The Week In - Issue 676 - 28th April 2021

THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset

28th April 2021

Issue 676

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Months of roadworks upheaval for everyone in Keynsham town centre The impact of improvement works that begin in Keynsham town centre next month are becoming clearer with the publication of a traffic order revealing that not only will vehicles be banned from the High Street but the pavement on one side will also be closed, as will the cycle lane.

Since last summer the High Street has been closed to through traffic during the day for social distancing measures but now, as shops and businesses are open again following the long lockdown, they face months of upheaval on their doorstep and the timing is being called into question.

The

first

phase

of

enhancements to the public space between Bath Hill and Charlton Road will “rejuvenate the town centre and attract locals and visitors back to the High Street”, according to B&NES Council’s website.

The work includes footpath widening and resurfacing, better signage, cycling and bus stop facilities and new

street furniture, streetlights, landscaping and trees.

A separate programme will follow on, using £1.1m secured last year from the High Streets Heritage Action Zones fund from Historic England. Some of the emerging ideas have already sparked concerns, including making a T- junction of the roundabout outside of St

John’s Church.

The traffic order published

by B&NES Council last week says it intends to make an order to temporarily introduce a road closure to vehicles in the length of Keynsham High Street from its junction with Charlton Road to its junction with Bath Hill, including the contraflow cycle lane. It also

includes a temporary footpath closure the length of the High Street and Temple Street on the west side from the junction of Charlton Road to Rock Road.

“This order is required because works are being or are proposed to be executed on or near the road for Keynsham

High

Street

public realm works by B&NES Council, operative from 10th May 2021, for a maximum

period

of

8

Months. The road will only be restricted as and when traffic signs are in position and may not be affected for the whole of the period but only for so long as is necessary to execute the works. This is anticipated to be

completed

by

30th

November 2021.”

Continued on page 2

Also in this week’s issue

South Glos Council planning decision quashed in High Court . . . page 3

Busiest week on record for region’s air ambulance . . . page 5

Controversial Warmley housing development finally permitted . . . page 8

New community kitchen to open in Kingswood . . . page 20

Months of roadworks upheaval for everyone in Keynsham town centre Continued from page 1

before the shops had reopened.

The alternative route being given is Charlton Road, Rock

“This is just so frustrating to say the least, hopefully we will

Road, Temple Street and Bath Hill.

not lose customers due to these roadworks.”

Writing on Facebook last week, trader Deborah French had

Other comments include: “This will help the shops on the

this message for B&NES: “Wow, I cannot believe as a

high street no end! Nice one Bath and North East Somerset

business owner of Perfect Fit that you are doing this now, as

Council, didn’t want to carry out these works when the shops

if we haven’t suffered enough with closures due to

have been closed during lockdown?”

government lockdown, surely you could have done this

As we reported in Issue 672 last month, anger has already been voiced about the lack of consultation with traders and

Bank looks to upgrade security The HSBC bank in Keynsham High Street is planning to install a new CCTV camera as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour, as well as aiding in detection and prosecution.

The planning application to B&NES Council says it will not have a negative impact on the prominent building or the surrounding conservation area.

Consultation ends on 19th May and the council is due to make a decision by 9th June.

The planning reference is 21/01688/FUL.

2

the town council, including over the recent closure of the free car park behind St John’s Church which will be used as a yard for contractors during the works. The possibility of

project is a Government initiative and it is the pre-election

compensation for traders has been raised with B&NES by

period known as purdah.

the town council in light of the significant disruption ahead.

The clerk said she hoped that the B&NES project officer

The town council has written to the person in charge of the

would still be speaking at the meeting and has asked Historic

project at B&NES Council, citing concerns about the lack of

England to send slides of the information they feel could be

co-ordination and consultation, particularly about phase one.

released during purdah.

Phase two is understood to still be at a very early stage.

Any comments and questions raised during the open forum

Tonight (Wednesday) is the annual town meeting and it has

will be passed on for response which the town council will

been billed as a chance for people to have their say on the

then publish.

future of the town centre but last week, town clerk Dr Cheryl

Tonight’s meeting starts at 7.30pm. For details on how to join

Scott said she had been told that Historic England

visit the town council’s website http://www.keynsham-

representatives would now not be coming to talk as the

tc.gov.uk/

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Judge quashes council’s decision to grant planning permission for 393 homes A High Court judge has quashed South Gloucestershire Council’s decision to grant planning permission for almost 400 homes next to the M4 because a proposed footpath linking the new estate to the main Lyde Green development nearby would be “unlawful” as it crosses motorway land.

The flawed decision and possible safety implications were highlighted by Norft Ltd, the freeholder of Lyde Green Common, who have raised other concerns over vehicle access and that a gas main runs through the proposed 393home estate at Lyde Green Farm for which Edward Ware Homes was granted permission.

Norft have put forward an alternative planning application, yet to be determined by the council, for a short section of access road across Lyde Green Common, the widening of Lyde Green Road and a separate footpath.

Their scheme involves development of 276sq m of some common land but Norft say that other land they own which is not registered as common would replace the areas lost.

At the court hearing last month, the council conceded that condition 10 (the path) of the planning permission it granted was unlawful and the decision ought to be quashed.

Elderflower Road remains blocked off at the Lyde Green Road end

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Land next to the M4 is earmarked for 393 homes

The judge, the Honourable Mrs Justice Thornton DBE, granted Norft permission to apply for judicial review and quashed the planning permission, sending it back to the council to redetermine. The council was also ordered to pay legal costs of almost £10,000.

A section of the controversial path involved using some of the M4 westbound embankment and some highway authority land running to the edge of Lyde Green Road.

Highways England, which is responsible for motorways, had supported the proposal.

The path would have run on motorway land

Norft’s planning agents said: “The proposed route raises significant safety concerns. These relate to both the users of the M4 and the proposed users of the new route. It is relevant here that the route will largely be established with highway verge, specifically within the embankment to the raised section of the M4.

“Notably absent from the application documents is any assessment as to the safety impact of reducing the integrity of the embankment on existing traffic using the motorway.

It cannot be left to assumption that this reduction will have no safety impact.

“Further, by law, pedestrians are required to stay off the motorway except in emergencies. Whilst the proposed route does not introduce pedestrians into lanes of traffic, it does reduce the available highway verge and introduce pedestrians into this area…In addition it is not only pedestrians who will be using the new route, the proposals will see cyclists and horse riders directed in close proximity within the motorway. This is an apparent and unjustifiable safety risk.

“Coupled with the immediate safety risk, the location of the proposed route will see users of the path suffering the worst possible air quality and the most significant noise impacts when compared to an alignment running further away from the M4.”

Continued on page 4

3

Judge quashes council’s decision to grant planning permission for 393 homes Continued from page 3 Solicitors for Norft have cited correspondence from the Department of Transport confirming that that the entire area within the motorway boundary fence is adopted motorway. The solicitors say: “This conclusively proves that the multiuser path cannot lawfully be delivered. In any event the proposed alignment of the footpath is circuitous and does not represent the logical pedestrian desire line from the site to Road 5.”

Road 5 is also known as Elderflower Drive which links up with Willowherb Road. Elderflower Drive does not yet link up with Lyde Green Road as there are barriers in place.

This week a South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson told us: “In January

2021 we received a pre-action letter ahead of an intended legal challenge, in respect of the council’s decision to grant planning permission on 18th December 2020 for residential development of 393 homes on land at Lyde Green Farm.

“On reviewing the grounds for the intended challenge, we agreed to support an order quashing the planning permission on the basis that one of the submitted grounds relating to a technical issue, had merit. This decision was taken to enable the planning application to be redetermined by the council, with the council thereby retaining control of the process for the benefit of the community and avoiding the potential costs and delays associated with a formal challenge.”

THE WEEK IN Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge.

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4

The Rosary

Developer’s housing hopes dashed by council and planning inspector A developer has had his plans to build nine

its poor accessibility to services and reliance

houses on a paddock near Lyde Green

on vehicles. He also ruled that not enough

rejected by both South Gloucestershire

information had been provided about

Council and a planning inspector.

biodiversity on the site.

The site at The Rosary at Cattybrook Road

While waiting for the inspector’s decision,

North is not earmarked for development in

and subsequently learning that the council

the development masterplan for the area and

would have rejected his plans in any case, Mr

is also a designated Site of Nature

Francis submitted a second proposal to the

Conservation Interest.

council in February. But council planning

A private lane leads to The Rosary and

officers said the only discernible difference

crosses the Dramway, which is a spur of the

between the two applications was the

Bristol & Bath Railway Path.

inclusion in the second of a wildlife

Frank Francis’s plans for the houses and

pond/attenuation basin and the widening of

improved access and parking were first

the internal access road.

lodged last May but when the council had

The council rejected the plans, saying that

still not made a decision by December, his

the development would fail to provide safe,

agents lodged an appeal with the Secretary

useable walking or cycling routes to key

of State.

services and facilities, including bus stops,

But the planning inspector has now rejected

and that there was insufficient information

those plans, saying the appeal site would not

and a lack of clarity about ecological matters,

be a suitable location for housing because of

particularly bats.

105-year-old gets over 4,000 birthday wishes Edna Alvis, a resident at Brunelcare’s Deerhurst care home in Kingswood, has celebrated her 105th birthday.

The easing of lockdown restrictions allowed Edna to celebrate on 15th April with a small garden party at the home where she has lived for the past three years.

Her party included flowers, cake and balloons, and she received her second birthday card from the Queen. BBC Radio Bristol joined in on the celebrations, recording the day to share on their social media channels, and Edna’s story was shared around the world and she has received more than 4,000 birthday messages including from the USA, Australia and Nigeria.

Lesley Hobbs, manager at Deerhurst, said: “Edna is thrilled. She can’t believe all the attention she’s received but she is one very happy lady, and thoroughly enjoying the limelight.”

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Playing field break-ins continue when gates are locked Redfield Edge Primary School in Oldland

throughout the two weeks and in general,

Common, which opened its playing field

there was very little litter. On a rather

gates to the community over the two-week

frustrating note, however, we are continuing

Easter break, says it is pleased with the

to have the fence damaged and broken into.

way the community respected it.

“We are in talks with the local PCSO team

However, incidents of criminal damage and

about how we can best address this to ensure

trespass when the gates are locked are still

the field is safe for our children to use. I am

going on and last week three fence panels

having to send staff out to check over the

were broken by a group of men who

space before our children can use it. This is

reportedly broke in to do their football

not something we should have to do.”

training,

Charlie Walker, the school’s business

Last week headteacher Lisa Robinson told

manager, also thanked local residents for

us: “I know the field was used well

looking after the field and said that Wellsway

Cannabis factory busted Police brought down what is believed to have been a cannabis factory in Downend last week, seizing around 233 suspected plants.

The warrant was carried out at a home in

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Overnhill Road on Monday afternoon (19th April).

A 28-year-old man of no fixed address has since appeared in court charged with cultivating a class B substance.

Multi Academy Trust, which runs the Sir

subject to any requests to hire the field.

Bernard Lovell Academy and shares

A strict ‘no dogs’ rule on the field remains.

ownership of the playing field, had agreed

Anyone who sees a break-in at the field is

that the field can also be open to the

asked to report it immediately to the police

community over the May half-term break,

on 101.

5

‘More traffic being pushed out of Bath on to the A431’ HGV traffic is reportedly getting heavier on the A431

for some time, will close to all traffic for reinforcement work

junction to the land

through Kelston, Swineford and Bitton because of Bath’s

from next month – and if Wessex Water wins planning

where Wessex Water

recently introduced Clean Air Zone and the weight

permission for the bridge it wants to build over the River

now wishes to make a

restrictions at Newbridge and on the city’s Cleveland

Avon from Saltford.

junction. At the time

Bridge.

Wessex has just completed a five-week consultation asking

the reason given was

And there are fears that the situation will get worse when

for views before finalising its proposals for the bridge

that the visibility splays

Cleveland Bridge, which has had an 18-tonne weight limit

scheme which would link its water treatment centre in

required on the busy

Saltford with the A431 near Swineford.

road would destroy a

One of the objectors cited the shifting of traffic to

110-metre section of

the A431 as one of the reasons they are against the bridge

hedgerow.

scheme.

Wessex Water tells us it

The resident said B&NES Council’s Clean Air Zone in Bath,

has received around 35

the Newbridge weight restriction, and the Cleveland Bridge

responses

closure “now effectively severs not only the A4, but also any

consultation

through route for HGV traffic from the A46 heading

people living in the

southbound for the A36”.

Saltford,

They continue: “The A431 is already being used as a short

and Bitton areas, either

cut to the A36, rather than following the recommended

commenting on the

diversion route of the A4174 and A4/A36.

proposals or asking specific questions.

South

to

its from

Swineford

Gloucestershire residents are therefore already experiencing

It says that South Gloucestershire Council has been part of

increased HGV traffic, noise, vibration and air pollution on

the consultation process, along with B&NES Council.

a route that is susceptible to flooding and road closure, and

Wessex Water is due to submit a planning application to

the proposed Wessex traffic will only make matters worse.”

B&NES in the coming months. Last week we reported that

The resident has also highlighted that in 2005, B&NES

B&NES had screened the proposals and decided that there

refused a previous landowner permission to make a new

would be no major environmental impact.

Survey reveals that speed humps are working A survey carried out on Richmond Road in Mangotsfield following concerns about the new speed cushions has revealed that they are working effectively.

Last September we reported that a sevenday traffic speed and volume survey was due to take place in the autumn after concerns were raised locally about the effectiveness of the new speed cushions that were laid after the 20mph road was resurfaced last summer.

Last week a South Gloucestershire Council traffic management engineer apologised for the delay in doing the survey which was finally carried out between 23rd and 29th March.

Survey data taken in 2012 when the original set of cushions were in place, showed mean average speeds were comfortably below 24mph – the benchmark value looked for in a 20mph zone that suggests the traffic calming is working, meaning the measures are effectively ‘selfenforcing’.

6

And last month’s survey revealed average speeds were comfortably below 24mph - 20.9 mph northbound and 21.5 mph southbound.

“I hope this is reassuring and shows that the speed cushions in Richmond Road are serving to keep speeds at an acceptable level within this part of the 20mph zone,” the engineer said.

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Busiest week on record for air ambulance Great Western Air Ambulance Charity saw a record number of call-outs in the week from 12th to 18th April with the team responding to 52 incidents across the region.

The charity’s Critical Care Team usually respond to around five patients a day, however, that rose to more than seven a day on average, with Friday 16th April seeing them respond to 11 incidents alone in a single day.

GWAAC saves lives across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and parts of Wiltshire. The team even attended an incident in Wales during their busiest ever week.

There was a significant rise in trauma related incidents, with the charity normally experiencing a 50/50 split between medical and trauma emergencies. From the 12th to the 18th, 77% of call-outs were trauma related, including 13 road traffic collisions as well as falls, stabbings, and burns.

This time last year, the crew saw a significant drop in callouts, with just 77 incidents across the whole of April, but the recent ease in lockdown restrictions has seen numbers rise even higher than they were before the pandemic. In April 2019, the charity responded to 162 critically ill or injured patients; this year it is expecting a 20% increase on these figures, responding to an emergency every three hours on average this month so far.

GWAAC receives no day-to-day funding from the NHS or Government and relies on the communities it serves to raise

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

the money needed to remain operational. At the same time as the demands on the emergency response service picked up, the charity reopened its shop in Westbury-on-Trym, with the support of the local community bringing in a record

£4,000 in sales over the first week – more than double what is usually expected.

If you are interested in finding out more about the charity and its work in the region, visit www.gwaac.com

7

Work gets under way at last on AEK-BOCO’s new facilities Hanham football club AEK-BOCO have now been granted landlord’s permission by South Gloucestershire Council to implement the planning approval they won for new facilities.

Regular readers of The Week In will know that there has been a lot of controversy in recent years over the proposals for the Greenbank Road site which is a public open space managed and maintained by AEK-BOCO. The club were keen to improve facilities to meet the criteria for the Toolstation Western League, which they aspire to play in.

When the controversial plans for two covered 50-seater spectator areas, floodlights and fencing around the perimeter of the main pitch were approved, conditions were imposed on the height of the fence and when the floodlights could be used.

The club subsequently applied for a higher fence than the 1.2

metres approved, saying there is a requirement for it to be 1.83 metres for the men’s first team to compete in the Toolstation Western League; they also asked the council to change the floodlighting condition as it limited use to league matches.

The club appealed to the Secretary of State because the council was taking too long to consider the application and last October won the right to change the planning conditions, allowing them raise the height of proposed fencing and allow youth and women’s teams to play under floodlights.

The inspector said that a higher fence would not be an “alien addition” but a lightweight feature through which views would be possible.

He also accepted that limitation on the frequency of use of floodlighting would “diminish the benefit of the facility to the community as it would prevent wider use of the football pitch”.

He added: “However, I am also conscious that there are residential properties within close proximity to the site and that the effect on the living conditions of the occupiers of these properties must be considered.”

The inspector said a condition allowing the lighting to be utilised for any three nights during the period of a week, but not for more than two consecutive nights, would ensure that there is no unreasonable effect on people living nearby.

The new fencing and a path around the main pitch are now

being laid. The new double spectator stand is due to be delivered shortly and it is understood that the floodlights will be installed in about 10 weeks.

Suspicious incident in Emersons Green Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident in Emersons Green on Sunday.

A man spoke to three girls as they left the park on Emerson Way between 4.15pm and 4.30pm, before walking away.

He’s described as Asian, aged in his mid-20s and wearing a dark hooded jacket with distinctive wide red bands on the arms.

Neighbourhood police are carrying out targeted patrols in the area following this incident. Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around that time, or who recognises the man’s description, is asked to call 101 and give the reference 5221088856.

CCTV issued after serious assault in Stockwood Police have issued a CCTV clip showing a man they want to identify following an assault in Stockwood which left a 64-year-old man with serious injuries.

The incident happened in Whittock Road at about 8.20pm on Tuesday 20th April.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment for injuries to his face and arm. He has since been discharged.

The man in the clip is described as white, between 35 and 45 years old, with dark hair and he was wearing a blue T-shirt, a baseball cap, and trousers with a white pattern on the front, which could be paint.

If you know who this man is, or have information about this incident which could help, call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5221084728.

View the clip at https://tinyurl.com/2z97vcs4

8

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Football club’s scores approval for pavilion upgrade and safer access Oldland Abbotonians FC, who play on the Aitchison Memorial Playing Fields in Oldland Common, have won planning permission to transform their tatty pavilion.

As part of the scheme, there will also be improvements to narrow Castle Road which leads to the club’s premises.

Castle Road

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

In their planning application to South Gloucestershire Council, the club, who currently play in the Toolstation Western League Division One, said a major overhaul was necessary to cater for the needs of members and visitors.

Extensions are proposed to the north and south of the pavilion to provide better and more secure storage areas, meaning the unsightly external storage cabins can be removed.

There will also be improvements to changing facilities for players and officials and additional accessible toilet facilities.

The pavilion is used mainly for football activities but also for other sports and community groups.

Original details showed an increase in the number of parking spaces. The number of spaces in the car park in a revised plan shows a reduction from 37 to 33 to provide a turning area for waste collection vehicles. It is proposed to now provide a surface to the overflow parking area which is currently grassed. This will not provide any additional parking in numerical terms but will allow its use in all weather conditions.

The council’s planning officer dealing with application said the main concern from the outset has been increased use of the lane.

“While the alignment and nature of Castle Road is such that

The current pavilion

vehicle speeds are low and pedestrians and cyclists are able to use it without difficulty (there have been no recorded injury road accidents over the last 20 years), there is a concern that there are no passing places along the last part of the road leading to the pavilion.

“Following recent negotiations, a new drawing shows a passing place halfway along the narrow section of Castle Road leading to the site has been secured and while the limited width of the adopted highway corridor has restricted the passing place to a width of 4.5m, this is sufficient for two cars to pass. Larger service vehicles or minibuses will only be able to pass cars at either end of the narrow section of road as is currently the case, however this is unavoidable and given the overall betterment achieved is acceptable.”

9

LETTERS littering, trespass, open fires, barbecues and

Respect it or lose it

damage. There are also increasing amounts of dog

Dear Editor An open letter to the Bitton community You may well have seen that over recent months, the access to the River Avon from Church Road has been closed. As the landowner, and the landowner of the fields that border the River Boyd, I wanted to explain why we closed the lane and how we are working to reopen the path and indeed keep open the land adjacent to the Boyd.

For information, there is NO public right of way across the land adjacent to the Boyd or indeed down the lane from Church Road leading to The Meadows. We choose to keep this access open through what is known as a permissive path access. Access can be withdrawn without notice, temporarily

or

permanently

and

without

consultation. There is NO access of any type, permissive or public, under any of the railway arches across our land. There is also NO right to roam on any of our land.

mess in and out of bags in our fields; trespass into our garden on one occasion and trespass across our land; fishing without permissions; public drug use, picnicking on private land; and even threats of violence. The police have had to be involved and arrests and prosecutions made.

For those wishing to access the River Avon or the picnic area, there is the permissive access (currently closed) down the lane to The Meadows, or there are public accesses opposite The Swan in Swineford, from Keynsham, or from the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. These are the only legal accesses. Our plan, as you will now see, supported by South Gloucestershire Council, Bitton Parish Council, the police and Bitton residents I have spoken with, is to install fencing under the railway arches, to improve signage, and close all access to our land temporarily between July 1st and the end of August to discourage the amount of people from outside our community abusing the area.

Making the assumption that we don’t have to endure the behaviours of the last year, then we will reopen the land and both permissive paths for the community, which has always been our objective. This will reinstate easy access to the Avon. Other landowners have recently taken the

Unfortunately, from the beginning of the COVID19 crisis, not only did behaviours of some within our community and outside change for the worse, but volumes of people and dogs increased significantly. During the last year we have had people wilfully causing criminal damage to our fencing. We have also had accidental damage just by climbing gates and fences, especially next to the railway arches. Fences and gates should never be climbed on, they are there for a reason, primarily to keep livestock safe.

We have also had several occasions where people were chasing bullocks around our fields, putting their own lives in danger. People have harassed a neighbour at The Meadows as they went to the Avon down the lane from Church Road on several occasions. We have also had issues with playing loud music. There has been drunken behaviour,

10

decision locally to close permanently the access to their land. This is not what we want to do, however any damage or continuation of the behaviours listed will result in permanent closure of the access to the Avon and access being permanently removed to walk around our land.

Currently the permissive path on our land adjoining the Boyd only follows the edge of the

Personal memories of the Glorious Glosters Dear Editor Memories are our own personal treasures and I have been recently remembering a day when I was 10, walking in London with my father and brother. My brother and I were suddenly told by our father to stand aside in respect for two young soldiers who were about to pass by.

Of course, we immediately did as we were asked, but not knowing why. After they had passed us (and I can hear and see their heavy boots as they marched together) my father explained they were two soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment which had heroically held out for some days against a far superior Chinese army near the Imjin River in Korea; 600 or so against some 10,000, I believe. We were being asked to pay our respects to the two men and their comrades, many wounded or fallen. My father said he knew the

wonky roundabout last week, whilst a high friction surface would be beneficial, I would like to see all drivers turning left from Craven Way to Wraxall Road use their indicators.

Personally I do not want to see any more speed tables, the ones on Craven Way are dreadful as anybody who has been on a bus will testify to.

Spend the money resurfacing all of Craven Way and if there is any money left, do Tower Road South which is in a shocking state. Install a permanent speed camera to deter people breaking the speed limit, that will soon pay for itself.

Henry Hannon, Warmley

men were gypsies and lived near to us and no doubt were going home to see their family. What

On the ball

joy and pride must have been in that house when

Dear Editor

they arrived home.

As someone who stopped watching overpaid

Seeing the recent TV coverage of the ‘Glorious

footballers, what is all the fuss about, it has

Glosters’ and the beautiful Celtic-style cross

always been about money.

scratched out by an officer being held in solitary

That is how the Premier League came about, and

confinement made me remember our last year and

when the big clubs figure this out eventually it

the losses we have had. Nothing glorious about

will happen; it should include the top team in

COVID except how we, the NHS and scientists

every league every year, not just a few select

etc. have dealt with it.

teams so there would be no guarantee, just a sort

April Begley, Hanham

of self-relegation. The problem with no longer watching overpaid footballers, I now have to

No more speed tables

listen to them as though they are the fount of

Dear Editor

wisdom on subjects other than football.

With reference to your article on Warmley’s

William Houghton

Boyd. However, I am working with the council to field, excluding the corner closest to the Avon.

Anyone lost a dressing gown?

I hope that by explaining what has been

Is anyone in Keynsham missing a dressing

someone’s washing line as the weather

happening, and also what the legal status of the

gown?

was windy at the time! She says she has

land is, you will join us in keeping others

We’ve been contacted by a reader who

asked some of her neighbours but so far

lives at The Labbott who found it in a

has not been able to trace the owner.

nearby car park earlier this month. She

If you think it may be yours, contact us at

believes it may have been blown off

The Week In on 07403 273967.

extend the permissive path around the edge of the

educated, improving how we treat this resource so that we can keep it open while respecting the infrastructure and animals.

Duncan Wilson

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Review at supermarket after lack of first aid cover is exposed Following our story last week highlighting concerns about a lack of staff first aid cover at Asda in Longwell Green, it has emerged that the store has carried out a review to ensure it does not happen again.

A South Gloucestershire Council environmental health officer has been in touch with customer Linda Rolfe, who raised the complaint following the incident on 7th April, telling her that Asda’s regional compliance manager has taken the matter “very seriously”.

Ms Rolfe is a first aid instructor who happened to be shopping in the store when a call went out for a first aider to go to Aisle 5. Although a member of staff called an ambulance, there was no Asda

first aider on duty to respond. Ms Rolfe stayed with the casualty, a young woman, for more than an hour until the ambulance arrived.

The lack of first aid provision had apparently been missed by the on-site management team. The store has now reviewed its first aid cover and rota planning to ensure that this does not occur again, the council officer has told Ms Rolfe.

He added that Asda is fully aware of the reporting procedure to the council as the enforcing authority for retail businesses, and the council will respond to the relevant RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) as appropriate.

Funding available for environmental projects Wessex Water is providing financial support to

To be successful, projects will need to involve communities

a difference in their communities.

environmental projects across the South West through its

in environmental activities and have a positive impact on

“By supporting local efforts, we can work together to make

new Environment Fund.

the local environment. Community groups can apply for up

the bigger changes needed to protect our environment for

It will be open for applications from 3rd May to 4th June

to £1,500.

the future.”

and will support charitable and community activities

Kirsty Scarlett, Wessex Water’s Head of Community

The Wessex Water Foundation plans to provide at least

across the region that aim to improve their local

Engagement, said: “We are really pleased to be able to

£500,000 of funding every year to support community

environment.

support communities that are passionate about protecting

projects, local environment projects, debt advice and

The fund forms part of Wessex Water Foundation which

and improving their local area.

charities helping those who are suffering the consequences

was launched last year and provides dedicated funding to

“We particularly hope smaller groups that need a bit of

of poverty through low income or unemployment.

charitable and community projects.

extra support will get in touch so that we can help to make

Find out more at www.wessexwater.co.uk/funding

Sudoku 1-Easy

SUNDAY CHEMISTS Sunday 2nd May

2 -Hard

Boots, Gallagher Retail Park, Longwell Green (10.30am-4pm) Asda, Longwell Green (10am-4pm) Boots, Emersons Green Retail Park (10.30am-4.30pm) Sainsbury’s, Emersons Green Retail Park (9.30am-4.30pm) Stockwood Pharmacy, 78 Hollway Road, BS14 8PG (9am-7pm) Keynsham Pharmacy, 15 Station Road, BS31 2BH (10am-4pm) Tesco, Callington Road, Brislington (10am to 4pm) Morrisons, 688-718 Fishponds Road, Fishponds (10am-4pm) Boots, Avonmeads Retail Park, St Philips Causeway (11am-5pm)

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

11

Petition launched over fees charged for exercise sessions in parks A petition has been launched against the “high fees” that B&NES Council charges for people to use public parks for organised exercise.

The petition on the change.org website was started last week and has already been signed by more than 130 people.

To run fitness training sessions the council charges £600 for unlimited use for a year, £450 for six months and £300 for three months.

The petition, which has been started by Jenny Drew, says, “Our green open spaces in B&NES are areas to be proud of, we need to model and demonstrate our encouragement for them to be used to help those reignite a healthy, happy and active lifestyle.

“Children should be able to see adults enjoying the outdoors

and adults should see their peers using the spaces we support with our tax being used for their best purpose. With the fees that have been introduced for organised exercise, they will be unaffordable for this purpose.

“In a society that has essentially stood still, people are suffering both physically, emotionally, socially and economically. Many people have found themselves furloughed and unable to participate in the economy actively.

In order to kick start active spending and economic growth it is prudent to allow some flexibility.

“We appeal to B&NES to reduce fees in order to enable the self-employed to rebuild their client base and be able to run outdoor exercise classes. Following a period of non-earning, the upfront expenses associated with restarting a business and

potentially having to build a client base from scratch is unaffordable.

“For many, an outdoor group exercise class will be the only social and physical activity they feel safe doing following months of stay at home advice. These classes are essential to the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of our society, and as we learned throughout lockdown, the physically active and fit are those who suffer the least. We must do our upmost to encourage, not discourage this.”

Refurbishment of tennis courts The town council has handed back the lease of the tennis courts in Keynsham’s Memorial Park to B&NES Council ownership and they are closed while they undergo refurbishment prior to re-opening through an electronic pay-to-play booking system.

The work is part of a £600,000 project to improve tennis facilities in the district.

The new facilities will make use of the Lawn Tennis Association’s web-based bookings and access systems.

Keynsham Park is one of the public parks run by B&NES Council

Crossword ACROSS

DOWN

1. Mollusc (7)

1. Disorder (8)

8. Mythical creature (7)

2. Change (5)

9. Performer (7)

3. Lariat (5)

10. Refuse to deal with (7)

4. Mexican village (6)

11. Nocturnal bird (4,3)

6. Temporary stay (7)

14. Decompose (3)

7. Biting insect (4)

16. Worry (4)

12. Naked (4)

18. Limit (4)

13. Small bird (4)

19. Augury (4)

15. Urban area (4)

20. Certain (4)

16. Hill (4)

21. Unused (3)

17. Loft access (8)

23. Release (7)

18. Hermit (7)

26. Gourd plant (7)

22. Castrated male (6)

28. Experience (7)

24. Apple drink (5)

29. Fiendish (7)

25. Of the ear (5)

30. Athlete (7)

26. Nosegay (4)

5. Cunning (4)

27. Monarch (4)

12

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Developer finally wins permission to demolish 20 garages and build housing A developer has finally won approval to demolish 20 dilapidated garages in Warmley and build six homes on the site.

The garages, some of which have already been knocked down, are at the rear of 22-34 Goldney Avenue and the plans will see the access widened by removing a building at the side of No 22 and reducing the size of the garden.

The garages were sold off by housing association Merlin in 2017 after it gave the tenants notice to quit. The plot was sold at auction with vacant possession and “scope for a residential development”, subject to consents.

The developer has made two previous attempts to build on the site. The first in 2018 was for eight houses and was withdrawn on the advice of South Gloucestershire Council planning officers as it did not include an established public access through the site to reach the Dramway footpath. A subsequent one for seven houses was also withdrawn.

The scheme which has now been approved, will see a row of six houses backing onto the

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Dramway and incudes the pedestrian link.

The council, after hearing testimony from 40 people, agreed in September 2019 that there was enough evidence of use dating back to 1950 to add it to the map.

The path remains blocked with security fencing that was put up by the developer two years ago, but the route is acknowledged in the plans, with a two-metre wide path proposed. The approved scheme also includes plans for full remediation of the coal workings.

Covenant concerns Local people and Siston Parish Council objected to the plans, including concerns over access, loss of parking and privacy and the overbearing impact the new development would have on existing houses. Also highlighted were covenants and restrictions on the deeds to the land and that of neighbouring houses in respect of access and utilities.

However the plans were deemed to be acceptable by the planning officers. In terms

of the covenants they said: “It is understood that there are restrictive covenants on the nearby houses on account of them having been council housing and the council at the time seeking reassurance that their other houses locally would not be degraded by the actions of an owner occupier.”

The planning team says this specifically includes No 22 in a covenant dated 23/7/1984 but land covenants on the deeds to the house

are a matter between the current owner of No 22 and the covenant owner, rather than for the local planning authority.

“Legal issues cannot usually be taken into consideration in the determination of a planning application as they are matters of civil law rather than planning law. An informative will be added to draw the developer’s attention to any covenants on the deeds.”

13

More than one million people in region have now had second COVID-19 jab More than one million people in the South West have now received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This milestone comes as the number of people in the region who have received their first dose tops three million.

The second vaccine around 12 weeks later maximises protection against COVID-19 infection.

Regional director of NHS England and NHS Improvement, Elizabeth O’Mahony, said: “This is a fantastic milestone, and everyone involved in the vaccination rollout, both frontline and behind the scenes, should feel really proud.

“The success of the vaccination rollout has already contributed to dramatic falls in infections, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus. However, even when vaccinated it’s important we all continue to follow all the guidance in place, including hands, face and space.”

The same vaccine should be used for both doses. To ensure this, people should have their second dose at the same place as their first. People who received their first dose in a hospital hub or through a GP service will be contacted to receive their second dose. Those who booked their first appointment through the national booking service will have booked both their first and second appointments at the same time and can log in at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine to be reminded of their arrangements.

vaccination appointment. This is now extended to people

encouraged to book their slot as soon as possible by visiting

NHS staff are working hard alongside volunteers to ensure

aged 45 and over.

www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or calling 119. As well as those

that everyone in the eligible cohorts has been offered a

Anyone who has not yet taken up their invitation is

aged 45 or over, that includes frontline health and social care workers, carers, and people with health conditions that mean

Extra funding to support South Glos residents in need South Gloucestershire Council has been granted an additional £133,920 from the Government to help support people struggling to cope financially as a result of the impact of the pandemic.

The funding is an extension of the Winter Grants Programme for which the council has already been given a total of £767,000 (£569,000 in November 2020 and £198,000 in March 2021), and has been renamed the COVID Local Support Grant.

This new additional money comes with the same grant conditions as the original funding and has a focus on the

14

provision of food, energy, water and/or associated financial support; 80 per cent of the spend has to be allocated to families with children and a proportion of funding (up to 20 per cent) is also available for vulnerable households without children (including individuals), to ensure that no vulnerable household is excluded. The majority of the new funding will be allocated through schools to support families who qualify for free school meals during the May half-term holiday, with the remainder available for others by contacting the council’s One Stop Shops or via Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire.

they are more at risk of serious illness if they get COVID19.

Rugby club members to tackle sponsored bike ride Seven members of Kingswood Rugby Club will be taking part in a sponsored bike ride to Bournemouth in the summer to raise funds for the club’s redevelopment fund.

Built to house just three senior sides in 1996, Kingswood RFC’s clubhouse is in urgent need of modernisation and expansion due to the club’s ever expanding membership.

They now offer rugby to hundreds of children and adults in the community.

The 83-mile cycle ride - dubbed the Tour de Boure - will be their first fundraising challenge and the target is £1,000.

The bike ride will take place on Saturday 17th July. To donate to the cause visit https://gofund.me/2341ac72

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Ongoing support from B&NES Wellbeing Hub Bath & North East Somerset residents are

clinically extremely vulnerable and their

Services and Health at B&NES Council,

want to reassure people that the Community

reminded that they can still access the

families.

said: “We understand that many people will

Wellbeing Hub will continue to be there for

Community Wellbeing Hub for help,

The session will be a chance for those people

be anxious about the recent changes to

people.”

support and advice, despite the rules

affected by shielding to share experiences

shielding and returning to some kind of

You can contact the hub from Monday to

around shielding ending at the start of

and discuss what’s next. It will also be a

normality. The past year has been a difficult

Friday between 9am-5pm by calling 0300

April as part of the Government’s

chance to discuss people’s anxieties and the

time for so many clinically extremely

247 0050, texting 07870 868368 or by email

roadmap out of lockdown.

practical issues around moving out of

vulnerable people and their families. And we

at CWHBanes@virgincare.co.uk

The Hub was set up last year in response to

shielding.

the pandemic and offers a range of support

The panel will include two people who

to residents on issues such as accessing food,

have been shielding for the last year, who

Green shoots of recovery

transport and medication.

will talk about how things have worked for

Downend Horticultural Society members

14th August. The society is also planning

It is a collaboration between Bath & North

them.

are looking forward to their first talk after

an outing to the Savill Garden in Windsor

East Somerset Council, Bath and North East

It starts at 12.30pm. To take part you can

the easing of lockdown on 10th June

Great Park on 4th July.

Somerset, Swindon & Wiltshire Clinical

register

at

which will be about wildlife in the garden.

Meetings are held at the Assembly Hall in

Commissioning Group, Virgin Care, 3SG

https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/webinars. The

Lockdown has not stopped members

Salisbury Road, Downend, at 7.30pm. For

and other third sector partners.

session will also be recorded and put up on

planting and planning for the year ahead

more information contact Roger Davis on

As part of the continued support, the Hub is

the council’s YouTube channel following the

and this will be a special year as it’s the

0117 9571703 or Hilary Walton on 0117

running an online discussion tomorrow

event.

75th Annual Downend Flower Show on

9792832.

(Thursday) for those people who are

Rob Appleyard, Cabinet member for Adult

online

via

the

website

15 new recruits join Avon Fire & Rescue Service Avon Fire & Rescue Service has this

would like to warmly welcome the latest

month welcomed 15 new firefighters who

recruits to Avon Fire & Rescue Service

have graduated following the successful

and congratulate them on the completion

completion of an intensive 12-week

of their 12-week intensive training course.

trainee firefighter course.

“The role of a modern day firefighter has

With large gatherings still not permitted,

evolved over the past year, not only will

the completion of their training was

the recruits play a vital role in making our

celebrated with a socially distanced

communities safe and responding to

ceremony held at the service’s training

emergency calls, the new firefighters will

centre at Severn Park, Avonmouth. The

also spend a lot of their time out in the

team of 13 men and two women,

community,

showcased their fire and rescue skills

vaccination centres and delivering fire

during the closed event, demonstrating the

prevention and safety advice.

training they acquired during the intensive

“I wish our new recruits the best of luck,

firefighting course.

firefighting is truly one of the most

Chief Fire Officer Mick Crennell said: “I

fulfilling and rewarding careers.”

volunteering

at

Theft from Post Office Police are investigating an incident in

“Inquiries, including reviewing CCTV

which a man stole cigarettes from the Post

footage, are ongoing. Anyone who

Office in Staple Hill. The incident

witnessed what happened is asked to

happened just before 9pm on Wednesday

contact us online or call 101 and give

15th April. A police spokesperson said:

reference number 5221080813.”

mass

Some of the new recruits

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

15

The Community Page

Hanham Parish Council Ian Richardson – Chair of Hanham Parish Council has this message for the residents of Hanham.

‘Nobody could have imagined a spate of illnesses, initially reported in China, would turn into a worldwide pandemic.

COVID 19 has certainly had a major effect on how the Council has operated including the cancellation of the 2019 Assembly.

A virtual Assembly, covering the last 2 years, starting in 2019 when the world was ‘normal’ and the last 12 months when the world was and still is, anything but ‘normal’, was however held on Wednesday 6th April 2021.’

Our AGM is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 5th May, and this is hoped that this could be our last virtual meeting as we ease out of the current restrictions.’

Reduced High Street parking for shoppers!

Parish Council Meetings Under normal circumstances Hanham Parish Council meetings are held in Hanham Community Centre on the first Wednesday of every month. During the recent restrictions these meeting have been held virtually.

Our next virtual meeting will be our :-

AGM on 5th May Details are available by contacting the clerk Nicola Little on 01454 862696 or by email - clerk@hanhampc.gov.uk Visit our website https://www.hanham-pc.gov.uk for more information regarding Hanham Parish Council.

Two initiatives sponsored by Hanham Parish Council

Two electric vehicle charging points have been installed in the Laburnum Road car park close to the High Street.

Although the future of motoring would appear to be for electric vehicles, Hanham Parish Councillors are opposed to these charging points as two valuable parking spaces have been made unavailable all day, every day for shoppers using Hanham’s busiest shopping area.

Arrangements have been made to monitor the usage of these points so that councillors can continue to evaluate the benefit to the local community.

Lidl to revamp Hanham store Following the opening of their flagship store on the former

the front and side of the store and the demolition of the old

Homebase site, in the neighbouring parish of Oldland, Lidl

NatWest bank to increase parking.

have submitted plans and have gained approval to improve

Hopefully Lidl will allow limited parking for customers

their existing Hanham outlet. Proposals include extending

using the High Street!

Using the South Gloucestershire Council ’buy back’ scheme, a litter picker financed by Hanham Parish will supplement the current activity carried out by South Gloucestershire Council. This activity will be started shortly and will be reviewed every year by the Full Council.

The Swift Sports coaching events have been extremely successful. This is a joint venture between Hanham and Hanham Abbots Parish Councils providing sports coaching events for primary school aged children during school holidays. We pay for the coaches and HAPC allow the use of Hanham Common for the events. The events are free of charge to the children and Swift Sports arrange the bookings via the local schools.

Next week’s Community Page – Whitchurch Parish Council 16

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Soap watch

Divisions are rife this week in Greenborne Evie Lejeune does not make an appearance in Episode 5 of Greenborne but she manages to feature in just about every scene.

Local radio station KTCR’s latest weekly instalment of the radio soap that everyone is talking about picks up on the chaos the village matriarch has sewn since her return. She may not be on the committee for this year’s Greenborne Festival but as vicar Maggie soon discovers, that doesn’t really matter. As she makes her way around Greenborne

seeking out help from potential volunteers, she finds that Evie has already been there – and what Evie says, goes.

Meanwhile, Sandra and Chloe owe Evie 10 months’ rent on their hairdressing salon-cum-café and desperate for extra cash, decide that Chloe should take the sandwich truck out and about to drum up extra sales. But fighting fires on all sides proves to be too much for the two of them who find they are rushing from one job to another and can no longer do the basics right. They can’t sell the sandwiches, customers

Chloe, played by Rebecca Yeo, & Niamh McGrady as Sandra

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

in the café can’t be served in time because Sandra is in the salon and she makes a basic error there when colouring Daisy’s hair – auburn turns out to be green.

Back at the pub, all is not well with the rest of Daisy’s family.

Twin brother Lewis has made a serious miscalculation in the feelings of his best mate Jeet – the car mechanic and aspiring DJ - while dad Alan is still convinced landlady Bev is up to no good with the artist Farhad. Still suspicious, he confronts his wife on her return from Farhad’s house, only to discover that the ‘surprise’ he has now spoilt is that the artist has repainted the pub sign for them.

Episode 5 ends with one more problem for Sandra and Chloe – a brick through the salon window. Is it because Chloe went to the police after her prang in the car with the uninsured and non-driving licence holder Daisy, or is it because someone in the village does not agree with the lifestyle the couple has chosen?

Catch up with Episode 6 of Greenborne on 105.8fm this afternoon at 2pm and repeated on Sunday at 3pm. You can listen again to The Spoken Word show at any time by visiting ktcrfm.com

17

£170k government grant for Kingswoodbased performing arts group The Kingswood-based Academy of Circus Arts and Physical Theatre, best known as Circomedia, has been awarded a grant of £170,859 in the latest round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

Local MP Chris Skidmore visited the academy earlier this month for a tour of the Britannia Road site and to learn about the academy’s work and how this critical funding will help support its projects as coronavirus restrictions continue to be lifted.

He had the chance to see the school’s work in action and learned about the training courses and circus skills workshops on offer as activities gradually return to normal.

The Kingswood Estate in Britannia Road has been home to Circomedia for more than 25

years.

Nicolas Young, Circomedia’s chief executive, said: “We were delighted that our local MP was able to see Circomedia in action, with 90 young people and 20 staff on site in our first youth circus project since restrictions were eased. He therefore got to see a key part of the work that the Cultural Recovery grant is helping to ensure continues and improves into the future.” £1.57bn has been made available through the Culture Recovery Fund to support heritage organisations and the wider cultural sector during the pandemic. As we have previously reported, Avon Valley Railway has also benefitted from a grant of £97,400 from the fund and Mr Skidmore also visited the

heritage attraction at Bitton to catch up with staff following their recent reopening and to

discuss how this latest round of grant funding will assist in their recovery.

Front garden sale The 2nd Great Saltford Front Garden Sale will be taking place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May from 10am to 3pm.

Residents wishing their garden sale to

18

appear on a village map that will be distributed via social media are asked to email events@saltfordhall.co.uk by Thursday 6th May.

The MP, right, with Jono & Maddie from Circomedia

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Dumped items receive new lease of life on TV Items due to be dumped by residents at Keynsham’s Pixash Recycling Centre are given a new lease of life on BBC One’s Money for Nothing programme next month.

Production company Friel Kean Films spent two weeks filming at Bath & North East Somerset Council’s recycling centre last summer. Entrepreneur Sarah Moore saved several items from being tipped and, together with a team of talented artisans, transformed them into stylish and valuable pieces making money for residents who had no idea there was cash to be made from their trash.

David Wood, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “This is a fantastic example of how items deemed as junk can be saved and reused and shows how with a little bit of imagination there are many ingenious ways to upcycle or repurpose them.

“Dumping at a recycling centre should always be a last resort and we’d encouraged

people to offer unwanted items first on freecycling networks – who knows, your junk could be someone else’s treasure!”

Over the past nine series of Money for Nothing, more than 650 unwanted items have been saved from being thrown in the skip, given a new lease of life and sold on, with more than £55,000 of profits returned to members of the public for their old objects.

The largest single profit produced stands at £1,363 for an antique sewing table, which was scrubbed up and photographed to create printed tea towels.

You can watch what happens to the saved items from Keynsham in Money for Nothing on BBC One at 3.45pm on Wednesday 5th May and Monday 10th May. For more information on recycling across Bath and North East Somerset, including details of the council’s plans for a new stateof-the-art recycling and reuse centre at Keynsham visit: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/ recycling

Vicar runs half-marathon for Christian Aid The Rev Lizzie Kesteven, vicar of St Mary's Church in Fishponds, completed her first ever half marathon last Monday in a time of 2:27:27 to raise more than £1,200 for Christian Aid. It was not an organised half-marathon but Rev Kesteven ran the distance of 13 miles along the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.

She was joined by her friend Florence Weston, who was raising money for the Bristol charity Self Injury Support.

Town council turns down campaign group’s request for financial support The campaign group fighting plans for a waste processing plant at the former Queen Charlton Quarry near Keynsham have had their request for financial support from the town council turned down.

As we reported last week, experts hired by POKE (Protect Our Keynsham Environment) have lodged an objection to Resourceful Earth Anaerobic Ltd’s plans to process crops and food waste to produce

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

biogas to generate renewable electricity.

The plans, which B&NES Council is due to make a decision on next month, would see capacity at the anaerobic digestor (AD) site in Charlton Field Lane increase from the approved 25,000 tonnes of organic material per annum to 92,000 tonnes, making it one of the biggest plants of its kind in the country.

POKE’s concerns include smells that would

affect thousands of Keynsham homes and the surge in heavy traffic on local roads.

Keynsham town councillors are also opposed to it but at their meeting last Thursday said they had concerns about the legality of supporting a campaign group.

The council agreed to tell POKE it feels it is “inappropriate” to financially support a particular point of view but is more than happy to continue discussions with POKE

to provide any further non-financial support where appropriate.

19

Situations Vacant

£5,000 appeal launched to run community projects in BS15 A community kitchen producing cooked meals on a 'pay as you can' basis is the first of a series of projects being set up to serve the BS15 area.

We Are BS15 is a Community Interest Company (CIC) started by the founders of the successful BS15 COVID-19 support groups.

The first community project, which will launch in May, is the Kingswood Kitchen. It will be based at Holy Trinity Church Hall and will offer takeaway and delivery meals to those in BS15.

The kitchen will be there for everyone to use, “whether that be a key worker in between shifts, a single-person household fed up with eating alone or a family who just doesn't want to/can't cook that night,” say the organisers.

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy food at the Community Kitchen, so we will work on a ‘pay-as-you-can’ basis. The kitchen will be open two evenings a week (Thursday and Saturday) for collections and deliveries of both hot and chilled meals.”

Further projects which We Are BS15 wants to set up include community fridges, online cooking lessons, an eco-refill shop and a ‘Made in BS15’ shop.

A crowdfunding appeal to raise £5,000 to run the community projects has been set up at https://tinyurl.com/vsus2j6s More volunteer cooks and kitchen assistants are needed to allow the kitchen to stay open longer. Email hi@wearebs15.co.uk if you are interested in getting involved.

Cracking down on catalytic converter thefts Avon & Somerset Police say that catalytic convertor theft

You can mark your catalytic convertor with a forensic

is on the rise and urge owners to ‘protect, mark and park’

marker and register it to make it harder for thieves to

their cars securely to reduce the risk.

dispose of.

You can protect your car by asking your vehicle dealer if

And park your car somewhere well-lit and overlooked,

they can give you any advice on locks or guards that are

amongst as many other vehicles as possible. Try to park

approved by the vehicle manufacturer and tested to Solid

so the convertor can’t be easily reached, close to a wall

Secure Gold standard.

or fence.

Mobile speed camera locations

THE WEEK IN adverts call 0117 986 0381 20

Here are the locations in our area where you can expect to see police mobile speed cameras this week.

South Gloucestershire: On the A431 Bath Road at Bitton; on the A4174 ring road at Emersons Green and Bromley Heath; in Kingswood on New Cheltenham Road and Cock Road; in Pucklechurch on the B4465 Westerleigh Road and Feltham Road; in Oldland Common on the A4175; at Siston Lane, Webbs Heath; in Longwell Green on California Road, Court Farm Road and Long Beach Road; at Barrs Court on Craven Way; in Hanham on Abbots Road, Memorial Road and Whittucks Road; at Parkwall Road in Cadbury Heath; at Lyde Green on Jenner Boulevard and Willowherb Road; in Staple Hill on Cassell Road and Broad Street/High Street; at Blackhorse Road in Mangotsfield and on Overndale Road in Downend; in Wick on the A420 and at Naishcombe Hill; on Victoria Road/Mill Lane at North Common.

Bath & North East Somerset: In Keynsham on Park Road, Charlton Road and Coronation Avenue; in Saltford at The Shallows, Grange Road, Manor Road and B3116 Wellsway; also on the B3116 at Burnett; on the A37 at Pensford and on the A39 at Corston.

Bristol: In Hengrove on Tarnock Avenue; in Brislington on the A4174 Callington Road, Kensington Park Road and B3119 West Town Lane; in Fishponds on Gill Avenue, Thingwall Park, Thicket Avenue and the A432 Downend Road/Fishponds Road; in Whitehall on Gordon Avenue and Park Crescent; in St George on Furber Road, Crews Hill Road, the A431 Nags Head Hill and Beaufort Road; in Hillfields on Woodland Way and the B4465 Forest Road; in Whitchurch on Bamfield Road and Whitchurch Lane; in Stockwood on Hollway Road, Sturminster Road and Stockwood Lane..

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Walking festival set to return After the disappointment of having to

Due to continued uncertainties around

cancel last year’s event, the organisers of

potential COVID-19 restrictions, the

Bristol Walk Fest say it is set to return in

organisers anticipate they will need to

May.

focus on signposting people to existing

The last Walk Fest event held in 2019 was

walks, walking related activity providers

hailed a huge success with 71 different

and online events. “However, we still

local organisations collectively hosting

remain hopeful restrictions will be eased

257 walks and events throughout May,

enough for us to be able to promote some

attracting more than 7,800 walkers.

group walks and activities.”

This year’s Walk Fest will run between

To find out more visit

Saturday 1st May and Monday 31st May.

www.bristolwalkfest.com/

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Family Announcements Bereavement

21

Sudoku Solutions 1-Easy 4 9 1 7 5 3 6 8 2

2 3 6 8 4 1 7 5 9

8 7 5 9 6 2 4 1 3

1 6 7 4 3 5 9 2 8

Crossword Solution

2-Hard 5 8 9 2 1 7 3 6 4

3 2 4 6 8 9 5 7 1

9 5 8 1 7 4 2 3 6

6 4 3 5 2 8 1 9 7

7 1 2 3 9 6 8 4 5

Service Directory Aerials

Appliances

Blinds

Boiler Service

Carpet Cleaning

Blinds

Computers

Electrical

Garden Services

Garden Services

Handyman

Home Maintenance

DEADLINE FOR PLACING DIRECTORY ADVERTS IS FRIDAY 4.30PM

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The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

Service Directory Home Maintenance

Home Help

Plumbing

Roofing

Tree Services

Book a series of adverts and save even more Our Directory is the perfect place to find a local tradesperson.

An advert like this costs Locksmiths

Waste Disposal

Book a series of adverts and save even more

Sewing Lessons

Rubbish Clearance Cheap and fast

Our Directory is the perfect place to find a local tradesperson.

We load and clear any household, garden, garage and shed clearance Free estimates Fully licensed 85% recycled

An advert like this costs

£21.00 + VAT per insert Discounts are available for multiple bookings starting at 2 weeks

Adverts cost £4 per centimetre (min 5cm) The more weeks you book the cheaper each insertion becomes

Call 0117 9373009 at anytime to book

+ VAT per insert Discounts are available for multiple bookings starting at 2 weeks

Adverts cost £4.20 per centimetre (min 5cm) The more weeks you book the cheaper each insertion becomes

THE WEEK IN adverts call 0117 986 0381

1 week - £21 2 weeks - £18.90

Telephone Engineers

4 wk - £17.85 6 wk - £16.80 8 wk - £15.75

Oven Cleaning

12 wk - £14.70 26 wk - £13.65 52 wk - £12.60

1 week = £21 2 weeks = £18.90 4 weeks = £17.85 6 weeks = £16.80 8 weeks = £15.75 12 weeks = £14.70 26 weeks = £13.65 52 weeks = £12.60

All prices per week exc VAT

Wigs

Tree Services

All prices per week exc VAT You don't have to book successive weeks. You can choose fortnightly, monthly or specific insertion dates as long as the total number of insertions booked corresponds to the discount rate.

£21.00

Painting & Decorating

Similar percentage discounts apply equally to larger sized adverts.

Call us now on

0117 986 0381 The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021

THE WEEK IN adverts call 0117 986 0381

You don't have to book successive weeks.

You can choose fortnightly, monthly or specific insertion dates as long as the total number of insertions booked corresponds to the discount rate.

Similar percentage discounts apply equally to larger sized adverts.

DEADLINE FOR PLACING DIRECTORY ADVERTS IS FRIDAY 4.30PM

Call us now on

0117 986 0381 23

24

The Week in • Wednesday 28th April 2021