Music, art and drama play a large part in the life of the school, as do sport, outdoor pursuits, Clifton in the Community and the Combined Cadet Force. The wide range of activities available provide opportunities to develop leadership skills, to take on responsibility and to broaden interestss.

Pastoral care: The College provides a real sense of community, both to its pupils and their families. Pupils form friendships that last a lifetime, with many opportunities to network and join together in later years through the Old Cliftonian Society. The house system is at the centre of the Clifton College community; it provides a strong support network for pupils while inter-house competitions offer a fun way for pupils to compete across a variety of talents from the House Play Festival to inter-house Debating.

Outstanding characteristics: Clifton College is a traditional British public school with inspirational teaching, first-class inclusive sport, diverse co-curricular activities, exceptional pastoral care and an outstanding environment. It aims to inspire each child to seize learning and opportunity and realise their full potential through an eagerness to embrace life with passion, integrity and resilience, and to make a positive difference to the lives of others. Excellent facilities include; 90 acres of sports facilities, a Forest School, Grade II listed Chapel, and 300-seat theatre. Scholarships and generous bursaries are available.

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COLLEGIATE PREP SCHOOL

CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL

College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JD Tel: 0117 973 0201 www.cliftonhigh.co.uk Email: admissions@cliftonhigh.co.uk Name of Principal: Mr Matthew Bennett Age of pupils: 3 - 18 years Number of pupils: 725 Day fees: £3110 – £5510 per term Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Clifton High School is a leading independent, selective 3-18 co-educational school. Each year group benefits from unique offerings and small class sizes. There is an educationally focused year-round provision for The Hive PreSchool, specialist teaching in The Junior and Senior Schools, and a forward-thinking Sixth Form. Our Year 12 and Year 13 students will benefit from an extension to the Sixth Form Centre in the academic year 2022-23.

Extra-curricular activities: Clifton High’s provision of enrichment opportunities for all pupils is outstanding. There are over 100 cocurricular clubs available each week, with specialist offerings to suit and empower each year group. For example, starting Autumn 2022, Year 7 pupils will take part in a Power of Performance programme, developing skills in communication and community.

National and international trips are open to pupils across the School, and the outdoor education Adventure Programme provides weekly lessons and short courses for the Infant and Junior Schools, as well as day visits for all senior years. University of Bristol tennis coaches provide pupils with elite training, and our Complete Swimming Programme (on which more below) bolsters Bristol’s reputation as a swimming hub for young athletes. We facilitate entrance into the ever-popular Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, and World Challenge expeditions are encouraged in the Senior School.

Pastoral care: Clifton High is renowned for its high level of pastoral care. The focus on each child’s individual development, as well as their academic success, provides an environment in which pupils thrive. There is a strong sense of community and belonging, allowing pupils to be achieve brilliance and be ambitious in their individual pursuits with the assurance that they are supported. The School aims to equip each pupil with skills and qualities they will need in our ever-changing world: social competencies, emotional intelligence, global perspective, confidence and respect.

Outstanding characteristics: The School has a Complete Swimmer Programme, a co-curricular initiative that progressively nurtures all Clifton High pupils, not only swimming enthusiasts and athletes, throughout the duration of their time at School. This runs in concurrence with their partnership with Bristol Sport for the Clifton High Swimming Scholarship 62 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Collegiate Prep School, Park Road, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BA Tel: 0117 965 5297 www.collegiate.org.uk Sector: Independent co-educational Fees: Per term Reception, Years 1 & 2 = £3,016 Years 3 & 4 = £3,638 Years 5 & 6 = £3,910 Religious Denomination: All faiths Total Number of students: 230 Extra-curricular activities: To find balance in their learning all children are encouraged to explore their strengths in music, drama, languages, sport and art. School sport fixtures, trips, residential visits and clubs all enhance school life and each child’s enjoyment of their community. In the onsite woodland, the Forest School sees children learn new skills, both within and beyond the national curriculum. They enjoy the time and space to develop their natural curiosity through hands-on practical experiences.

Pastoral: Pastoral care is at the core of life at Collegiate Prep.

Pupils have a form tutor and are part of a deeply supportive traditional house system that celebrates all elements of school life, from sports day to inter-house competitions and regular house gatherings. Older pupils form bonds with Pre-School and Reception classes in the weekly reading buddies sessions, which mutually support the reading skills of younger pupils and give Year 6 children a taste of responsibility and relationship building.

Unique characteristics: In 2019 the ISI rated Collegiate School as ‘excellent’ in all areas. The inspection team were clear that the excellent academic achievement was observed right from the youngest pupils in EYFS right through to the students taking A Levels in the Senior School. Pupils receive many opportunities on a daily basis to nurture intellectual curiosity and inspire a love of learning, which lay the foundations for a successful transition into the senior school. Staff work extremely hard to help each pupil understand the world around them and develop strong values and respect for those around them.

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COLLEGIATE SENIOR SCHOOL

THE DOWNS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Wraxall, Bristol BS48 1PF Tel: 01275 852008 www.thedownsschool.co.uk Name of Head: Debbie Isaachsen, BEd Hons MEd Number of pupils: 257 Day fees (per term): £4,074 - £6,190 Religious denomination: Anglican but all faiths welcome.

The curriculum: The Downs is one of the few truly independent 13+ Prep Schools in the South West. Our academic curriculum offers breadth and the opportunity for students to achieve their best in all areas. STEM and Performing Arts are recent and popular additions to the timetable. Pupils learn French from Reception and Spanish is added in Year 5. The Friday afternoon enrichment programme offers an impressive range of sessions including cookery, gardening, debating, inspirational speakers and forest fun.

In the Pre-Prep, numeracy and literacy are the central focus, with outdoor learning and an exciting, enriching curriculum on offer to challenge and engage all pupils.

As pupils enter Years 7 and 8, bespoke support is provided for Senior School entry. As an Independent Preparatory School, we take our role in preparing our pupils for Senior School very seriously. Our recent Year 8 cohort achieved places in 12 different Top rated Senior Schools, with 50% awarded scholarships and all pupils achieved entry at their 1st choice of school.

Collegiate Senior School, Bell Hill, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BJ Tel: 0117 992 3194 www.collegiate.org.uk Sector: Independent co-educational Fees: £5,295 per term Religious Denomination: All faiths Total Number of students: 570 Number of Sixth Form students: 146 2021 Exam Results GCSE % 9-7(A*-A): 58% A Level % A*-B: 85% Extra-curricular activities: Collegiate School is fortunate to have all facilities on a 30-acre site, meaning students can seamlessly combine academic studies and sporting pursuits. With over 50 clubs to get involved in each week, the Collegiate experience is designed to allow students to find and develop their passion beyond the classroom, whether through the pride and spirit displayed on the sports field; the exciting array of activities in Combined Cadet Force; or in the first-rate creative spaces including art studios, the music technology classroom, or design technology workshop.

Pastoral: The Collegiate philosophy is quite simple: happy children do well. This makes the provision of pastoral care of great importance in the school. At the very heart of this provision is the house system. Four co-educational houses covering all year groups provide a structure through which the development, wellbeing and happiness of all young people is monitored and supported Unique characteristics: In 2019 the ISI rated Collegiate School as ‘excellent’ in all areas. In their report they captured the true essence of the school, highlighting its unique culture as well as the less easy-to-measure elements, which combine to make a Collegiate education so special. The statistics have long shown that Collegiate pupils achieve outstanding exam results and make excellent progress. However, it is the strong values pupils develop; their self-confidence, well-developed communications skills and the resilience they show when things get tough, that produce what is known as the Collegiate character.

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Extra-curricular activities: The school provides a broad all-round education, genuinely inclusive of each child, encouraging everyone to try new experiences and discover what they enjoy.

The standard of all sports is exceptional, there is also a team for every child. There is enormous interest in the performing and creative arts: there are choirs for all year groups and many more, a vast array of musical instruments are played, speech and drama lessons are provided, many school productions are performed each year, and the dance provision is astounding – with a wide range of dance styles taught. There is also an extensive range of clubs, all Prep school children camp every year and regular trips are taken abroad.

Pastoral care: We pride ourselves on really knowing and understanding each child – wellbeing is central to happy children.

Matrons, tutors, form teachers, a wellbeing coordinator, and pupils themselves play an integral role in our approach to providing outstanding pastoral care, supporting each child as they negotiate the inevitable social, emotional and academic challenges associated with today’s world.

Outstanding characteristics: Our pupils are outstanding; they are highly motivated and experience considerable all-round success.

They demonstrate humility and impeccable manners; confidence in contrast to arrogance and many of the soft skills required for life. The spectacular rural grounds are unique in the area, meaning all activities can happen on site and spending time in the great outdoors whenever possible. The entire community that is The Downs Preparatory School is extraordinarily supportive and welcoming. We place great importance on our traditional family values and ethos, and we have 3 core values that underpin everything we do here at The Downs – Explore, Express, Excel. We provide an environment that gives children the freedom to Explore, the confidence to Express and the ambition to Excel.

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FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS

St Catherine’s House, 17 Hereford Road, Monmouth NP25 3HG Tel: 01600 710433 www.habsmonmouth.org Email: admissions@habsmonmouth.org Name of Principal: Mr James Murphy-O’Connor MA (Oxon)

Allfoxton Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 9NL Tel: 0117 952 7100 www:fairfield.excalibur.org.uk

Number of pupils: 1,200 (boys, girls, prep, seniors)

Name of Principal (Acting): Amanda Bridgewater

Day fees: Years 3-6: £4,133; Years 7-11: £5,505; Years 12-13: £5,893 Boarding fees (per term): Years 7-13: £10,780 - £12,129

Age of pupils: 11 - 16 years

Religious denomination: Anglican but all faiths welcome.

Number of pupils: 1,080

The schools: Our boys and girls, aged 3-18, embark on an educational journey within a distinctive community, refined over 400 years in the heart of the inspirational Wye Valley. Our family of schools that make up the Monmouth Model aspire towards national and international respect for delivering an exceptional all-round education for day and boarding pupils.

Fee structure: State School Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: The Fairfield High School Curriculum is personalised. It is built around students’ individual needs and rooted in our view that all students should enjoy learning, become positive citizens of Britain and the World, while also leaving the school with the qualifications they need. The Fairfield Values underpin school life and allow students to build skills for a healthy, vibrant, future.

Extra-curricular activities: Extra-curricular activities build confidence and character in an environment where students are supported and nurtured. Fairfield High School is proud to offer a wide variety of clubs which change and evolve on an ongoing basis.

Pastoral care: Fairfield High School has a professional pastoral support team who provide group and individual interventions to support positive behaviour and emotional resilience. Each year has an assigned achievement manager. Tutors are also a key adult in the school life of a student and the aim is for each tutor to stay with their group for the duration of the students’ time at Fairfield. Each tutor meets their students every day and is responsible for registering and monitoring attendance and delivering a programme of personal and social education.

Outstanding characteristics: The focus at this inclusive school in Horfield remains on supporting the students, aged 11 to 16, to develop as successful, happy, active global citizens. FHS celebrates its diversity: the flags of more than 80 countries hang in its atrium to represent the backgrounds of staff and students.

Environmental issues, gender and racial inequality and social disadvantage are just some of the issues which fill FHS students with passion.

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The curriculum: Our pupils are introduced to a wide range of subjects in their early years and they usually go on to take nine or 10 subjects at GCSE. We offer almost 30 A level courses in our Sixth Form.

Boarding: Our boarding community is an integral part of life at our schools and our main priority is to create a nurturing environment where children feel comfortable, happy and inspired to aim high in everything they do. With dedicated boarding houses and a busy programme of joint activities, sports and excursions at the weekends, our boarders form lifelong friendships.

Pastoral care: Our staff create a caring and supportive environment both in and out of the classroom, helping each pupil to feel valued as an individual. Our pastoral philosophy is to develop resilience, confidence and skills that will take our girls and boys through later life, while offering each pupil bespoke care.

Extra-curricular activities: We offer a wealth of lunchtime and afterschool opportunities that help our students develop some fantastic skills. Through our Monmouth Model, we run many trips and expeditions, events and community projects.

Outstanding characteristics: With around 60% of offers for Russell Group universities, we recognise the importance of each student getting their best exam result. We make the most of the area’s wonderful natural resources and the excellent facilities on offer for sports, culture and the arts. Our endowment income ensures we have outstanding facilities, highly competitive fees and can offer scholarships for Academic, Sport, Music, Dance, Drama and Theatre Arts, and Art and Design.

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QEH BRISTOL

REDMAIDS’ HIGH SCHOOL Redmaids’ High School Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3AW Tel: Senior School & Sixth Form 0117 962 2641; Junior School 0117 962 9451; www.redmaidshigh.co.uk Name of Principal: Mr Dwyer (Senior and Sixth Form), Mrs Brown (Junior School) Age of pupils: Girls aged 7 - 18 Number of pupils: 750 Fees: Years 3 - 6: £3,675 per term; Years 7 - 13: £5,395 per term

Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JX Tel: 0117 930 3040 www.qehbristol.co.uk Name of Head: Mr Rupert Heathcote, BSc Age of pupils: 7 - 18 years, boys aged 7 – 16 with a co-educational Sixth Form Number of pupils: 782 Day fees: Juniors: £3,620 per term (£10,860 per year) including before and after school supervision from 7.45 am until 5.00pm.

Between 5.00pm and 6.00pm there is a fixed charge of £7.10 which includes light refreshments.

Seniors: £5,345 per term (£16,035 per year). Fees include text and exercise books and essential educational trips but do not include public examination fees or lunches.

Religious denomination: Christian, embracing all faiths or none.

The curriculum: The curriculum is broad but also offers the chance to study subjects in depth. The school expects pupils to work hard, believing a good education is a voyage of discovery to be enjoyed.

Pupils are stretched but not stressed.

Co-curricular activities: QEH prides itself on the range of activities it provides, reflecting the wide interests of students and the commitment of the staff. Variety is key and all pupils should find activities that interest them. QEH is also committed to outdoor pursuits, with around 150 pupils taking part in Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards scheme, many attaining Gold Award.

Pastoral care: Pastoral care is second to none. Pupils need to feel happy and safe and, at QEH, they are free to enjoy their learning, exploring new opportunities with confidence. People often comment on how self-assured and well-mannered our pupils are.

Their friendly spirit and good behaviour are partly the result of unobtrusive but strong pastoral care.

Outstanding characteristics: QEH is recognised for its outstanding academic record and the friendliness and confidence of our pupils is notable. The school is not socially exclusive, having a good mix of people.

Open mornings: Open events to be held on Saturday 8 October 2022 and Thursday 10 November 2022, 10am – 12noon.

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The curriculum: Redmaids’ High provides the best opportunities in Bristol and beyond for academically able and ambitious girls who aspire to achieve their full personal, social and academic potential. The school seeks to help students to truly know themselves, to understand each other and to forge meaningful futures, through outstanding facilities, high quality teaching and an exceptional range of subjects and qualifications. In the Junior School, the girls enjoy a broad and rich curriculum, engaging enthusiastically in activities and achieving excellent results in national music, speech and drama exams. In the Senior School and Sixth Form, a wide choice of subjects is available through GCSE, A Levels and the IB Diploma.

Extra-curricular activities: In the Junior and Senior Schools, an extensive programme of clubs and societies offer important personal development opportunities, discovery of new talents, hobbies and interests.

Pastoral care: This is of the upmost importance. Small classes feature throughout all year groups. In the Senior School, students are supported by a head and assistant head of year, form tutors and assistant tutors. The girls’ health and well-being is the responsibility of every member of the school community.

Outstanding characteristics: Redmaids’ High’s family friendly Junior School provides the perfect new start for girls rising up into Year 3, featuring iPad learning, competitive team sports, robotics, and many other progressive learning options. In the Senior School, bursaries and scholarships are awarded to students from all backgrounds.

Redland Hall, a state-of-the-art auditorium, opened in September 2017, is a busy and modern hub at the heart of the school, and the recently redeveloped sports ground, The Lawns at Cribbs Causeway, provides excellent facilities to support the many sporting successes of the school. As the first International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Bristol, Redmaids’ High has guided its Sixth Form students to world-beating IB Diploma results, alongside its established and successful A Level programme supplemented by bespoke additional course in medical sciences, liberal arts and a Foundation MBA.

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SIDCOT SCHOOL

TOCKINGTON MANOR SCHOOL Tockington Manor School, Washingpool Hill Road, Tockington, Bristol BS32 4NY; Tel: 01454 613229 www.tockingtonmanorschool.com Name of Principal: Mr. Stephen Symonds BAED (Hons) Age of pupils: 2 - 13 Number of pupils: 226 Day fees: Lower School £3,440. Upper School £4,670 - £5,360 Religious denomination: Church of England

Oakridge Lane, Winscombe, North Somerset, BS25 1PD Tel: 01934 843102 www.sidcot.org.uk Name of Headmaster: Iain Kilpatrick Age of pupils: 3 - 18 years Number of pupils: 632 Day fees: from £3,000 (Reception) to £6,740 (Year 13) per term.

Nursery £25.40 per session Religious denomination: Quaker The curriculum: A creative and stretching education that inspires children to want to learn. To achieve this, the curriculum is shaped to meet government requirements without an exam-obsessed, prescriptive syllabus.

Curriculum and teaching methods are designed to foster students’ intellectual curiosity and creativity. The aim is to educate students, rather than simply train them to pass tests. Throughout their time at Sidcot, students develop the self-motivation to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning.

It’s no surprise that these personal qualities go together with academic excellence. Results have been consistently excellent with average points per candidate always significantly higher than the world average scores.

Extra-curricularactivities: At Sidcot, pupils are lucky in having an excellent rural location and top-class facilities for sport, arts, crafts and environmental studies. The Programme of Activities for Sidcot Students (PASS) takes place every Wednesday afternoon and has been designed to provide all students throughout the school with an exciting opportunity to live adventurously, to live out the school’s core values, to play an active part in being an Ashoka Changemaker school, to develop leadership skills and to further enhance their ability to be excellent team players. The programme has been designed to be fun and active which will help boost the students’ health and wellbeing. It will enable them to be happy, positive individuals and equip them with the skills and attitude to be able to thrive at school and enjoy their learning experience.

Pastoral care: The Quaker value of equality is evident in the open and friendly relationships between staff and students, and between students of all ages. It’s often remarked that students are extremely supportive of each other, making newcomers, students, teachers and visitors quickly feel at home.

Outstanding characteristics: Sidcot offers its Sixth Form the choice of the International Baccalaureate, BTECs and A levels.

The ethos of the IB, with its broad curriculum and emphasis on study skills, community service and internationalism, fits well with Quaker values.

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The curriculum: The pupils from Nursery through to Year 8 are taught a full range of academic subjects. The school introduces French and Spanish from Nursery, Latin from Year 5 and geography, history and science as separate subjects from Year 1. Tockington Manor has an exceptional record of achievement in the common entrance exam. The new music and performing arts suite allows each child access to state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated music tuition.

Extra-curricular activities: A diverse and wide-ranging choice of activities is available in break times and as part of the school’s wrap-around care. Activities are led by teaching staff and external subject specialists and include judo, archery, football, tennis, drama, computing and horse riding. Educational trips support classroom activities e.g. SS Great Britain and Chepstow Castle.

Extra-curricular excursions are also offered with the schools educational partners The Bristol Hippodrome and Wild Place Project, including career workshops. Residential camps in the UK and France form part of summer term activity week.

Pastoral care: The school’s aim is to provide a caring, safe environment where children develop their individual abilities and enjoy an effective education tailored to their needs and interests.

The school adheres to traditional ‘family values’ with small class sizes encouraging strong bonds between year group and teacher and a sense of community and respect throughout the school.

Outstanding characteristics: Shortlisted in several awards including Independent School of the Year and AMCIS, the school strives to allow children to be children for as long as possible while preparing them with the attitude and aptitude for senior schools and beyond.

They help ensure a smooth transition, offering parents and pupils personalised guidance in choosing their next step, resulting in an enviable success rate in first choice senior school entry, many with scholarships. In 2022, pupils were awarded 16 scholarships to 13 different schools. The new Pathway Programme for pupils in Year 7 & 8 offers additional support for those with specific skills and preparing for senior School Scholarships. The 28-acre grounds lend themselves to sports with cross-country trails, national standard all-weather pitch, cricket/rugby/football pitches and an indoor heated swimming pool.

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Explore

Freedom to

Come and discover our vibrant Prep School, set in 60 acres and just 5 miles outside of Bristol

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SUPER SOPHIA SHINES FOR WESTERN STORM AND OVAL INVINCIBLES A talented 17-year-old cricketer has taken big steps towards her dream of becoming an England women's international.

Sophia Smale shone for Western Storm, the professional women's team that represents South-West England and Wales, in the 20-over Charlotte Edwards Cup and the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

The Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools student was also called-up to play for the south London-based Oval Invincibles in The Hundred competition.

Sophia, a left-arm spinner, was the youngest Welsh player in the women's competition, which included a wonderful array of top-class stars.

Last year, Sophia became the first female cricketer in history to play for Monmouth School for Boys' first team and also won the Coaches Player of the Year award in the Western Storm Academy.

It has been a very busy summer for Sophia, who was also picked for Wales Women and Wales Under-18 girls.

In 2019, Sophia enjoyed winter training under the direction of the England Women's Academy coaches when she was selected for the England Spin Bowling Group based at Loughborough.

It is an exciting time for cricket at Haberdashers' Monmouth Schools, listed for a third successive year in The Cricketer Schools Guide that includes the top 100 senior schools for cricket in the UK. During the summer, 13 cricketers at Monmouth School for Boys were selected for Wales – and another was chosen for Gloucestershire.

In addition, 33 other schoolboy cricketers were picked for regional sides, including Cricket Wales East and Herefordshire.

Eight cricketers at Monmouth School for Girls gained representative honours during the season.

We are warmly inviting all prospective parents and families to see our schools at our Open Day on Saturday 1st October between 9.15am and noon.

We love showing people around our schools. To book your bespoke tour at our Open Day, please e-mail: admissions@habsmonmouth.org or telephone: 01600 710433.

RECEIVE THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE BY POST NEVER MISS OUT We deliver to over 15,000 addresses every month. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family, we offer a magazine mailing service.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM JUST £33 SUBSCRIBE ONLINE AT thebristolmag.co.uk/subscribe or Tel: 0117 974 2800

*The schools have an established bus route covering the Thornbury area and are always happy to consider additional stops on their routes.

THE

BRISTOL M A G A Z I N E

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BEAUTY

Get the gadgets

Take your beauty regime into the techsphere. Here, Layla Touati, assistant beauty manager and make-up artist at Harvey Nichols Bristol, shares her favourite skin and haircare tools. All products are available at Harvey Nichols Bristol; harveynichols.com

GHD, Platinum + Limited Edition Hair Straightener in Pastel Blue, £229 Discover a good hair day staple with the ultimate SMART styler from ghd, now in a beautiful pastel blue hue.

Equipped with Ultra-zone™ technology for predictive styling that maintains the 185ºC optimal styling temperature to respect the health of your hair. Infinity sensors monitor heat distribution 250 times per second across each styling plate to create a personalised styling experience.

NUFACE Trinity® Complete Facial Toning Kit, £504 One device, three powerful treatments. This anniversary collection celebrates 15 years of NuFACE Microcurrent Skincare™ with the iconic Trinity Device with Facial Trainer Attachment for improved facial contour, the effective lip and eye attachment to deliver targeted microcurrent to lips, eyes, and brows, and the brilliant wrinkle reducer attachment to treat full-face wrinkles with red light therapy.

FOREO LUNA MINI 3, Pearl Pink, £149 FOREO LUNA Mini 3 is a hi-tech electric face cleanser that enhances your skincare routine and achieves a natural skin glow that everyone will notice. Its extra-gentle silicone touchpoints and 8000 sonic pulsations at 12 intensities expertly remove sweat, oil and dirt from the pores, revealing a fresh and healthy-looking complexion.

Iconic Body Brush, £32.50 The perfect match for the Body Illuminator, Iconic London’s kitten soft (but totally vegan) body brush is carefully shaped for perfect blending from top-to-toe.

The densely packed bristles and large oval shape hug the contours of your body, to quickly and easily buff out your favourite body products.

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Sarah Chapman’s Bodylift Tool, £36 Sarah Chapman’s unique massaging Bodylift Tool eases muscle tension and helps encourage the lymphatic system to drain toxins, reducing the appearance of water retention and stimulating circulation resulting in smooth, sculpted, toned and defined limbs.

Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, Spectralite Faceware Pro, £430 Dr Dennis Gross Skincare’s Spectralite Faceware Pro is an FDA-cleared, three-minute wrinkle reducing and acne fighting LED device for your entire face.

A combination of 100 lights in red mode plus 62 lights in blue mode work together to smooth wrinkles, diminish discolouration, and clear acne for a beautiful, youthful complexion. Red light penetrates deep within the skin’s dermis to stimulate collagen production.

While blue light destroys acne bacteria to reduce redness, inflammation, and prevent future breakouts. Within days there’s a reduction of acne and after two weeks, experience a clearing of mild to moderate acne and fading lines. Optimal results occur after a 10-week course of treatment.

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Shouldering the burden

The shoulder is one of the most flexible joints in the body, with a wide range of motion. However, due to this flexibility, it can be unstable, is easily injured, and can deteriorate with constant use over time. Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital offers advice on how to keep shoulders healthy and pain-free, as well as how to spot and avoid common injuries.

T

he shoulder is made up of three bones: the collar bone (clavicle), the shoulder blade (scapula), and the upper arm bone (humerus). Four tendons – called rotator cuff tendons – hold the shoulder joint in place, but as tendons age, they are less able to tolerate stress, are less elastic, and become easier to tear. It is therefore important to take a patient’s occupation and lifestyle into account, as well as their age, when diagnosing the cause of their shoulder pain.

Shoulder instability happens most often in younger people and athletes. When the muscles and ligaments that hold it together are stretched beyond their normal limits, the shoulder becomes unstable. The acromioclavicular joint, or ACJ, is a joint at the top of the shoulder where the clavicle meets the shoulder blade. Problems occur due to overuse, which causes tenderness of the ACJ. Treatment often involves resting and applying ice to the joint for it to heal. In some cases, injections, anti-inflammatories or arthroscopic surgery may be required.

Osteoarthritis in the shoulder is less common than in the hip or knee, but over time, this can cause pain, stiffness and weakness of the joint. The condition can arise due to degeneration of the joint, or following trauma to the shoulder. Modern advancements in shoulder replacement surgery mean that there are a number of options relating to joint replacement, which can help ease pain and restore function.

Adhesive capsulitis, or ‘frozen shoulder’, is very painful stiffness, caused when the

capsule (soft tissue envelope) surrounding the shoulder joint becomes thick and stiff, preventing normal movement. Again, steroid injections are useful in dampening pain and allowing the physiotherapists to work.

harmoniously to permit normal, pain-free motion. Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, weakness and instability may be due to a number of different underlying conditions.

“As a surgeon, my primary goals are to provide an accurate diagnosis, and to formulate a treatment strategy to help ease, and wherever possible, eradicate your symptoms, in a patient-centred manner.”

Impingement pain is very common in all age groups. This is a sudden pain in the shoulder that comes on when reaching out, up, or behind, and can occur from the shoulder being held in a poor postural position, overuse or sometimes following injury. It can be due to a structural problem with the shoulder joint, related to the tendons of the rotator cuff, which may fray or tear completely. The shoulder bursa (a cushioning sac filled with lubricating fluid located between the tendons and bone) can become inflamed, generating pain. Impingement pain can often be successfully treated with physiotherapy and cortisone injections. If it is more severe, where you are unable to raise your arm, this can be a sign of a rotator cuff tear, which may require surgery.

As shoulder pain is so common, many conditions can be easily diagnosed and managed. Sometimes this leads to surgery, but in many cases it can be avoided. In addition to Mr McCann, other Consultants specialising in upper limb disorders at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital include Mr Iain Packham and Mr Neil Blewitt, while our team of physiotherapists are also available to see you.

If you have been experiencing shoulder pain, and would like to book a consultation with an upper limb specialist at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, call 0117 911 6062, or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol.

Mr Philip McCann (pictured), a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in upper limb disorders at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital says: “Shoulder and elbow problems are common yet complex, and can have a significant impact on our ability to work, play sports or enjoy a good quality of life. In order to move our arms and hands freely, many different joints and muscles must work THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol

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What is MBST® therapy MBST® therapy is an innovative treatment developed in Germany, that stimulates internal tissue healing and provides pain relief for a range of injuries and conditions. In several cases it has even eliminated the need for surgery, so says Bristol based Consultant knee surgeon, Johnathan Webb.

Tell us about your journey into entrepreneurship - how did you come to be a female business owner?

Since childhood, I had wanted my own business and having worked in a large, corporate, media relations firm after graduating, it consolidated my desire to work for myself. I also wanted to build a meaningful career that involved helping people.

It took the tragic death of a close friend for me to realise that life is short and that I needed to be brave and take action. Six months after the fatal tragedy, the company was registered. Driven by grief and fuelled by a desire to overcome my anxiety, a month later I had opened a physiotherapy clinic dedicated to treating patients who would benefit from MBST® therapy.

Where did you first hear about MBST® therapy?

My mother is a chartered physiotherapist and since 2007 had been realising great success in her practice treating patients with an innovative new device from Germany. She first encountered MBST® technology at an osteoarthritis conference in London. At the time, the therapy was portable and delivered through moveable pads. After being astounded by the positive health benefits her patients were experiencing, she upgraded to an MBST® therapy bed. As the practice was run from our family home, the dining room being decommissioned to house the MBST® therapy bed, I regularly saw letters through the door from patients reporting their improvements. When I fractured my foot, I was able to experience the results for myself. MBST® technology stimulates cell repair to promote healing post injury.

How long did it take to get the licence agreement for MBST® devices?

MBST® technology was developed in Germany and the patent is held by MedTec GmbH in Germany. The license agreement to enable us to bring MBST® devices to the UK was a 7-figure sum that we simply couldn’t afford when we first incorporated. In our contract with MedTec GmbH we secured first refusal to licensing should another company come along. In 2020, we had built such a solid relationship with MedTec GmbH, the mutual trust and respect we had developed facilitated us securing the licence agreement. We have since added Ireland to the licence agreement and will be launching MBST® veterinary in March 2023.

Have there been any Brexit related challenges?

Absolutely. Not only extra paperwork and registrations, but our business growth ambitions have also been impacted by European funding being withdrawn from an MBST® clinical study in the UK. Added to that, the financial implications of increased import costs, not to mention delays at customs. MBST® devices deliver tailored treatment depending on tissue and these are managed through personal treatment cards that are imported from Germany. We now hold stocks of these to protect against causing delays in patient treatment.

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What has been your biggest career highlight so far?

Our first MBST UK conference at the end of last year is my personal career highlight. To see a group of health professionals and clinic owners who deliver MBST® therapy around the country, grouped together was incredible. The conference was hosted at the venue where the business idea was first spawned, which completed a circle.

Do you support any professional sports clubs by way of supporting recovery from injury?

Ye and I wish I could name them all and share the incredible outcomes, however we must maintain a level of confidentiality.

There is one extremely successful premiership football club that we have supported for a few years now, a couple of high-profile rugby clubs and several Olympic athletes (and horses). Former professional boxer Johnny Nelson is an MBST® ambassador following successful results from his own course of MBST® therapy.

Do you have any key statistics you can share around the success of MBST® therapy and getting patients back to fitness?

The chance of measurable success of MBST® therapy is 80-90% and the key is in identifying the exact cause of a musculoskeletal pain and immobility. This is why MBST® therapy can only be recommended by a distinct range of healthcare professionals and we are discriminatory in who we supply with MBST® devices.

MBST® therapy treatment cards are designed to deliver magnetic resonance therapy at the right frequency to specific tissues to promote healing, so it is important if you arrive at your clinic with a bad knee, that correct diagnosis is given – whether the issue is a result of damaged muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons or bone.

What single thing has made the biggest impact on your business growth?

Time! No genuine, sustainable growth has ever happened overnight. This is especially true when introducing to a new market an innovative medical technology with such bold claims.

A red rag to scepticism, we always knew it was going to take time to build a substantial bank of patient evidence to build trust. In Rutland, at the inaugural MBST® clinic, after 11 years in practice, advertising is no longer required and we have patients on devices from 8am until 8pm. Time has also brought acceptance of MBST® technology from leading healthcare professional, Jonathan Webb MB ChB FRCS (London) FRCS (Orth), Consultant Knee Surgeon, which afforded us a sound platform from which to grow.

Elisabeth Clare Managing Director MBST UK 01780 238 084 liz@cell-regeneration.co.uk

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PAMPER TIME James Scrimshaw BSc DC, Chiropractor, Clinical Director and Owner of CURA www.curaclinical.com 07796302624 Tell us how you first came across MBST® and how did you integrate the technology into your business: I came across MBST® following a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in my left knee for which nothing could be done, which left me not in a good place. At the same time, I was open to trying new things to develop my clinic. This led me to Liz and Charles, co-founders of MBST UK, who offered me a trial of MBST® therapy. I couldn’t quite believe the results and immediately decided to take it into my practice.

Do you specialise in any particular conditions?

Much of my initial work was done on knees after receiving referrals from Bristol based Consultant Knee Surgeon Jonathan Webb, MB ChB FRCS (London) FRCS (Orth). Since this time, I’ve seen a huge diversity of diagnoses and learnt a lot about the healing capabilities of MBST® therapy in relation to sports injury, spinal injury and degeneration as well as shoulders, hips and ankles.

Take a moment Live well with these great products

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Knead warmth

Which conditions do you tend to treat the most?

I treat a lot of knees, backs, necks and shoulders. More recently I am getting more spinal stenosis patients referred to me for MBST® therapy as we’re getting such great results.

Muscle and Joint Massage Oil 100ml. £7.20

Which conditions do you have the most success in treating using MBST® therapy?

As MBST® devices are programmable for multiple tissues in multiple locations it is an ideal therapy for treating a range of conditions. Cartilage degenerative change, tendinopathies, ligament injuries and spinal disc injuries all heal beautifully over time.

Warming and penetrating this is a carefully formulated blend of essential oils including Camphor, black pepper and eucalyptus which is perfect for use after sport or a hard day in the garden or at work. amphora-aromatics.com

Is MBST® always the right course of treatment for your patients?

It is not always necessary, if there is no structural damage and the issue is more to do with functional movement then I would not advise MBST® therapy. Hands on treatment and exercise is a better course of treatment in these cases. Equally, where damage is too severe, we would refer straight to a consultant for surgical appraisal.

Let’s get spiritual

Where there is any tissue damage, long term inflammation or arthritic/degenerative changes to cartilage, soft tissues or bone then it adds a very valuable treatment modality to the plan. It is also important to mention MBST® therapy is not an either/or therapy.

I use MBST® therapy alongside physiotherapy and exercise treatment plans along with injection and post-surgical healing.

This candle sweeps you away to the hills of Provence on a warm day. The smell on the air is floral, the warmth of the golden sun wrapping itself around you like a hug. uk.loccitane.com

Uplifting candle £20.50

What is the biggest patient success story you have in connection with MBST® & injury?

I have several – A patient I treated in January who could barely walk due to knee osteoarthritis has just run 7.4K with no pain in training for a 10K this autumn. Another patient with severe spinal stenosis whose condition was ‘unliveable’ has healed to the point where she is now walking long distances again. I have several patients who were due for surgery and have been able to defer surgery indefinitely as well as a host of professional sportspeople with ongoing injuries who are able to play the rest of the season and extend their careers.

The power of flowers

Floral Street fragrance line £64 Floral Street is an award-winning fragrance with notes of mandarin, bergamot and bellini accord, this eau de parfum is a result of a collaboration between Floral Street and the Van Gogh Museum. spacenk.com

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CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT James Scrimshaw of CURA CLINICAL explains how new technologies are providing effective answers to people’s pain and suffering

MBST is an adaption of MRI

Rosemary had over 5 years of pain and swelling in her wrists and hands.

Mouse use, washing up, gripping things were all very painful. We were able to diagnose osteoarthritis of both her thumbs and proceeded with MBST. Six months later she’s finding everything much more comfortable and has even gone back to scything her grass!! Far more energy than I’ve got!! Great response.

MBST uses exactly the same technology as MRI scanning, just without the detector coils and imaging software. MBST stands for Molecular Biophysical Stimulation.

It was discovered by a German doctor who noticed that some of his MRI patients had reduced symptoms following their MRI scans. He then assembled a team of biologists and physicists to research these positive effects at a cellular level.

Cells that had not functioned properly due to damage, were stimulated in such a way by the energy transfer that they could again fulfil their original tasks.

Michael was suffering chronic hip and leg pain since the summer of 2020. Physio and chiropractic helped but short term and symptoms returned repeatedly. We’re delighted to say he is now ‘almost pain free’ following MBST treatment for his arthritic left hip and a second course dealing with degenerative discs with nerve radiation into the leg. Still some healing time to go too. He’s a happy chap with a spring in his step!!

It does this at cell level in a number of ways: • Optimising cell oxygen levels • Improving cell energy production • Optimising intercellular signalling pathways • Reducing inflammatory mediators • Readjusting cell circadian clock - leading to less cell death and cell reproduction This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to, which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive therapy.

Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results. ■

MBST is an award-winning innovation designed to manage long-term injury and osteoarthritis.

To discuss your treatment, contact Cura’s Clinical Director, James Scrimshaw today

0117 959 6531 curaclinical.com

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THE NINE-YEAR WAIT FOR BABY OLIVIA

H

aving waited nine years for their IVF baby to arrive, Sky News editor Emily Deeker and husband, BBC Points West’s Will Glennon, are urging other couples with fertility issues to be patient and keep trying if they can.

After welcoming baby Olivia into the world on 10 December 2021, Emily posted on Instagram Nothing worth having comes easy, together with a touching tribute to the team at BCRM, who worked so hard to enable her and Will to have a baby of their own: Thank you, Bristol Centre For Reproductive Medicine, from the bottom of our hearts.

“Will and I fell into the huge group of people who have ‘unexplained’ fertility issues,” explained Emily.

“We had 11 rounds of IVF, and a lot of exploratory procedures in between.

“Olivia was our next-tolast chance. We had 12 frozen embryos available to us, and she was number 11, so on paper she was not the strongest embryo.

“Will and I both had Covid in January 2021, just before we were due for an embryo transfer. The virus knocked us for six, and we had to delay treatment until the end of March.

“And then, finally, there was the positive pregnancy test.

“Let’s be honest - you don’t want to be going to a fertility clinic in the first place but if you have to go to one you want to have faith in them, and we did have faith in ours.

“It says a huge amount about the team at BCRM that we decided to stay with them throughout our entire IVF journey, all nine years of it.

“We trusted and believed in them. Their research is second-to-none – look at Valentine Akande’s work - and we had faith in their knowledge, their reputation and the amazing care they gave us throughout.

“To us, Valentine is peerless, and we owe him so much.

“And it was genuinely freeing to walk into the nurse’s room and have a good cry if I wanted to, while she held my hand. I know they were doing their job, but it always felt so much more personal and human than that.”

BCRM www.fertilitybristol.com is the longest established fertility clinic in Bristol, helping people from throughout the South West and Wales with fertility treatment for both private and NHS patients. The clinic is involved in innovative research and has one of the best success rates with IVF and other fertility treatments in the UK. THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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INTERIORS

Shades of the moment

As autumn falls, we ask Bristol interior designer Beth Chippindall of Honeycomb Interiors which colour trends to look out for this season...

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utumn, in most peoples’ minds, is all about warm cosy days cuddled up on the sofa hiding from the stormy weather – and the colour trends of the season totally encompass that vibe. It’s a contrasting palette, neutrals made up of sage greens, warm creams and earthy brown tones, which can be brought to life with a pop of deep blueberry blues, peach caramels and burnt oranges.

If you love the monochrome look then choose creams and chocolatey browns as a warmer version of black and white. If, on the other hand, you like all things bold, then dark blues, oranges and caramel neutrals would work beautifully.

Think walking in woodlands in the midst of the seasonal turn...

• Beth Chippindall of Honeycomb Interiors; honeycombinteriors.co.uk

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INTERIORS

...think chocolate browns, peach caramels, burnt organges, deep blueberry blues...

Habitat Celine 2 Seater Velvet 2 Seater Sofa - Navy, £339 • habitat.co.uk

Oro, Pendant Drum Lamp Shade, 45 cm, Navy & Copper, £35 • made.com

Multi-coloured Kilm Rug, £189.99 - £459.99 • zarahome.com

Gumdrop Pouffe, Thatch house fabric, £545 • loaf.com

Azala, Luxury Faux Fur Throw, 130 x 170 cm, Cinnamon, £62 • made.com

John Lewis ANYDAY Velvet Cushion, Auburn and Night Sky, £14 • johnlewis.com

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THE

KI TC HEN PAR TNER S DESIGN STUDIO

www.thekitchenpartners.co.uk 102 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QY 01179 466433

FOUND UK Vintage furniture given a new lease of life!

FoundUK Contact us for a full list of items: jeffosbo@hotmail.com • 07875 129964

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Flower fix

Elly West explains how to keep your garden bursting with colour without breaking the bank...

R

ising costs are making us all think twice about spending money, but you can still have a fantastic garden overflowing with plants without breaking the bank and it doesn’t have to be our gardens that take the hit. If major changes involve new hard landscaping, I would always recommend enlisting the help of a professional landscaper, and perhaps a designer as well. However, if you’re looking to give your borders a boost, and don’t want to spend a fortune at the garden centre, then free plants are the way forwards.

It’s easy to make mistakes when plant shopping, and filling even a relatively small space can be surprisingly expensive, especially if you don’t have a plan and are just picking things out because they’re on display and looking good that particular week. We’re probably all guilty of coming home with a boot full of plants, and no clear idea about where to put them or how to grow them. But if you’re prepared to spend a bit of time and be patient, then there are plenty of plants that will multiply and make more plants with the minimum of assistance.

The simplest way to fill a border with colour is to plant self-seeders.

Either invest in a few plants to get you started, or grow them from seed yourself. There’s something very satisfying about knowing that some plants will reliably multiply year on year. Foxgloves, nigella, forget-me-nots and Alchemilla mollis will all spring up and produce a whole new generation of plants with no help whatsoever.

If you want to sow the seeds a little less indiscriminately then leave the seedheads on the plant to ripen for as long as possible, before cutting them off or shaking them into a paper envelope. Unripe seeds won’t germinate, so look for seed pods that have turned from green to brown. Now is a great time to collect seeds when you’re out and about, or in friends’ gardens. As well as those already mentioned, look out for hollyhocks, poppies, sweet peas, sunflowers, astrantia, 86 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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nasturtiums, cosmos and zinnia. Choose a warm, dry day and remember to label your envelopes, then store them somewhere cool and dry in an airtight container until you’re ready to sow them. For many plants, you’ll have better results waiting until spring when the seeds have matured further and the soil warms up. Sow them in trays or pots and you’ll easily end up with enough seedlings to swap or maybe sell on your gate or at a local fair.

Taking cuttings is another great way to produce new plants for free.

Softwood cuttings are taken in spring and early summer from fresh new growth. Take off a side stem around 5-10cm long that doesn’t have any flower buds on it and remove a few of the bottom leaves.

Cut the bottom end just below a leaf joint. Poke it into a pot of compost, water gently and cover with a plastic bag to keep conditions moist, then leave on a well-lit window sill for best results, as they need some warmth to stimulate the root growth.

Softwood cuttings are suitable for propagating a wide range of perennials such as penstemon, pelargonium, verbena, salvia and osteospermum, as well as some deciduous shrubs including buddleja, fuchsia, viburnum, sambucus and hydrangea.

Semi-ripe cuttings are taken slightly later in the year and are more woody – the base of the cutting is hard, while the tip is still soft. These type of cuttings tend to root better if taken with a ‘heel’, where a sliver of the main stem is pulled away with the cutting. They can be slightly longer than softwood cuttings, up to 15cm, then treated the same way as your softwood cuttings. Shrubby plants such as lavender, ceanothus, box, escallonia, rosemary, Convolvulus cneorum, fatsia, camellia, choisya and hebe are all good contenders. It’s also a reliable way to propagate climbers such as passion flower and trachelospermum.

Hardwood cuttings should be taken in autumn or winter, and work well for deciduous trees and shrubs. These should be taken after the

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GARDENING

leaves have fallen and can go straight into the garden, so are probably the most straightforward, although they do take longer to root. Make a V-shape trench in the border somewhere sheltered and sprinkle some horticultural sand in the bottom for good drainage. Choose vigorous healthy shoots from the current year’s growth and remove the soft tip. Cut the stem into sections around 20cm long, cutting cleanly above a bud at the top, and below a bud at the bottom. Insert the cuttings the right way up into the ground with two-thirds below the surface and firm them in. This method is suitable for most deciduous shrubs including roses, dogwood, abelia, forsythia and philadelphus. Roots should develop in the spring, so leave them until the following autumn before you attempt to move your new (free!) plants.

If your garden is established already and you have spreading perennials that have outgrown their space or become overly dominant, then now is the perfect time to think about dividing them up to make more plants that you can put elsewhere in the garden, or swap with friends. It will also improve the performance of the parent plant, reinvigorating it and stopping it becoming congested. Start by using a fork to dig up the whole clump, then take off pieces from the edge using either a trowel or spade, as these will be the youngest and most strongly growing. Replant the new pieces directly into their new position, watering them in well and continuing to keep them watered until they become established. Agapanthus, delphiniums, Japanese anemones, geraniums, salvias, ornamental grasses, sedums and day lilies are all good candidates for propagation by division.

So, if you are aiming to save some money, it doesn’t have to be at the expense of a beautiful garden. You just need a bit more patience, and even on the tightest of budgets, bare soil doesn’t have to feel empty and daunting, but can soon be bursting with colour. n

Plant of the Month:

Hardy Fuchsias The beautiful cascading flowers of fuchsias are a familiar sight to many people, selling well year after year in garden centres, and there's a good reason for their persistent popularity. Hardy fuchsias – the varieties that will survive our British winters outdoors mostly originate from mountainous South America, with a few species from New Zealand, which gives them their exotic look, but also their resilience. They appreciate sunshine and are happy in most soil types, particularly if it's fairly free draining, as they don't like cold, soggy winter roots. Those in the border will appreciate a mulch of extra compost or other organic matter in winter, to ensure they come back with healthy vigour in spring. Once flowering is over it's a good idea to cut plants back to about half their size to keep them compact and encourage a bushy shape. Hardy fuchsias are ideal for creating backbone and structure in a modern border, along with attractive flowers for months on end, providing much-needed colour through summer and into November and even December in mild years. Good plant partners are late-summer grasses and any silvertoned foliage, such as Senecio or Artemisia, which acts as a fantastic foil for the ruby-toned fuchsia flowers.

• ellyswellies.co.uk

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Elly’s Wellies

Garden Designs

Turning your ideas into beautiful spaces Elly’s Wellies Garden Designs will help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and tailor it to your individual needs. Whether you are looking for a complete garden redesign, or just need advice on what to plant in a border, Elly’s Wellies will be happy to help.

For a free initial consultation, contact Elly West

www.ellyswellies.co.uk ellyswellies@gmail.com 07788 640934

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THE PROPERTY COLUMN

Spruce up your home Rupert Oliver of Rupert Oliver Property Agents looks at how minor home improvements can potentially add thousands to your property price...

A

ccording to data gathered by real estate website Rightmove, spring of 2022 attracted the highest number of enquiries, with the early summer season seeing the most competition between buyers. Though some predict that the UK property market may shift towards the end of the year, sales are, at the moment, red hot, which means it’s still an ideal time to sell.

With or without the demand, however, it can always be beneficial to spruce up your space before putting it on the market. According to market research, minor tweaks and some careful dressing can add tens of thousands to an initial valuation.

So, what exactly could you do to help sell your home, and fast?

Here are some tips…

Paint it blue First impressions count and it’s important to look smart, clean and inviting. According to an analysis on Zoopla, blue front doors can inspire offers £4,000 higher than average, white adds £3,400, but brown will reduce a home’s value by £700. Give your door a lick of paint or pay someone to spray it for a few hundred pounds.

Most importantly, however, when it comes to your front door, make sure that your home’s name or number is clearly visible from the road – you don’t want to stress out your potential buyers before they’ve made it to the front door.

Those selling flats are also advised to give the communal front door a wipe down, tidy common areas and, if possible, ask neighbours to keep the hallways clear.

Show off your green spaces Since the first lockdown, buyer behaviour has changed to reflect a love of greenery. People are looking for brighter, greener areas to call their home. Consider planting some colourful flowers. Hydrangeas are often voted as the most attractive of front garden flowers in surveys.

Sweetly fragrant lavender also looks great in neat rows and its scent will draw buyers in on their way to the front door.

Make sure to also mend fences and gates, rake up any leaves and mow

the grass – if you can add stripes to your lawn, you’re in for a winner.

Take a look at your roof and windows More costly but equally important interventions include ensuring window frames have been painted, roof tiles are in place, and driveways are in good order.

Keep it light As buyers may like to drive by your property in the evening, or may even view your home in the darker winter months, outdoor lights make your property feel grand.

Stage your rooms For bedrooms, always stage rooms so that they look their best from the doorway. You want to be able to walk into the room without navigating furniture. Top tip: make sure you’ve got bedside tables – people often look for where they’re going to book their phones and drinks at night. If you can fit in a chair, it will make the room look nicer and photograph well.

Focus on your best features Think about focal points and key features. According to Spec, a virtual home tour service for properties, kitchens are the most viewed rooms in a house, accounting for 23 per cent of all views on the site, so it might be a good idea to start there.

In general, the advice is to angle the furniture towards a focal point, but in the living room, beware of the false focal point. Avoid angling your furniture towards the television. For instance, it’s better to position furniture towards a nice view of the garden or a fireplace.

Buy some blooms Get some freshly cut flowers for viewings. You don’t need to spend a lot and you don’t even need to go wild, just buy one big bunch and move it around the rooms for each photograph.

• rupertoliver.co.uk; 14 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4BT THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 89

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Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

Rennison’s Yard, BS6 FOR SALE – Separately or combined - POA

Westfield Park, BS6 TO LET – 824 sq ft £24,000 PAX

A unique opportunity to purchase within this thriving new development.

There are 6 commercial units available totalling approx. 3,000 sq ft, which can be purchased separately or combined.

A lower ground floor office suite arranged over a range of office rooms and finished to a high standard to include a newly fitted contemporary kitchen and WC facilities. Excellent parking provision.

Sheene Road, BS3 TO LET – POA 3,758 sq ft

Serbert Road, BS20 TO LET / FOR SALE - POA 8,727 sq ft GIA

The accomodation comprises well-presented first floor offices with air conditioning. There is excellent on-site car parking, and the property is situated within 1 mile of Temple Meads Station.

A fantastic opportunity to acquire a detached, modern building on a secure site of 0.52 acres. Suitable for a variety of uses STP. The property is available to let or for sale and enquiries should be made for further details.

Queen Square, BS1 TO LET – POA 1,651 sq ft

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

(0117) 934 9977

Whiteladies Road, Clifton TO LET £21.00 PSF PAX 495 – 1,072 sq ft

A modern, open plan office extensively refurbished to provide high quality accommodation, benefiting communal gym, shower/ changing facilities, and secure indoor bike storage.

An attractive, Georgian office building with accommodation available on hall floor and first floor levels. The suites are due to be refurbished and offer excellent natural light and high ceilings.

Unit 2A Quedgeley, GL2 TO LET - POA 1,870 sq ft

Lower Park Row, BS1 TO LET - POA 600 – 3,170 sq ft

A ground floor retail unit in a popular retail park, with neighbouring occupiers to include Aldi, Boots, and Dominos. The property benefits a predominantly glazed frontage, and customer parking.

A refurbished office providing attractive accomodation in an excellent location fronting Lower Park Row. There are currently two suites remaining which can be available together or separately.

Quayside, BS8 TO LET - POA 2,375 sq ft

Marsh Street, BS1 TO LET - POA 3,535 sq ft

An open plan, newly refurbished office suite in a waterfront location benefitting stunning views across Bristol Harbourside.

On-site shower, secure car parking and bike storage.

The property comprises a stunning period property which has been fully fitted to a high standard with benefit of a premises license and is ready to trade! There is accomodation over ground and basement.

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc(Hons)

• • • • •

Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales

• Rent reviews • Property Management • Investment Sales / Purchase • Development & Planning • Dilapidations Advice

cjhole.co.uk

WESTBURY ON TRYM

HENLEAZE

Located on Grove Road, within a substantial plot measuring 35m by 16m is this five-bedroom, detached family home offering a south-west facing garden to the rear and a generous brick-paved driveway.

For more info call Westbury on Trym office on 0117 950 0118.

The property comprises, a welcoming hallway with original panelling throughout, three reception rooms; four family sized bedrooms; ample parking and Southwest facing rear garden.

For more info call Henleaze office on 0117 962 9221.

2

3

5

GUIDE PRICE £995,000

3

1

4

SOLD £900,000

CLIFTON

BISHOPSTON

A stunning six double bedroom Victorian semi-detached family home offering beautiful period features. An impressive residence over three main levels with additional cellar which is full of potential!

For more info call Clifton office on 0117 435 1867.

Overlooking the city and the hills on the periphery, this three storey period property boasts space in abundance, including two reception rooms, a spacious kitchen diner, with five double bedrooms arranged over the floors above.

For more info call Bishopston office on 0117 923 2888.

2

2

6

SOLD £1,700,000

2

2

5

SOLD STC £800,000

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Discover design quality on a different level at Bristol’s most exciting new neighbourhood

W

hen it comes to buying a new home in Bristol, there’s often a clear trade-off to make.

On the one hand are the glamorous city centre development projects, where eye-catching design is frequently matched by eye-popping price tags.

On the other hand, outside of the urban core, prices may be more reasonable, but high-quality homes can become much harder to come by.

But one place in Bristol is breaking the mould. Brabazon is a thriving new neighbourhood, and looks set to become the most exciting new city district in the South West.

This is no ordinary project. On the site of the historic former Filton Airfield – where every UK Concorde was built – Brabazon is being designed to live up to the legacy of that pioneering past.

At Brabazon, you’ll be able to wander around independent stores, discover new restaurants or relax in leafy parks and open public squares. There will be iconic events, the latest amazing exhibitions and the best in live music at the supersonic new YTL Arena Bristol.

The Hangar District is the first phase of homes in the new neighbourhood to take shape. And not only is the design quality and craftsmanship clearly on a different level, it is also available at a far more reasonable price point than any other comparable new homes in Bristol.

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It’s little surprise therefore that all the houses and apartments released for sale so far have sold incredibly quickly.

Now, in response to demand, YTL Developments has brought forward the release of a new collection of apartments, known as The Dials. The recent launch event was booked out in no time, so, what is it about the homes here that is capturing the imagination of buyers who might otherwise have bought within the city centre?

The answer is that The Dials is designed to be different.

Created by the internationally renowned, locally-based architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the apartments are tailor-made for how people live today. The open-plan layouts are flexible and notably spacious, with footprints that are up to 25 per cent larger than national space standards. Elevated ceiling heights add to the sense of space, while large picture windows flood the properties with natural light.

The sophisticated design is complemented by an impressive specification that sets a new standard for modern city living.

Underfloor heating, premium Siemens appliances, fully-tiled bathrooms and fitted wardrobes in principal bedrooms all come as standard features, as does all flooring, including engineered oak in the openplan living spaces, and softwoven carpets to bedrooms.

Apartments at The Dials all feature allocated parking in the gated underground car park, as well as secure cycle storage. Residents will also have exclusive access to the building’s private fitness centre, as well as a beautifully-landscaped communal garden.

The collection of one, two and three bedroom apartments at The Dials is selling very quickly, so if you are after a fantastic first-time buy, a practical pied-a-terre or an ideal investment property, contact the sales team today by calling 0330 1234 207 or via BrabazonSales@ytldevelopments.co.uk.

REDHILL, SOMERSET

GUIDE PRICE

£1,850,000

Howard Homes are delighted to market High Croft an imposing house set within the hillside location on the edge of Chew Valley and Mendip Hills. Boasting seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, the house lends itself to a lovely family home, small hotel, B&B or shared living with relatives. Having been completely refurbished throughout, the grounds extend to 2.2 acres with formal gardens, paddocks and a ménage along with heated outdoor swimming pool.

Redhill offers excellent links via the A38 to Bristol and major motorway links, along with easy access to Bath, Bristol International Airport and Chew Valley and Blagdon lakes.

The area boasts extremely good farm shops, outdoor sporting activities, along with a choice of good Primary and Secondary Schools within the location.

Wrington village with its mix of art galleries, restaurants, cafes has a great sense of community along with small independent shops.

Accommodation consists of a detached seven bedroom house which is currently arranged as two dwellings and far reaching views across the surrounding countryside.

The main house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. The annexe has two en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor, sitting room on the first floor and kitchen/dining room. We would recommend early viewing of this versatile house as any interested party would need to see how best it works for their needs.

0117 923 8238

www.howard-homes.co.uk

hello@howard-homes.co.uk

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Clifton, Bristol | Guide Price £2,500,000 An exceptional Grade II* Listed townhouse with stunning communal gardens, far-reaching views and a sought-after Clifton village location.

Superb Grade II* Listed Clifton village townhouse | Stunning communal gardens with fabulous views | Exquisite open-plan kitchen and dining room | Elegant full-depth first floor drawing room and sitting room | Four upper floor double bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms | Versatile lower ground floor guest suite and family room | Utility room, separate cloakroom and useful cellars | Full-width first floor balcony and a communal rear terrace | Potential for self-contained accommodation | Garage (for a small car) and further vaulted storage space

In all circa 3755 sq. ft (350 sq. m)

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