Yate & Sodbury Voice April 2019

yate&sodburyvoice www.yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

April, 2019 Issue 50

FREE EVERY MONTH IN YATE, CHIPPING SODBURY & SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Maddy is town's new princess Gold for James

A teenage gymnast from Yate has become a national champion.

PAGE 43

School academy switch plan

A Yate school in special measures is set to join an academy trust which already runs two other schools in the town.

PAGE 4 Maddy Peeling is this year's Chipping Sodbury Festival Princess. Full story: Page 2

Mum in drugs battle A MOTHER has taken her campaign for access to drugs which could greatly improve her daughter’s life to Parliament.

Liz Brennan’s daughter Annabelle has the genetic condition cystic fibrosis, which seriously

affects her ability to breathe – but drugs which could help are not available on the NHS because of a dispute over pricing.

Full story, Page 3

Dave is home

A chef who was suddenly taken seriously ill is back home, a month after a successful lung transplant.

PAGE 5

Dog poo bag fines Dog owners found walking their pets without carrying a poo bag face a new £100 fine.

PAGE 6

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n NEWS

Festival Princess is unveiled

May deadline

Our May edition deadline is April 17.

Yate & Sodbury Voice contacts Richard Drew

Ken McCormick

Publisher and Editor

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April, 2019

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MADDY Peeling has been named this year’s Chipping Sodbury Festival Princess.

The 12-year-old, who attends Chipping Sodbury School, was chosen to lead the carnival and other festival events planned for this summer.

She is joined by 11 year olds Katie Evans and Samuel Parker – who is the festival's first ever boy attendant.

Katie attends Raysfield Junior School in the town, while Samuel attends Horton Primary School.

Kate Cox, from the festival committee, said: “As always, the standard of candidates for these popular roles was very high, leaving the judges with the difficult job of choosing just three to become part of the festival team.

“They are great ambassadors for the festival to the public and audiences and make a fantastic addition to our team.”

Maddy and her attendants will be part of the festival team over the ten days of the event from June 14 to 23.

The highlight of the role is leading the carnival procession on the final weekend and helping to judge the best float, but they also welcome audiences at festival events, including the town’s version of the Last Night of the Proms.

This year is the festival’s 34th. There will be a range of events held each day and evening.

Programmes will be available early April in all local shops and community areas.

For more information go to www.chippingsodburyfestival.com online.

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April, 2019

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n NEWS

Mum takes battle for drugs to Parliament A YATE mum’s campaign for access to drugs which will improve her daughter’s life and the lives of others with cystic fibrosis has led to a Parliamentary inquiry.

Liz and Shane Brennan’s daughter Annabelle was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic life-limiting condition, when she was just two weeks old. Annabelle, who is now four years old, has two siblings, Oscar, seven, and Finlay, 11, who are both healthy. With no family history of the condition, her diagnosis came as a shock.

But what made things worse was that drugs which could help ease Annabelle’s condition are not available on the NHS. It led Liz to start campaigning for a change and now the issue has been examined by the Commons health and social care

Liz Brennan and her daughter Annabelle.

select committee, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock holding talks on the issue.

The condition is caused by faulty genes. Liz has one and so does Shane, which meant there was a one in four chance each of their children would inherit cystic fibrosis.

Liz said: “Annabelle has a fault in her cells. In our cells it’s like a trapdoor that opens and lets the salt and water through to the surface of our lungs. With Annabelle, her body doesn’t recognise the key to open the door, so she doesn’t get the salt and water and her mucus in her lungs is really thick. This causes breathing issues and the general cleaning of her lungs isn’t working. It’s a great place for bacteria to form and she’s at risk of lung infections and lung scarring.”

Annabelle has daily medication and her parents carry out medical treatments with her morning and evening. But the condition is progressive, so as Annabelle grows up, she will need more treatments and they will be more complicated.

Liz said: “When we were given her diagnosis, my fear was how long is she going to live, because previously children didn’t even make it to be teenagers. Our consultant said no, she’s going to be an old lady, there are new drugs coming out and they will be here for her to benefit from them. At first, I naively thought we’d be given these drugs.”

When Annabelle was one year old, Liz realised that the drugs

Liz and her husband Shane with Thornbury & Yate MP Luke Hall. she needed were not available.

They are licensed, but the NHS commissioning body NICE has so far refused to fund them on the grounds that the prices charged by the pharmaceutical company Vertex are too high.

The drugs which would help Annabelle are called Orkambi and Symkevi.

Liz said: “Annabelle could be on Orkambi now, and it would make her body work more like ours, so there’s less progression of the condition. Symkevi is meant to have similar results but fewer side effects.”

Liz started a campaign to get access to the drugs on the

NHS and is hopeful that with the issue now on the agenda at Westminster, things will change.

Mr Hancock has now met twice with Vertex, NICE, and NHS England to try and find a way forward.

Liz said: “We are delighted to see Matt Hancock committed to this. Now he is involved we feel that finally these negotiations will lead to Annabelle and others with CF able to access these amazing drugs.”

Liz is supporting a petition calling on the government to ensure the NHS provides the drug. You can find the petition online at bit.ly/2DrPDQI.

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April, 2019

n NEWS

Primary school could become academy A YATE primary school is set to join an academy trust which already runs two other schools in the town.

Tyndale Primary School is currently in special measures, having received an inadequate rating from Ofsted inspectors last year after they decided standards had “declined significantly”.

Currently a local authoritymaintained school, at a monitoring inspection in January, Ofsted said leaders and managers were “taking effective action towards the removal of special measures”, saying that their improvement plan and the council’s statement of action were both fit for purpose for the school in Tyndale Avenue.

Now the school’s leaders and governors have proposed that it should become an academy and join the Greenshaw Learning Trust, saying that becoming an academy will provide the “best learning environment” for the

Tyndale Primary School in Yate is set to become an academy children there.

Chair of governors Mel Loveder said: “Being part of the Greenshaw family of schools will enable Tyndale to collaborate more closely with like-minded schools – both primary and secondary – and bring support and economies of scale that will benefit our pupils.

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“The trust shares our values and works in the community Tyndale serves, and it understands our pupils’ strengths and needs.”

Yate Academy and Woodlands Primary are already academies with the trust, and according to a leaflet on the proposal for Tyndale which has gone out to parents, they have “improved rapidly” since coming under its umbrella.

The leaflet goes on to say: “As an academy, Tyndale will have greater control over how it is run and more choice over how it spends the money allocated to it, and which services it obtains from whom. The school will be able to secure better value for money and free up resources to use for the school’s own priorities.”

Greenshaw Learning Trust chair Mike Cooper said: “We are delighted that Tyndale Primary School wants to join our Trust. Tyndale will benefit from close collaboration with

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the trust’s other schools and the support the trust can provide will help Tyndale on its journey of improvement.”

Academies under the same trust share resources and expertise, and build stronger links, and it’s suggested that such a relationship could be forged between Yate Academy and Tyndale Primary if the plans go ahead, benefiting children as they move up to the secondary school.

At the moment a consultation process is underway, and parents are asked to give their views by April 4.

Agreements will have to be reached between the school, trust and South Gloucestershire Council, and the proposal also has to be approved by the Regional Schools Commissioner.

If it gets the go ahead, Tyndale could join the Greenshaw Learning Trust in June.

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April, 2019

n NEWS A CHIPPING Sodbury chef who was taken seriously ill then lost his job in the space of a few weeks is back home following a successful lung transplant.

Dave Lawrence and his wife Shamsi Kabbara are “ecstatic and elated” to be out of hospital after what has been a physical rollercoaster ride for Dave and an emotionally exhausting time for them both. In the weeks following the operation Dave experienced infections and bouts of severe sickness.

Dave was a familiar face at the Mexican restaurant Amigos, which closed at short notice within weeks of him being diagnosed with a severe lung condition, leaving him and his wife Shamsi Kabbara, who also has a health condition, facing an uncertain future.

Dave back at home.

5

Dave is home – 32 days after transplant Friends, neighbours and former customers rallied round to raise money to help with the family’s living costs and, as of last week, had raised more than £7,000 to help them through the crisis.

After a stay at Southmead Hospital, Dave was assessed for a lung transplant operation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, which took place after only a five-day wait for a donor.

Initially the couple were given the all clear to come home, as Dave had made huge progress, only to have their hopes dashed when he became ill.

When the phone call came saying he could go providing doctors were happy with his test results, Shamsi prepared herself in case anything changed again.

Writing on her blog, she said: “I carried on, as if it were any other day. I didn’t pack my room up, I went to the supermarket, I made sandwiches for Dave, I went to the hospital, just like I had every other day.

“At the hospital, every minute felt like 10. Every knock on the door made our hearts leap with joy that the doctor was coming

Dave Lawrence leaves hospital with his wife Shamsi. to say everything was good to go.

The wait was agonising!”

Then came tears as, after many medical checks, Dave was discharged. The family are now back home, reunited with their 12 year old daughter Yasmine who has been looked after by family and friends.

Shamsi is now responsible for Dave’s medication, preparing his drugs and following a schedule every day.

She and Dave are focusing on

his recovery but remain acutely aware of how lucky Dave has been.

Shamsi said: “It’s important to stress how grateful we are to the donor and their family and the very talented transplant team. The opt-out law on organ donation has had Royal assent but it still won’t be in place until spring 2020, so the importance of organ donation registration and discussing your decision with family is essential.”

Park and ride edges closer amid row THE prospect of a park and ride for Yate has moved closer after a bid for £3.5 million for the scheme was made to the regional transport fund.

But the development has sparked a row between political parties after local Conservatives were accused by Liberal Democrats of making the announcement in a “cynical attempt to get votes at election time”.

No site for the park and ride has been chosen yet but it is likely to be to the west of the town, with 200 spaces and capacity to expand.

Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall hailed the funding bid as a “genuine refocus of transport investment for our area

– after years of being overlooked”.

He added: “My local teams have been a huge part of keeping up the pressure for our towns.”

The Tory-run council’s leader, Toby Savage, added: “Our commitment to improving Yate transport is now not just words but real action after previous Lib Dem and Labour neglect for our town on this issue. If we retain control of the Council next May, we will see it through.”

But that claim brought derision from the Lib Dems, whose group leader on the council, Claire Young, said that during the 2007 council election, both parties campaigned for a Park and Ride at Nibley.

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She said: “Now, two months away from the next council election, and the Conservatives are promising to deliver the park & ride they have blocked for the past twelve years!”

“Local residents will be forgiven for feeling a sense of ‘once bitten, twice shy.’ While we welcome any move in the direction of delivering a Park & Ride, history shows that the Conservatives cannot be trusted to deliver for Yate residents on this issue.”

Lib Dem Yate councillor Mike Drew said: “Local people will see through this cynical attempt to get votes at election time. Such promises are easily made and easily broken.”

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April, 2019

n NEWS PEOPLE caught walking a dog in the Yate and Sodbury area without a poo bag look set to be hit with a £100 fine.

The penalty is part of a new set of rules being considered by South Gloucestershire Council in a bid to prevent dog fouling in public spaces.

If approved, the public space protection order would see dog walkers issued with a penalty of £100 if they do not clean up after their pet after it has defecated on public land.

Crucially, the enforcement officer would not have to actually catch them in the act, according to a council report.

“The proposed PSPO provides powers for authorised officers to require dog walkers to show they have the means to clean up after their dog – the officer does not have to have actually witness the dog foul,” the report said. “Many other local authorities have introduced this measure as part of their controls on dog fouling.”

The fines would not apply to people who cannot clean up after their assistance dog because of

Fines for dog walkers with no poo bags their disability.

Currently, dog walkers can be fined £50 if they have left their dog’s faeces on public land in urban areas.

If the new rules are adopted by the council, they will apply to all public land within South Gloucestershire except forestry land.

During public consultation, 94 per cent of respondents said the council should take enforcement action against people who fail to clean up after their dogs, 93 per cent supported the use of a fine, and 89 per cent supported enforcement on common land.

The report said dog wardens received 196 complaints about dog fouling last year.

The document also outlined the health risks, especially to children, who can catch an infection which can lead to blindness if they ingest roundworm eggs found in faeces.

The cabinet member for communities, Paul Hughes, was due to make a decision on the proposals as the Voice went to print.

If adopted, they will come into effect on July 1 and stay in place for three years. The fixed penalty notice would be reduced to £75 if paid within ten days.

Recipients would have six weeks to appeal it by applying to the High Court.

Mr Hughes is also set to consider introducing a £150 fine for motorists littering from their car windows.

A report recommends allowing a discounted price of £75 for early payment.

A report says a council survey conducted last year revealed some 38 per cent of South Gloucestershire residents believe litter and rubbish lying around is a “fairly big” or a “very big” issue.

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n NEWS

New roof for school CHIPPING Sodbury School is to get a new roof after being given £350,000 to fund the project.

The cash was announced as part of a four-year, £78 million capital investment in South Gloucestershire schools.

The money will pay for reroofing the main school building and refurbishing the toilets.

Head teacher Katherine Turner said: “We recognise we are in the same position as other schools in striving to secure improved outcomes for all our students, which is being increasingly hindered by the deterioration in the infrastructure and hence the learning environment of the school estate.

“We therefore welcome the increased funding to address this long-standing issue and to support us in our drive to improve our school further.

We feel strongly that students at Chipping Sodbury School should be able to work, learn and develop in a building fit for purpose.”

Investment in other schools includes £500,000 for Iron Acton Primary, where additional classroom space will be built.

Rob Taylor, speaking on behalf of the school’s governing body, said: “The school community all very much welcome the new classroom project.

“It will enable us to replace tired facilities and to continue to meet the increasing demand for places. In addition, reorganising the classes into distinct key stages will benefit the children’s learning.”

Hawkesbury Primary School near Chipping Sodbury was awarded £150,000 for a new roof, while Brimsham Green School in Yate is to receive £40,000 to improve its dining

Head teacher Katherine Turner facilities.

The largest sum, £14 million, went to Castle School in Thornbury and Marlwood School in Alveston for upgrading and adapting buildings across both sites.

The money is set to come from a combination of sources: £42 million from borrowing, £26 million from planning deals with developers, £6.75 million from school devolved formula grants and other central grants and £3 million from the DfE Basic Need and Condition fund.

Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Employment, Councillor Toby Savage, said: “This is the largest ever funding allocation to schools in South Gloucestershire and over the next four years I am looking forward to seeing students and teachers enjoy the benefits of an almost £78million investment, which will improve existing school facilities as well as building totally new schools so that we can deliver the best for our young people.”

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April, 2019

n NEWS

Bypass and station plans move forward PLANS for two new bypasses and the reopening of a railway station near Yate have taken another step forward.

The West of England Combined Authority has approved £200,000 to fund studies into the feasibility of proposed roads to take pressure off the A432 to the east of Coalpit Heath and west of Winterbourne.

South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage said the study into a new road near Coalpit Heath and Westerleigh would include finally connecting Yate’s so-called Road to Nowhere, an unfinished stretch of dual carriageway that was abandoned after partial completion in the 1970s, to the network.

The road is currently not open to motorists and has recently been used by filmmakers, including BBC One drama Casualty which recorded

a huge petrol tanker explosion there last May. Mr Savage said the two road schemes would provide significant new links between Yate and Bristol as new housing developments were planned.

He said: “In the case of the Coalpit Heath/Westerleigh, I’m particularly happy to see that the Road to Nowhere is an important part of that study.

“I’m very pleased to see that as a combined authority we are able to progress the technical work on that.

“As part of those two schemes, as we’ve been able to demonstrate on other significant infrastructure improvements, not least the Bromley Heath viaduct being the most recent one, we have ensured there is appropriate and expanded provision for walking and cycling.”

A further £300,000 from WECA’s £30million-a-year

investment fund will be spent on preparing an outline business case for bringing Charfield station back into operation.

Demand for rail services at Charfield could increase if the proposed MetroWest railway system to improve suburban services around the Greater Bristol area is expanded all the way to Gloucester.

A report to WECA revealed train operator Great Western Railway and Network Rail, which manages the lines, are both keen on the plans.

Mr Savage described Charfield station as “a key priority location for South Gloucestershire”, adding: “Getting on with reopening that station and getting it on the MetroWest network is absolutely critical for that northern part of South Gloucestershire.”

WECA director of infrastructure David Carter said: “All the suggestions are

Toby Savage that Great Western Railway and Network Rail would like to extend to Westbury and Gloucester.”

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9

n NEWS

Marathon challenge in memory of Jess A FATHER who lost his youngest daughter to leukaemia is taking on his first ever marathon to help the charity which helped his family through their “nightmare”.

Martin Abrahams, who was born in Yate and went to Chipping Sodbury School, will run in the London Marathon in memory of his daughter Jess, who died from leukaemia when she was just six years old.

He will be raising money for Charlton Farm hospice near Bristol, which is run by the charity Children’s Hospice South West.

Martin, who is 41 and a selfemployed business analyst, said: “When my wife Mel and I lost Jessica to leukemia a number of charities had helped us, but one stepped in and guided us through our nightmare first week – CHSW. “I just don’t know what we would have done without them.

At a time when our world was crumbling, they knew just how to help.

“We had never been to their Charlton Farm hospice before but they took us all in, fed us, helped us through all the steps of arranging Jess’ funeral, gave our other daughter Zoe sibling support, offered us kind ears and lots of cake. They are still helping us now with bereavement days.”

Children’s Hospice South West supports families who are caring for children with life-

Martin Abrahams with his daughter Jess after she completed a parkrun while undergoing chemotherapy.

She died aged 6 after fighting leukaemia for four years. limiting illnesses. It has three hospice sites, Charlton Farm in in Bristol, Little Bridge House in Barnstaple and Little Harbour in St Austell.

Services to families are free and paid for almost entirely through voluntary contributions.

Martin, who now lives in Thornbury, has set up a

JustGiving online fundraising page so supporters can make donations to the charity in memory of Jess. It can be found at bit.ly/2FeLb7t on the JustGiving site.

Writing on the page, he said the charity had supported his family through “the worst time of our lives” when Jess died in January 2017, having fought leukaemia for four years.

Martin is hoping to raise at least £4,000, and has already reached just over £3,000 in online pledges.

He also takes a treadmill – which he refers to as his ‘dreadmill’ – to shopping centres in Bristol and South Gloucestershire to raise awareness, as well as funds.

In the past two months he has raised more than £1,400 on visits to Cabot Circus shopping centre in Bristol, the Willowbrook Centre in Bradley Stoke and Asda at Patchway.

His next visit was due to be to Yate Shopping Centre on March

23, supported by his wife Melissa and eldest daughter Zoe. Martin says running has become essential to help him come to terms with Jess’s death.

He said: “I run as it has become a part of my therapy. I have never run a marathon but now is the right time, as I want to give something back and help those still fighting for their loved ones, still giving quality time whenever they can – running for precious lives.”

CHSW community fundraiser Frances Kenneally said: “Martin has set himself a huge challenge in running a marathon, but he is determined to meet his target and spread the word about the vital work we do at the same time.

“We wish him every success at the London Marathon and will be there on the day to cheer him on!”

To support the family go to www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/CHSW-4JRA.

Martin Abrahams is touring shopping centres with his treadmill

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n NEWS A MUM has joined a parents’ legal challenge to funding cuts she believes will harm her daughter’s future.

Laura Rogers, from Winterbourne Down, is a passionate member of the parent group SEND Emergency South Glos, which is trying to launch a judicial review of funding for special needs and disabilities education in the area.

Laura, who is 38, is Mum to six-year-old Eva, and her brother Huey, 2.

When she was 36 weeks pregnant with Eva, Laura was told that her baby wasn’t growing properly due to a little known condition called Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

When Eva was born she was very small and, as she got older she began to miss developmental milestones. By the time she started school her poor motor skills, sensory difficulties and struggles to concentrate were more evident, and it was recognised that she needed extra help.

Eva was diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder, which was previously known as dyspraxia.

She is now in year 2 at Hambrook Primary School and, while Laura is full of praise for the school, she says it can’t fund the support which Eva needs.

Laura said: “She’s on the SEN register and gets some extra support. It’s provided by the school, they have to fund up to 6k themselves. The school have been fantastic within what they can do, but they are getting their budget effectively cut by government, because there is more to pay for and yet they receive the same or less than

April, 2019

Mum’s legal battle for Eva

Eva Rogers with her parents and brother, Huey. before.

“I understand that they can’t give more to my daughter. It’s the system that’s ridiculous. It’s not properly resourced, there’s not enough money for all kids, never mind kids with special educational needs.”

Eva had a teaching assistant to support her during Year 1 but the school had to make savings and there is no longer a full-time TA available.

Laura and Greg put in a parental request for an Education Health and Care Plan, (EHCP), which, if granted, can lead to more funding from the local authority. Initially it was turned down, but after they went

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to tribunal, the council agreed to carry out an assessment of Eva’s needs.

SEND Emergency South Glos is campaigning against a reduction in spending. It is planning to take legal action by way of a judicial review because of South Gloucestershire Council’s introduction of a ‘Ready Reckoner’: a tool for allocating SEND funding to mainstream schools which could save the council £1 million a year.

Laura said: “The Ready Reckoner brings in banding.

What provision your child gets will depend on their banding and the band levels could change.

I’m not certain that will work.

“Legally EHCPs are supposed to be specified and quantified.

They’re supposed to say, for example, that your child gets 20 hours of support by a TA with the right level of training to deliver the intervention. Secondly, as I understand it, the Ready Reckoner is based on a fixed level of assessed needs, which will not be individual to each child. So one child who needs 1:1 speech therapy could have it replaced with group therapy if that is in the Ready Reckoner as the ‘standard’ for speech therapy.”

The parents’ group must raise £2,500 by March 31 to fund its legal challenge. It has raised nearly £1,000 so far and has a

fundraising website, which can be found at bit.ly/2CpHjQw. Laura says all parents should be concerned about SEND spending.

She said: “If they cut money from SEND kids, some people will just think it affects those families. But actually, it affects everyone, because teachers’ time is taken away from other kids as well.”

A South Gloucestershire spokesperson said: “It is important to note that the funding we provide to help pupils with SEND support needs is increasing. In terms of the decisions we have made recently to ensure we can continue to provide more effective help; the Ready Reckoner is about increasing transparency in the process for determining funding for SEND support services and at the same time drive down the costs we pay to provide that help.”

“It costs South Glos more to deliver some of these services than it does for our neighbours, and we want to reduce that cost so that we can spend the money more efficiently to help more young people.”

Regarding a potential legal case, the spokesman said, “clearly we want to spend our resources on delivering care and support”.

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

April, 2019

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

yate&sodburyvoice

11

Reflections success story continues WHEN Clive Barrett opened his first Reflections salon in Yate in 1971, it was the start of a business success story. Today it has 15 salons and 2 training academies, stretching across the South West and as far north as Birmingham.

That first salon, in North Parade, is still going strong. At 23 years old, the current manager, Jade Watson is less than half the age of the shop itself. She has been with the company for four years and has been running the salon since October, and says she’s loving every minute: “Your team is important” she says; “If you don’t have a good team you’re not going to enjoy your day and I think we all get on really well and you can tell, we’re really bubbly.”

When it comes to defining what makes Reflections different to other salons, Jade doesn’t hesitate: “You can’t fault our customer service.

When our clients come though the door and we meet and greet them, there’s always those little extras that we offer that no other salon offer. We get so much training as well, we’re always looking for ways to improve.

On the other side of Yate Shopping Centre, on South Parade, Reflections has a second, larger, salon in the town. The manager here is 25 year old Kate Meddings.

After spells in the Fishponds, and central Bristol branches of Reflections, she’s been manager

The Reflections North Parade team: Manage Jade (centre) with (l-r) Danika, Jessica, Tash and Shannon here for more than 5 years.

Kate says it’s vital to keep up with what’s new in the industry: “As a hairdresser, the most important thing is training, keeping up with the latest fashion and current trends. Because we are a big company and we have our own training academy, any training is out there for us to do.”

Kate is in charge of a large team of 17 spanning an age range from 16 to 65. She tells me a former colleague Gloria has just retired after 41 years there. She is convinced that the breadth of knowledge helps provide unique

customer service: “As soon as someone comes in we would never say “same again?”, or “trim”, it would be a thorough conversation about what they want. Some people don’t know what they want, so we are trained to tease that information out of

them.”

The Reflections group is now managed by Clive Barrett’s daughter Clare, but the the continuing ethos of investing in staff training means the two Reflections salons in Yate are as popular as ever.

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12

April, 2019

n NEWS

Recycling bags set to disappear they can be hooked onto the side of collection vehicles to be emptied.

But more than a third of residents who replied to a 12week consultation which ended in January were opposed the abandoning bags. Many older or disabled people who responded said they did not think they would be able to take their recycling to the kerbside if their bags were replaced with boxes.

The council says it provides an assisted collection service for people who need help.

Paul Hughes, the council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “Moving to more environmentally sound boxes for recycling makes sense for the places we live, for the crews who collect our waste and potentially saves the council significant funds.

“Our success in delivering on our Waste Strategy – driving down waste sent to landfill and driving up the amounts we can

divert to recycling – has always been a joint venture between the council and the community. I am sure that this will be just the latest and not the last time that we work together to keep South Gloucestershire clean and green.”

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RECYCLING bags are set to disappear from the streets, as they will no longer be supplied to South Gloucestershire residents.

The council has decided that in future, it will only provide green boxes for storing and collecting recycling.

Some residents already only use boxes for their recycling.

The council says that people who have green and white bags can continue to use them until they wear out and it will use up its existing stocks of spares, but will not buy any more.

It says the move will save £100,000 a year, reduce plastic waste and cut the area’s carbon emissions. The bags are imported from China, are not recyclable and usually only last a year to 18 months before they need to be replaced. The boxes are recyclable, last longer and are made in the UK. The council says the boxes are also safer and easier for collection crews to use because

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yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

13

n NEWS

Club buys books for school WHEN Old Sodbury Primary School asked for help to fund new books, Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club stepped in.

The school needed books for its youngest pupils which would support the reading method known as phonics, which is now widely used in primary schools.

Rotarians Ian Lowe and Keith Pattison presented the head teacher, Bernice Webber-Brown, with a cheque for £550. They also visited the reception class to see the books in use.

Mrs Webber-Brown said: “It is very important to have good reading standards, not only for when the children are tested at an older age, but right from the beginning when they first start school. These books will really help our children build a strong foundation for reading.”

Rotary member Keith Pattison helps a pupil at Old Sodbury Primary School read one of the new phonics books.

Have your say on future of town loos THE future of Chipping Sodbury’s public toilets may be in the hands of residents, who are being asked what should happen to them.

The public conveniences have a history of falling victim to vandalism, damage and misuse, even having to be closed on occasions.

They cost over £10,000 to run annually. Maintenance

bills are expensive because of the vandalism, totalling over £16,000 since 2015.

Last year the toilets had to be closed due to damage caused by frozen pipes. The decision was made to re-open them, but members of the public had to pay 20p to use them to try and prevent future vandalism.

They are only cleaned once a day because there isn’t enough

funding to do this more often.

Sodbury Town Council has highlighted that the money for the toilets comes from the precept residents pay towards town council services via council tax. Any increase in costs associated with the loos will mean an increase for taxpayers.

The council is asking people to take part in the online consultation which is open until

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April, 2019

15

n NEWS

Newts come out of hiding in urban pond DOZENS of newts have come out of hiding in what could be Yate’s smallest nature reserve, a pond on the corner of Link Road and Kennedy Way. They were responding to volunteers refilling the pond with water, pumped from the river Frome next to the cinema, as part of an Avon Wildlife Trust project.

Ian Dove, chairman of the trust’s Southwold branch, said: “The effect of pumping the water in was quite remarkable.

Within a few hours dozens of newts came out from hiding and gathered in small groups or paired off – hopefully we will have a lot more of these fascinating creatures this year.”

“As well as making the pond deeper we’ve oxygenated the water, which no doubt encouraged their behaviour. We’ll probably get a lot more frogs as well, and various water insects have started to appear too.”

It is the first time the pond has been filled for eight years. The water was pumped by a contractor, paid for by a member-awarded funding grant from South Gloucestershire Council.

Councillor Ruth Davis said: “This project will help regenerate this part of the river Frome, which is a vital wildlife corridor

Ian Dove and Paul Hulbert of Avon Wildlife Trust Southwold Branch with Ruth Davis at the pond through the built-up areas of Chipping Sodbury and Yate. I’m amazed that the results were visible so quickly. It’s a good example of how the council, local volunteers and landowners can work together to

improve our environment.”

The pond is owned by Yate Shopping Centre, which is working alongside wildlife trust volunteers to manage it for the future.

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16

n NEWS

April, 2019

Metro Mayor branded ‘disgraceful’ COUNCILLORS have blasted metro mayor Tim Bowles as “disgraceful” for failing to appear before them to answer questions about the future of the region.

The West of England Combined Authority’s overview and scrutiny committee demanded the mayor, along with the leaders of its three constituent councils, be summoned to appear before them having not shown up over the last year.

The call came as members, tasked with providing oversight of Weca’s proposals, expressed anger at being asked to scrutinise a “glossy document with no details or timelines that they could scrutinise” outlining the organisation’s 2019/20 business plan.

After the meeting Mr Bowles, who is also a Winterbourne parish councillor, promised to discuss the request with Bristol’s mayor and the leaders of South Gloucestershire and Bath &

Metro Mayor Tim Bowles has been criticised for failing to show up at scrutiny meetings to answer questions on policies.

North East Somerset councils, which comprise the combined authority.

Tim Ball, a Lib Dem B&NES councillor, said: “We get very frustrated at not seeing the lead executive members of Weca at all.

“The officers here unfortunately take the flack because they come before us on a

regular basis.

“The metro mayor certainly hasn’t come to our meetings this year. He has only been to one meeting. That is disgraceful, for an elected representative to not turn up at a scrutiny panel. I’ve invited him numerous times.

“He needs to come here at least once a year to lay out his programme with the other three

members, then we can look at what we need to scrutinise. We need to question them quite clearly on how they’re going to move that programme forward.”

Those criticising the South Gloucestershire politician also included fellow Conservative Liz Richardson.

The B&NES councillor told fellow members: “We’ve sat here for two years, we’re a scrutiny panel.

“We’re not here to look at the glossy stuff.

“It’s fine to have the officers presenting the reports but we should at least once a year have the leaders and the metro mayor here.”

Afterwards, Mr Bowles responded to the criticism by saying: “We all need to work together for the benefit of the region and I will discuss the opportunity for the leadership to attend scrutiny with the other leaders within the combined authority.”

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Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

April, 2019

n NEWS POLICE are launching a massive crackdown on drug dealers from cities who move into towns including Yate.

Officers will target the socalled “county lines” operations as part of Operation Remedy, which starts in April, involving 100 extra officers paid for by a 12 per cent rise in Avon & Somerset Police’s council tax precept.

They will also target “cuckooing”, a major problem in the Bristol area, where gangs preying on vulnerable people take over their homes to use as a base.

The region’s “county lines” are run by criminals, usually from London, who force children and vulnerable people to transport, store and sell drugs in smaller county towns, with the name referring to the phone lines used by gangs to communicate.

As well as Yate, police say they are known to operate in Bath, Bridgwater, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil.

The Avon and Somerset force is aware of 34 of the sophisticated criminal networks are embedded across its area.

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Police launch drugs crackdown Bristol is largely immune from county lines gangs because its own criminals defend their territory to stop outsiders coming in.

Police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens revealed the shocking scale of the problem in Somerset at a public police and crime panel meeting.

She said: “We are now aware of at least 34 county lines in Somerset. That’s a large increase.”

At a PCC and police public forum in Bristol, chief constable Andy Marsh said: “We’re going to make a very big bang and a very big splash with Operation Remedy.

“That’s what we’re going to use to get in front of the knife crime, to get in front of the drug dealing, particularly county lines, which is incredibly damaging to children and young people.

“It’s quite often vulnerable young people who get drawn into drug dealing.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Left to right: Chief Constable Andy Marsh, Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and Supt Andy Bennett at the PCC and police public forum.

Picture by Adam Postans “If you get drawn into drug dealing, you want to make your money and get out, but that doesn’t happen.

“They either go to prison, die a horrible death, overdose or get stabbed.

“Almost every day, certainly in Bristol, there are stabbings, nearly 600 last year.

“Every one of them could be a murder.

“We find significantly it’s young men and they will turn

up in hospital with a stab wound and won’t tell us who did it because one in four of those are associated with county lines and drug deaths.”

Describing cuckooing, Bristol commander Supt Andy Bennett said: “Drug dealers have an ability to identify vulnerable people, befriend them and take over their premises.

“Then they operate from their flats.”

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

18

April, 2019

n STROUD AUCTION ROOMS

Wearing a rarity on your wrist?

A FABULOUS 17th century silver charger plate and a rare Omega wristwatch both created some intense bidding at Stroud Auction Room's March sale.

Sharing the top spot on the list of highest selling lots, each went under the hammer for £4,000.

The Charles II charger was hallmarked for London 1661, with later embossed decoration, possibly Georgian or Victorian, caused interest among silver dealers and collectors across the country, while the Omega Speedmaster Professional gentleman's chronograph wristwatch had a determined following from those who recognised an unusual timepiece.

Saleroom manager and watch specialist Stuart Maule said that, of the many variations of Omega Speedmaster, only a few are rarities.

"You have to know what you are looking for," he said. "This watch had been valued at £1,500-£2,000 by another auction house but

when it was brought in to us, we recognised its true worth. There is a lot of interest in wristwatches at the moment and I am always happy to take a look at a watch anyone is thinking of selling."

Also doing well in the specialist watch section was an International Watch Co military pilot's wristwatch, with ministry broad arrow to the black dial and a green NATO style canvas strap (£1,600): any military watches are particularly sought after at present.

Stroud Auctions is becoming synonymous with selling jewellery – thanks to the knowledge and expertise of jewellery specialist Alexandra Bowkett – and the March sale once again notched up some excellent results. Among them were a platinum ring set with a cushion cut natural untreated cornflower blue sapphire, surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds, which sold for £2,200.

Georgian, Victorian and vintage pieces continue to sell well, with good costume and paste jewellery

This rare Omega Speedmaster Professionalwatch sold for £4,000 also holding its own, especially in original boxes or packaging.

Perhaps the most surprising specialist section was textiles, where a pair of Georgian embroidered ladies shoes with cut steel buckles made £2,000, a Georgian quilted bodice sold for

This 358-year-old silver plate attracted interest from across the country. £1,900 and everything, from 1920s flapper dresses to more modern designer bags, was snapped up.

The next sale at Stroud Auction Rooms is on April 3 and 4, when the specialist sections will include ceramics, glass. books, ephemera, stamps, pictures, tribal art, musical instruments and vinyl. Viewing will be on Tuesday, April 2 and on sale days. For more details see the advertisement below.

STROUD AUCTION ROOMS Entries now invited for our upcoming auction on May 8th & 9th

including guns, weapons, medals, militaria, sporting, taxidermy, toys, motoring & transport

Royal Air Force/ Royal Flying Corps WWI Distinguished Flying Cross medal group Sold for £12,200

Edwinson Green of Cheltenham and Gloucester 12 bore over and under shotgun. Sold for £4300

A collection of shotgun cartridge re-loading tools Sold for £1400

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01453 873800 www.stroudauctions.co.uk Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

19

n PETER'S VISION

Clear sight I’M sure you will all agree that sight is probably our most important of our five main senses. Yes I know many people, particularly our other (better?) halves often possess seemingly limitless extra senses, including of course hindsight, but of the main recognised five senses sight comes out top in delivering around 80 percent of our information.

It’s going to be an obvious next question really isn’t it. If sight is truly our most important sense shouldn't we look after it, and perhaps more importantly do we actually look after it? An extended eye exam (so much more than just a sight test don’t you know!) is always going to be one of the top options in my view. But what else?

Good nutrition is often mentioned and rightly so. A healthy balanced diet (less cake & more delicious green leafy veg we all know the basics here!), but also quitting or reducing smoking can significantly cut the risks of

sight loss. Regular exercise and avoiding excessive drinking are also important considerations.

For many of us how we use our eyes is an important consideration.

The many tech, devices and display screens lots of us use extensively for our work and leisure time need to be seen clearly and comfortably as well as being used in moderation! Regular breaks on the 20:20 guide works well - every 20 minutes take a 20 second break.

Either looking away from your screen or close your eyes briefly,

*

(no power naps mind), let your eyes relax then get back to it!

Sun protection is also so very important, please make sure you have UV400 protection whatever sunglasses you wear.

Any less is just putting your sight unnecessarily at risk. Time for a shameless plug - all our sunglasses & prescription sunglasses at Turners Opticians have full UV400 protection included. New for 2019 we’ve even expanded our ever popular collection of glare

reducing polaroid lenses.

If your glasses are comfortable to wear, you look & feel great in them and you can see clearly then you’re definitely more likely to wear them. We can help here too!

Whether you prefer the everyday luxury of British made to order eyewear, designer frames by RayBan or classic styles we’ve got the choice you’re looking for.

However you do (or don’t yet) protect your eyes & vision, you & your family are most welcome to come and see us for your eye care & glasses. To arrange an extended eye exam for yourself or those you love, please call 0117 962 2474 or 0117 965 4434. Appointments can also be booked via our website, or just pop in to our practices in Henleaze or Fishponds and say Hi! We look forward to seeing you soon!

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Peter Turner is a Senior Optometrist at Turners Opticians in Bristol, who also works part time as a Senior Optometrist at the Bristol Eye Hospital.

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yate&sodburyvoice

20

April, 2019

n VIEW FROM YATE HERITAGE CENTRE

Celebrating the Yate District Oral History Project AN element of heritage and museum work is working hand-inglove with local history groups.

The leading local history group in Yate over the last 30 years has been the Yate District Oral History Group. For those of you unfamiliar with the group, they meet once a month at Poole Court and offer a series of lectures and trips to their members. Perhaps more importantly, they have a significant collection of local images, documents and artefacts.

More importantly still, and there is a clue in the title, they produce oral history. The YDOHP was formed to undertake an immense oral history project, which culminated in the creation of the celebrated Parnall in Memoriam book.

From the group’s inception in 1987, they conducted over 100 interviews on the early history of the Parnall factory site on Station Road, with scores of former staff.

These interviews focussed on the technical, general and social

factory life during the 1920s and 1930s and brought to life the history of George Parnall and Co, Parnall Aircraft Ltd and, most importantly, the bombing of Parnall Aircraft in 1941, the most traumatic event in the history of Yate.

Parnall in Memoriam has been on sale ever since and may well be the most enduring achievement of the group. And yet, there is more to the group than the Parnall bombing.

During 2018 and 2019, their entire collection of oral history can now be accessed at Yate & District Heritage Centre. The collection is easily accessible as audio files on our upstairs public computer.

Naturally, the Parnall material is all there, but it is also evident that there are scores of other interviews too, from radio interviews from local historians to the reflections of local clergy.

It’s all there. The full microcosm of local, social, industrial and personal history you would expect

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Yate Heritage Centre’s St George celebrations return on April 27. See diary dates. from an enthusiastic set of local historians is covered in the audio files.

A cursory glance down the various lists on the public computer confirms the range of material on offer; local historian Percy Couzens and other interviewees discussing life as far back as Edwardians at the turn of the 20th century and George Young, the former auctioneer

at Yate Market from the 1930s onwards. They also conducted a number of interviews in the 1990s with Sue Retall and other women, regarding the first ordination of women clergy in Yate.

The interviews can be heard any time during opening hours at Yate Heritage Centre, Tuesdays to Thursdays and Saturdays from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

Diary dates Until April 6: Yate Art Society Annual Display. Come and see the work of Yate’s long-standing art group and what they are doing today.

April 8-May 4: Victorian Yate. The history of the people, buildings and industry with made the parish plus previously unseen objects for our collection.

April 10, 10.30am or 1.30pm: Victorian Toy workshop – make your own Jack in the box, cup and ball and optical illusion. Ideal for children 5-12. Booking essential April 17, 10.30am or 1.30pm: Flower pressing workshops. Ideal for children 5-12. Booking essential.

April 17, 7.30pm: Yate Archaeology group, Roman Saturnalia with Cherry Hubbard April 23, 7.30pm: Yate Lecture Series, Recruitment into the Napoleonic Army, with Ian and Beryl Furey-King. Hands-on session.

April 27: St George Celebrations. The biggest and best St George event in South Gloucestershire, marking our patron saint with all-day entertainment, activities and stalls with an English and historical theme.

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yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

21

n NEWS

Chairs James Rendell and Martin Weaver with SYBA's vicechair, Steve Birch.

Picture: Rich McD Photography.

New team for SYBA THE Sodbury and Yate Business association has a new joint chair in post.

Martin Weaver from Weaver Designs and James Rendell from Clever HR have taken on the role in the association’s tenth anniversary year.

Martin and James are both local businessmen, who understand the challenges of finding clients and developing a business. They are interested in building relationships with other firms to support members to enable their businesses to grow.

They will be organising celebratory events this year, which will be advertised locally.

The SYBA is interested in guest speakers: anyone who would like to offer a presentation should contact the association via its website, sodburyandyate.biz.

Car destroyed in blaze THIS car was destroyed after catching fire in a lay-by.

Two crews from Yate fire station were called to the blaze, at Tafarn Bach, Charfield, shortly before 8.30pm on March 18.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service said police were also called but the fire is believed to have started accidentally.

(Picture: Yate Fire Station)

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New Children’s Day Nursery Opening

Tuesday 23rd April 2019

For children aged 6 months to 4 years Open all year round 8am-6pm

Register now to secure your child’s place Silverhill School Swan Lane Winterbourne BS36 1RL Tel: 01454 540050 Located next to Winterbourne Methodist Church, Winterbourne Down, BS36 1BN For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

Don’t be left in the cold this winter!

We have been installing, servicing and repairing boilers for over 42 years in the local area, building our company on excellent after sales service, with 90% of our work coming from personal recommendations.

The Business has grown and expanded by employing local school leavers, training them on recognised gas and plumbing training courses to a high standard.

We are approved Worcester Bosch, Vaillant and Atag installers.

We are Gas Safe registered for Natural Gas, LPG and Oftec registered for all oil servicing and installations.

Boiler old? Broken down? Or uneconomical to repair?

Why not view our new selection of Elgin & Hall fires and surrounds in our updated showroom

Contact us for a competitive quotation for a replacement boiler. With a highly skilled team of 20 plus engineers, we could quote you for a new boiler, and in most cases, have it installed within a couple of days.

We supply boilers that come with 5 – 10 years parts and labour warranties.

Our service engineers work on behalf of some of the major boiler manufacturers.

If it’s a repair you need, we can help, we currently carry out over 300 service calls each week.

As a Which Trusted Trader, our business has been through a vigorous application progress so you can be confident you are hiring a reputable trader

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Call 01454 314980 for more information

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April, 2019

yate&sodburyvoice

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n NEWS

81 years of service to town THREE Yate town councillors have recently celebrated 81 collective years of service to their community.

Sue Walker has clocked up 40 years, Alan Monaghan 21 years and Ian Blair a mere 20 years.

Sue is actually the second longest-serving councillor since the town council was established. She said: “It is lovely to be recognised for service to the community. At Yate we have a great team of staff and councillors, all contributing something special and offering different skills, who are always ready to listen and respond to the needs of the community.”

Sue, Alan and Ian have worked with their fellow councillors on a wide range of local projects and issues, from driving forward the creation of the Armadillo Youth Venue & Cafe and the over 50’s café, to saving Yate Common from being

Left to right, long serving Yate town councillors Ian Blair, Sue Walker and Alan Monaghan. sold off for housing.

They campaigned for many years to bring a national cinema chain to Yate and established the community music festival Yate Rocks.

Only last year, councillors Chris Wilmore, Mike Drew, John Ford and Wully Perks managed a total of 100 years’ service between the four of them.

Five stars for park KINGSGATE Park has won a South West in Bloom award for the second year running.

Its entry received the highest grading of 5 stars in the ‘pride in parks’ category at a ceremony in Chippenham.

A spokesperson for the Friends of Kingsgate Park said: "We are really thrilled to have been awarded 5 stars again for 2018 by South West in Bloom Pride in Parks Award.

“It is a team effort with the estates team at Yate Town Council and the volunteers of Friends of Kingsgate Park. We know that all those that visit Kingsgate Park appreciate having a green open space that is free and safe.”

Yate mayor John Ford said: “I congratulate Yate Town Council’s estates team and the Friends of Kingsgate Park on winning this prestigious award. I would like to thank them on behalf of the Council and park users for the hard and skilful work.”

Party Packages from £449* We also cater for weddings, wakes, christenings and conferences.

*Based on a 6 piece buffet for 100 people Easily accessible, stunning location with a large free car park 2 Miles from Westerleigh along the Codrington road Competitive drink prices, Thatchers Gold £3.50 More info on our website www.theplayersgolfclub.com Contact our events co-ordinator Hayley on 01454 313029 Opt 4 or email Hayley@theplayersgolfclub.com

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

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April, 2019

n WHAT’S ON IN OUR AREA March 29 n Yate Men’s Shed Open Event, Yate Parish Hall, Station Road, from 2pm to 4pm. Charity group for older people in the community to meet up, to pursue their practical hobbies and interests and to socialise opens doors to the public from 2pm-4pm. See what activities go on in the ‘Yate Shed’. Anyone – male or female – who may be interested in joining the group can talk to members. More information from Nigel Woodford by email at info@yatemensshed.com.

May 11 n Writing and Mindfulness Day Join us for an exploratory day using Mindfulness and images to stimulate and cultivate the writer in you.

Venue: Frenchay Village Hall Saturday May 11th from 10.00 - 16.00 £45 per person (including a light lunch and refreshments) Numbers limited so to book a place please contact Rebecca at writetowellbeing@outlook.com or call 07941 51174

The Arts Society Severn Valley We meet in the Town Hall in Chipping Sodbury on the third Monday of each month.

Oasis Memory Café Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church

Advertise your event on our What's On section

Only £15

+ VAT

for a 5cm x 1col display advert

Exercise Movement and Dance class for ladies Low impact classes offer dance, exercise and core strengthening. Strengthen muscles, raise energy levels, improve balance and mobilise joints.

LE

P EXAM

6.25-7.30pm at Fairlawn Primary School, Fairlawn Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5JL. Tel: Rachael at FL Exercise on 07966 418 714 / rachaelwilliams@talktalk.net .

Classes run on 5-7 week basis - charged as a block booking (£8 per class -1st Class Free)

February 5Th Craft With Joy February 19Th Skittles March 5Th Music March 19Th Craft With Joy New Members Welcome. All activities are optional, it’s fine to just come and have a drink and chat. Jean Davis at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church 01454 313023. All sessions 10.30-12

REGULAR EVENTS Monday n Third Monday every month Frome Valley Ladies Probus 2-4pm Charter Suite, Chipping Sodbury Town Hall T 01454 316301.

Interesting Speaker each meeting, raffle, refreshments and lunches. n 1st Yate Boys brigade various activities for boys 5+ meet at Moorland road Methodist church 6.30pm. Contact Simon Crocker 01454 329017 n Shire Way Senior Citizens Club meet every Monday afternoon at Shire Way Community Centre between 1.30pm and 4pm. Get together for tea, coffee, bingo, entertainment, raffle meet new friends , all welcome , Yate Community transport, available.

Further info 01454317866----07749712351 n Bristol Area Stroke Foundation Weekly Stroke Support Group The group has a varied programme of events and activities. Shireway Community Association, Yate BS37 8YS. Every Monday from 2pm till 4pm. If you are interested in coming along or want to volunteer contact our office on 0117 9647657 n Lunchtime folk music and song at The Beaufort Hunt pub function room, 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month, start at 12.00 till 3.00, all welcome to come have a pint and a meal, sit and listen or play or sing, free entry. Contact Terry 01454 313045 n Bristol Budgerigar Society hold meetings at Little Stoke Community Hall, Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke, Bristol BS34 6HR. Meetings commence at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month.

Visitors always welcome without commitment or charge to see the wonderful budgerigar breeding, exhibition and social experience that Bristol Budgerigar Society can offer. n Macular-support group meets monthly - 3rd Monday 1:303:30pm at Watkins room, Old Grammar School, Highstreet

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Chipping Sodbury. Contact Tony: 01454314066 Stress Reduction, Mindfulness & Relaxation n Yate Men's Shed meet at Yate Parish Hall, from 1.30-4.30pm.

For further details please contact Steven Ringon 01454 323 857, or go to www.yatemensshed.com n Sodbury Short Mat Bowls Club. Old Sodbury Village Hall on Monday evenings between 6.15 and 9pm. New members experienced or otherwise welcome Contact Chairman S Leah on 01454 315161. Email sleahos@gmail.com n If you are interested in learning about the arts, in its widest sense, why not join The Arts Society Severn Valley. We meet in the Town Hall in Chipping Sodbury normally on the third Monday of each month. In addition to the lecture programme, we arrange Days of Special Interest which examine facets of the arts in greater detail, as well as visits to art galleries, museums and gardens plus trips abroad. Full details can be found on our website www. svdfas.co.uk. So come along, have a cup of coffee, enjoy the lecture and, perhaps, do some shopping in this lovely market town. Visitors are charged £6 so, if you would like to “try before you buy”, please e-mail memb@svdfas.co.uk Tuesday n Yate Art Club meet for arts, crafts and pottery on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 pm at the Ridgewood Centre, Yate, BS37 4AF. For further information please see our website www. yateandsodburyartsociety.weebly. com or tel Roz on 0794 194 6412 n Pucklechurch Folk Dance Club.

We meet every other Tuesday at Pucklechurch Community Centre from 7.45 pm to 8.15 pm. Contact Veronica Holder – 0117 937 2818 n Frome Valley Tang Soo Do, open to adults and children 7yrs +, Wellesley Primary School, Edgeworth, Yate every Tuesday 6.45pm - 8.15pm. Contact Rachel Woodford for more details on 07712 729726 n Frome Valley Mens Probus Club.

We meet 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. 10 – 12 noon at the Townhall, Sodbury. Guest Speaker every meeting, occasional lunches, day trips. Contact George for further info. Tele: 01454 882908 n Oasis Friendship Cafe - a relaxed meeting place to come along for a chat, a listening ear and to make new friends. (Well behaved) dogs

on leads also welcome! Baptist Church Hall in Chipping Sodbury.

2nd, 4th (&5th) Tuesday of the month 10.30am - 12 noon. For more information contact church office on 01454 313023 Email: office@cs-bc.org.uk n Oasis Memory Café - in partnership with the Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury and supported

by Alzheimer’s Society. Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Hall 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month 10.30am – 12 noon For more information contact Jean on 01454 313023. Email: office@cs-bc.org.uk n Craft and Chat - a fun and friendly craft group for people of all ages and skill levels. Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month 10.30am - 12 noon Email: office@ cs-bc.org.uk n South Cotswold Men's Probus Club based in Yate, and reputably the most active in this area, can now take a few new members.

Meetings are the 2nd and 4th Tuesday mornings each month.

Information, without obligation, from Jack on 01454 313889. n Monthly social lunchtime meet up for disabled people at the Farmhouse Pub, Wellington Road, Yate, BS37 5UY. Open and friendly group, meets first Tuesday of month 12-2pm. Part of WECIL's peer support community - 0797 962 6569. n The Sodbury & District Flower Arrangement Society meets every 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at The Old Grammar School Rooms, Chipping Sodbury at 7.30pm. 12th February - Practice - Willow basket making. 26th February - Talk on Pearls by Pam Slater. Visitors and new members very welcome come along and see what we do. n Yate Poetry Group. All welcome to join our small, informal and friendly group to share and enjoy poems and verse. We meet for an hour 1-2 pm every other Tuesday afternoon in the library, refreshments provided.

For the dates of meetings, please contact Tony on 07704140682 or yatepoetrygroup@gmail.com n Tudor Bridge Club meets at the hall behind St Lawrence Presbytery on Broad Street, every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. Contact Christine on 07876334921 n Badminton Club, 8pm at Yate Leisure Centre. People of all skill levels and abilities are more than welcome to join us. Organised by

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

25

n WHAT'S ON CONTINUED

n Ladies Shiatsu Massage Sports Rehabilitation Clinic in Iron Acton every Wednesday between 3-8 pm. Naturally restore your energy levels and improve your overall health and lifestyle. Contact Anna on 07487 511516 or email anna@ wholehearted-health.co.uk for more information and to book your treatment session.

n Yate & District Townswomen’s Guild meet on the second Wednesday morning of every month in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. We have a programme of varied and interesting speakers. We are a very sociable group and offer other smaller, activity groups too.

Give us a try. Ring Rhona 01454 881532 or Christine 07811665286

Hub at Tyndale School (by Tyndale Avenue entrance). Resident-run group for parents with babies and young children aged up to five years old. Call Paulina on 0759 212 8965 for more details. Old toy donations always very welcome. n Cranleigh Court Coffee Time.

9.30-11am, Cranleigh Court Community Hub at Tyndale School (by Tyndale Avenue entrance).

Resident-led group will be led by residents. Call Brian on 07780 188146 for enquiries or assistance with transport.

Thursday n Chipping Sodbury Folk Night Meets on 1st Thursday of each month in function room at Beaufort Pub . 8 pm - 11pm, Huge range of music and performers covering various genres , all welcome, performers slots are available on a first come basis. £1 on the door . Visit our Facebook page for more info, Chipping Sodbury Folk Night. Or call Jo on 07974 381333. n South Glos. Decorative and Art Appreciation Society is a flourishing group which enjoys

excellent lectures on Design and the Arts. Visitors are welcome.

7.00 for 7.30pm at Bradley Stoke Community School, Fiddlers Lane, BS32 7BS on 3rd Thursday of the month. Please.contact 01454 774401 sallykitching@googlemail. com n Directors Duet for Stokes Singers choir. The two MDs would love to welcome new members to Thursday rehearsals at 7.30pm at Coniston Community Centre, Patchway BS34 5LP. n Yate Community Choir.

Ridgewood Community Centre 7.30-9pm. Liz Martin 07891036145 n Chipping Sodbury Ladies Probus Last Thursday of every month 1012 Charter Suite Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Speaker every month and regular trips out. T 01454 327491 n Avon Harmony are a Ladies A Cappella / barbershop chorus. We welcome visitors for a no obligation taster session. We rehearse at the dance studio, Fairfield High School, Allfoxton Road, Bristol BS7 9NL. Every Thursday evening 7.30pm 9.45pm. Tel: Mary 07954170532.

n Bellydance class with Sacha at Ridgewood Community Centre every Wednesday 7:30-8:30 (beginner/open level); 8:30-9:30 (intermediate level); £7 an hour or £12 for 2 hours. Contact Sacha for more information www. sachabellydance.co.uk sachabellydance@yahoo.co.uk

ALE AL

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

N FOR RE AIG

OU

C

E

n Ladies Shiatsu Massage - Sports Rehabilitation Clinic in Iron Acton every Wednesday between 3-8 pm. Naturally restore your energy levels and improve your overall health and lifestyle. Contact Anna on 07487 511516 or email anna@ wholehearted-health.co.uk for more information and to book your treatment session. n Blossoms play groups, 10.30amnoon, Cranleigh Court Community

South West CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018

EM

n Short Mat Bowls. A Warm welcome awaits visitors for the short matt bowls on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at St Saviours Church Hall, Coalpit Heath from 2-4pm.

DIS

Wednesday n Art Club, Ridgewood Centre, Yate: 7pm - 9 pm http:// yateandsodburyartsociety.weebly. com. Tel Roz on 01454 316956 or 0794 194 6412 n Thornbury and South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio Club (TSGARC) we meet every Wednesday in the Buckingham Room at the Chantry in Thornbury.

Meetings usually start at 8pm We welcome new members and can train people to pass their Amateur radio Foundation and Intermediate Licences. Our website is at http:// tsgarc.uk. n Sew & Sew at Ridgewood Community Centre from 1.30pm 3.30pm at £2.00 per week. Phone Joan for details on 01 454 314355. n Walks for single people. Solo Rendezvous meet at Downend Cricket Club, every Wednesday, 8.30pm, entrance £3, and walk every Sunday. Please phone for walk details: 01454 775508 / 01454 774984 / 0117 9850210. n Frenchay Men’s Probus Club Meetings are held in Frenchay Village Hall from 10.00 am to 12 noon on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesday of the month. The meeting is preceded by coffee. www.frenchayprobusclub.com n Craft group meeting in St. Mary's Church, Yate each Wednesday from 10am. Everyone welcome, we have knitters, sewers and

chatters. Refreshments available for a donation. Please come in and say hello. n Yate/Chipping Sodbury Afternoon Choir meets on Wednesdays 2pm till 4pm at St Marys Church Yate. No auditions!

Contact Nikki on 01761 472468 for more details or just turn up at the church and have a free sing on the first visit. Look forward to seeing you!

CAM P

Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, office@cs-bc.org.uk, 01454 313023 n The Sodbury & District Flower Arrangement Society meets every 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at The Old Grammar School Rooms, Chipping Sodbury at 7.30pm. 12th March AGM - No Practice class 26th March - Demonstration by Yvonne Berry Sporting Favourites Visitors and new members very welcome - come along and see what we do.

For more details contact Rosemary Cummins Tel: 0117 9373836 n Badminton Club, 8pm at Yate Leisure Centre. People of all skill levels and abilities are more than welcome to join us. Organised by Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, office@cs-bc.org.uk, 01454 313023 n Well-being drop-in, Cranleigh Court Community Hub at Tyndale School (by Tyndale Avenue entrance), 1-2.30pm. Meet new people, learn new skills and improve your well-being through activities including arts and crafts, peer support, mindfulness workshops, healthy eating and games sessions.

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The Fleece Inn, Chapel Lane, Hillesley GL12 7RD T: 01453 520003 | E: fleecepub@gmail.com

www.thefleecehillesley.com Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

26

April, 2019

n WHAT'S ON CONTINUED n Yate Oral History Group meets 7.30pm,2nd Thursday of the month at Poole Court for interesting talks, refreshments & summer outings. We are a small friendly group looking for new members.

Contact Diana 01454 322811 n Barnardo’s Breastfeeding Peer Support Project provides emotional and practical support to new mothers. Weekly groups are held at venues in Thornbury, Yate and across South Gloucestershire.

The Yate group, called Yate BreastFriends, meets at Yate Childrens Centre on Cranleigh Court Road on Tuesdays between 11.30am - 1.00pm. n The Yate and Sodbury District U3A Photography group meet at the St John’s Church Centre, Wickwar Road, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6BQ on the first Thursday of every month (except July and August) at 2p.m. we invite photographers of all abilities to come along and learn more about taking great pictures. For more info email Mary Avenin mabr42@ outlook.com or call 01179 099471 or visit our website at www. u3aphoto.blog. n Tudor Bridge Club meets at the hall behind St Lawrence Presbytery on Broad Street, every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. Contact Christine on 07876334921 n Zumba Gold Class, Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Hall, 2.45pm, £3.50 per week. Anyone is welcome, but the class is especially appropriate for people who want

low-impact dance-based exercise.

Contact offic@cs-bc.org.uk, 01454 313023. n Kidz Club THE EDGE at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, 6-7.15pm in term time. We have an exciting club for all boys and girls – just come along and join in the fun! n Zumba Gold Class, Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Hall, 2.45pm, £3.50 per week. Anyone is welcome, but the class is especially appropriate for people who want low-impact dance-based exercise.

Contact offic@cs-bc.org.uk, 01454 313023. n Kidz Club THE EDGE at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, 6-7.15pm in term time. We have an exciting club for all boys and girls – just come along and join in the fun! n#jobnetworkbristol & computerclub. Tablet and accessible computer club, employment support and signposting to opportunity.

Join us for a tea and coffee.

Cranleigh Court community hub, Tyndale Primary School, 1.30pm - 4pm. More information from jobnetworkbristol@outlook.com by email.

Friday n Crofts End Silver Band: We are a small friendly brass band who meet in Hanham Tabenacle every Friday evening 7.30-9.00pm We play for enjoyment and not contesting. Used to play? Want to learn? Contact: Denise 07944 887979 or Reg 0117 9652229

n Options, a social meet and craft club (now in its 19th year) meet at The Ridgewood Community Centre, 10am-3pm every Friday.

Tea/coffee and biscuits available with Cafe on site. £2.50 a session. Contact Joan for details 01454314355. n Ladies who Latte - free women's networking group for women in business because there's no point being fabulous on your own!

We meet on the second Friday of the month at The Horseshoe in Chipping Sodbury from 10.00 - 12.00. Contact: Rebecca writetoreb@googlemail.com n Voices Together. The Old Grammar School. Chipping Sodbury 10-11.30. Liz Martin 07891036145 n Yate Men's Shed meet at Yate Parish Hall, from 1.30-4.30pm.

For further details please contact Steven Ringon 01454 323 857, or go to www.yatemensshed.com” n Cranleigh Court Cycling Club.

10.30am at Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale School (by Tyndale Avenue entrance). If you want to get back into cycling this could be for you. More details from Brian on 0778 018 8146.

Saturday n The Tourist Information Centre Chipping Sodbury. Open 10am to 4pm Mondays to Saturdays..

Sunday n Indoor short mat bowls at Pucklechurch Community Centre.

Established players and beginners welcome. Bowls provided. Sessions Sunday afternoon and Monday and Wednesday evenings. Contact Roger Payne 0117 937 3653.

Shopmobility South Gloucestershire, Yate Library, Yate Shopping Centre The service hires out battery powered scooters and wheelchairs, to help people to retain their independence and to use the facilities of the centre. You can also hire scooters and wheelchairs for longer terms. If you have a S. Glos.

Council Diamond card then you can use that on the service. Office is open Tues and Friday 9.30 am - 4 pm, and Thurs and Sat 9.30 am - 2 pm Telephone 01454 868718 or 07999574474 for more information or e-mail shopmobilitysouthglos@ yahoo.com Chipping Sodbury Library is open and staffed by volunteers during the following hours : Tuesdays 09.30 - 12.30 & 13.30 16.30 Wednesdays 09.30 - 18.30 Fridays 09.30 - 12.30 Saturdays 09.30 - 12.30 The usual borrowing facilities are available during the above hours and events for children during the school holidays. Come in and see our monthly displays and borrow a book on the month's theme. In addition,library volunteers have organised two new groups :

What’s on at Yate Library STAFFED TIMES Monday: 10.00am – 5.30pm Tuesday:10.00am – 5.30pm Friday: 10.00am – 5.30pm Saturday: 9.30am – 2.30pm Open access (unstaffed) Daily: 8am-7.30pm Speak to a member of staff for more details about registering your card for the open access system, so you can access library facilities throughout the week.

You can borrow and return books and use the computers.

Details of Easter opening times will be published online at www. southglos.gov.uk/libraries nearer the time.

Wanted: Do you have any old or unwanted Duplo Lego? We would

be grateful for any donations for a new Duplo club.

Events for children and families: Wriggle & Rhyme: Rhymes and songs for parents and babies/ toddlers to enjoy together.

Thursday morning, 10.30-11am, term time only.

Buggy Walkers: Monday April 1 and 15, 10am-noon Free Holiday Drop in - ‘Easter Eggstravaganza’ on Tuesday April 9 from 10.30am–noon. Crafts suitable for children aged 4-10.

Lego Challenge – A Bogey, a birdie & a hole in one: Create your own mini Lego golf course. Friday April 12 from 10.30-11.30am.

Booking required – limited places.

Suitable for ages 7+.

Interactive story time – I Want to be in a Scary Story: A family story time where everyone can join in

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

and be part of the story. Saturday April 27, 11am-noon.

Other events: Craft Group: April 6 and 27, 10am-noon. New members will always be made welcome by this friendly group. Share tips and ideas for your knitting, sewing or crochet projects.

Teen Focus Group: Thursday April 11, 6.30-7.30pm.

Poetry Group – Tuesday April 2, 16 and 30, 1-2pm.

Support and educational groups: Visually Impaired Techno Group: Every Wednesday 1-4pm Vision West of England: Information, advice and support drop-in, first Thursday of every month between 2-4pm. For more

information contact Marc on 0117 322 4855 or email marc.gulwell@ visionwofe.org.uk Various free legal advice sessions: ask staff for details.

Various community learning courses: Contact 01454 864613 or community.learning@ southglos.gov.uk Memory Café, last Thursday each month.

For more information, call 01454 868006, email yate. library@southglos.gov.uk or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/ libraries. Updates on Twitter @southgloslibs or South Gloucestershire Libraries page on Facebook.

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

27

n COMMUNITY NEWS Chipping Sodbury WI WHAT a year it has been for the WI, as this month’s WI Life magazine printed the annual review for the organisation.

In the year we celebrated 100 years of campaigning, with some of the highlights this year being the Food Matters project, where more than 5,000 WI members took part in the NFWI’s food waste research project.

We are also seeing continued success with the End Plastic Soup campaign that calls on the government and industry to develop solutions to limit the release of microplastics fibres shed from synthetic clothing when washed.

As part of the Link Together campaign, members came up with inspiring ways to reach out to others in their communities to mark World Kindness Day. Closer to home, the speaker in March was Jenny Bowen, with her account of the trials and tribulations of working in Africa. She provided the members with an excellent portrait of what it was like starting in her career as a permanent ecologist for Raleigh International in Zimbabwe, setting up numerous conservation projects. Through her work she promptly fell in love with the continent. She now runs her own holiday company, so that she can share this love with others.

Ideas for future outings were discussed, with a trip on a horse-drawn barge in Tiverton as a very popular choice, together with the Royal Mint.

The next meeting will be held on April 4 at 7.30pm at the Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, with a talk called Iceland, the Land of Fire and Brilliant Birds by Philip Mugridge. We would welcome visitors to ‘try before you buy’, with three free visits.

Arrive as a stranger and leave as a friend.

Golf club’s huge boost for air ambulance CHIPPING Sodbury Golf Club has presented the Great Western Air Ambulance with a big donation at the charity’s new airbase in Almondsbury.

The money – with a cheque for £15,050 in total – was raised during Ron Gibson’s captaincy year in 2018. Ron chose GWACC because he felt it was a vital service which receives no government or lottery funding, yet must raise more than £3 million a year to stay in the skies.

The ambulance covers Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and the surrounding areas.

Last year was its busiest ever, with 1,887 incidents attended using either the helicopter or critical care cars.

GWACC Community fundraising coordinator Joe Hughes said: “We’re so grateful to everyone at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club for their generosity and support. This is truly an astonishing sum of money to raise and will make a huge difference to our life-saving charity”

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28

April, 2019

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Update from Chipping Sodbury library CHIPPING Sodbury Library is holding events for children during the school holidays and has also launched two new groups.

The popular Easter Trail organised with Sodbury in Bloom and sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce will be taking place from April 8 to 23 and this year will be based on Winnie the Pooh. Children will be able to follow the trail round various sites looked after by Sodbury in Bloom and find characters from the books, with a chance to play pooh sticks along the way.

There will be a competition, with prizes awarded to the first correct entry drawn in each age group: 2-4, 5-7 and 8-11 years. Entry forms will be available from the library, Waitrose, Artingstall’s and Hampton’s and online at the MySodbury website.

Library volunteers have organised two new groups. One is called Book-a-Long and meets every other Wednesday from 3pm to 4pm. The April dates are the 3rd and 17th. Come along to this informal group and talk about your favourite book, listen to book extracts and share your ideas for future reading over a cup of tea or coffee and cake.

The other new group is a Knit and Natter group,

which meets every other Friday from 10.30am until noon. The April dates are the 5th and 19th.

Join this informal group to chat and knit or share needlecraft activities over a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits. You can be a beginner or come to share your ideas.

Chipping Sodbury Library is open and staffed by volunteers on Tuesdays from 9.30am12.30pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm, Wednesdays 9.30am-6.30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30am-12.30pm.

As well as all the usual borrowing facilities and three public PCs, you can return books borrowed in other South Gloucestershire libraries and have books which you have reserved online sent to Chipping Sodbury.

The library had a very successful quiz night in March, which raised £193.62 to improve the facilities for children. Thank you to everyone who supported the quiz.

A storytime for pre-school children is planned for after Easter. Details of all events will be on the posters in the library, the Facebook page and on the My Sodbury website.

Do you care about Coalpit Heath & Westerleigh? you care about becoming Have you Doconsidered Coalpit Heath & Westerleigh? a parish councillor in one of Have you considered becoming a Parish these Councillor in oneareas? of these areas?

BEFORE

WESTERLEIGH&&COALPIT COALPIT HEATH WESTERLEIGH HEATHURGENTLY URGENTLY NEED NEW PARISH COUNCILLORS NEED NEW PARISH COUNCILLORS AND AREON ONMAY MAY22ndND2019 2019 ANDTHE THEELECTIONS ELECTIONS ARE you would likefind to find more aboutwhat what is If Ifyou’d like to outout more about is involved involvedplease please contact the Parish Clerk on westerleighpc@gmail.com contact the Parish Clerk on westerleighpc@gmail.com or contact democraticservices@southglos.gov.uk

OR contact democraticservices@southglos.gov.uk

AFTER For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITY HELP MAKE AYOUR DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

FREE day trips for the over fifties If you are over fifty and want to discover exciting new attractions as well as meet new people, then SGS College has the course for you.

Held over a weekend, the Discover course will allow you to explore different locations and gain a qualification in English or maths at the same time.

The real fun begins on a Sunday, when you and your peers will be driven by coach to one of the exciting venues around the region. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a culinary connoisseur or a green-fingered gardener, you will find an experience that is right for you.

Booking is essential, as there are a limited number of places.

50+ W OF L EEKEN D EAR DISC NING, OVE AND R TRA Y VEL

Locations and dates available: • Exeter Food and Drink Festival – 4th/5th May – Maths course • Malvern Spring Festival – 11th/12th May – Maths course • Roman Baths/American History Museum – 8th/9th June - English course • Blenheim Palace – 29th/30th June - English • All Aboard, Watersports Centre, Bristol – 13th/14th July - Maths • Stratford-upon-Avon – 20th/21st July - English For further information and to book your place please visit www.sgscol.ac.uk/discover or contact Sarah Kopera on 0117 909 2327

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30

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

n NEWS

Iron Acton marks May Day traditions PLANS are well underway for Iron Acton’s traditional May Day celebrations.

A May Queen, May King and their entourage will process through the village and children from the village school will dance around the maypole when the community marks May Day on the bank holiday this year.

Iron Acton is one of the few places in the whole of the South West that continues to celebrate May Day by following English traditions and using a permanently-sited maypole. The event in has been held annually for many years and takes a team of volunteers many months to plan.

The day always starts with the procession accompanied by the Westerleigh Brass Band. The maypole dancing follows in the show ring, with the subsequent

displays mixing in traditional and contemporary flavours, including Tae-kwon Do, dog agility, dancing and singing.

Annie King has been on the event’s organising team for nine years and she also teaches maypole dancing to the children from Iron Acton primary school.

She said: “The children always amaze me and it is a pleasure to teach them.

“There is certainly nothing better than watching all the dancing and other acts whilst sitting on a hay bale eating and drinking the fine fare available.”

There’s a wide variety of refreshments, traditional fairground rides, vintage tractors and vehicles, and stalls selling craft and gifts.

The celebrations take place on Monday 6 May from 10.30am to 4pm.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

April, 2019

yate&sodburyvoice

31

n NEWS

60 years of sharing a beautiful garden SIXTY years ago John Naish opened Algars Manor garden in Iron Acton to the public for the first time, as part of the National Garden Scheme.

Right next door to him was Algars Mill, in his neighbour’s garden. They both used to be part of the same estate on the banks of the River Frome. In the 1980’s, the owners at the time, John and Barbara Naish, and Marilyn Wright, decided to open both the gardens simultaneously.

Today, Barbara still lives at Algars Manor with her daughter Sonya Grubb, her husband and their children – three generations of the same family who enjoy opening the gardens.

Sonya said: “Spring is a wonderful time in the valley and magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons mix with native trees, bluebells and wildflowers to create a profusion of colour.

“The River Frome and the leat for Algars Mill run through

both properties, quite literally in the mill’s case, and both support a variety of wildlife from moorhens, ducks and kingfishers and, more recently, otters have been seen.

“I love sharing the garden and seeing other people enjoy the beautiful outcome of years of hard work put in by my parents.

Even better that every penny goes to charity and we get to meet such lovely people who come and support the NGS.” Funds raised from the entry fee go to support charities such as Macmillan, Marie Curie, and the Carers Trust.

You can reach the gardens on foot from Frampton End Lane or by road from Iron Acton, and there is parking at Algars Manor.

Refreshments are sold in aid of Iron Acton Primary School.

Some paths are steep, but there is disabled access to the upper lawns. Dogs are allowed on leads.

The gardens at Algars Manor and Algars Mill.

The gardens are open on Sunday April 28 from 2-5pm.

Entrance for both gardens costs £5, children are free.

Later in the year Acton Court garden will also open under the scheme. The three-acre walled wildflower meadow and apple

orchard, in the grounds of a grade I listed Tudor manor house will open on June 2, 9 and 16 from 11am to 5pm each day.

Admission to Acton Court costs £5 for adults, with children free.

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yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

n MOTORING

A guide to pre-owned cars with Richard Cooke

Second hand Style Aston Martin Vantage: Room for your Beretta EXCITING but uncertain times over at Aston Martin (plus ca change). The company posted a loss of £68 million for 2018, whilst balancing preparation for the launch of the DBX, their entry into the crowded luxury SUV market.

Add to this the relaunch of the evocative Lagonda brand, as an all-electric offering made in Wales, and it is clear that Aston needs to keep selling traditional sports cars to the wealthy to pay for all this development. The Vantage has been on sale for a year now, and I can’t think of another supercar more deserving of your hard earned cash/pension fund assets/ house equity. In fact, let’s get price out of the way now: the Vantage starts at £120,000 – but my test model had a staggering £38k of extras. I wouldn’t want to do without any of them, so the price of entry is nearer to £160k. After a year of depreciation you can take

maybe £35k off that price, so get saving.

Part of what makes this car special is the covert introduction of so much technology. The engine is a bang-up-to-date 4.0 V8 from Mercedes AMG, producing 510bhp and yet returning around 25mpg in normal traffic. The limited slip differential is electronic, a first for Aston. The suspension and engine have three progressively different modes controlled from buttons on the steering wheel, ranging from relaxed (relatively speaking, it is still called ‘Sport’) to the barking, popping and fizzing ‘Track’ mode.

And maybe as importantly, the Vantage looks brand new when compared to what has come before – wider, brawnier and simply more modern.

Inside, the Vantage is really very roomy. Head, elbow and legroom are all excellent. Aston have commendably not bothered

to fit pointless rear seats, freeing up interior space whilst making the car shorter than a Porsche 911. It also looks, smells and feels opulent.

The leather clearly came from cows, the carpets are indulgently deep, the switches bespoke.

Special mention to the huge and tactile aluminium gear paddles and also the sun visors, which I’m convinced take inspiration from a pair of Gucci horsebit loafers I used to own. The boot is big enough for two suitcases, the tiny parcel shelf folds back to accommodate your diplomatic bag and there’s room under the armrest for a Beretta.

What surprises, and in a good way, is the number of buttons.

Instead of relying solely on a screen with endless sub-menus, Aston has put the key controls (and that includes gear selection) on the dashboard. The idea is that in ‘progressive’ driving you can quickly jab the button you want

without taking your eyes off the road. How old fashioned and yet eminently sensible – this simply must be safer than gawping at a touchscreen whilst on the move.

And move this car does – with all that power and a weight of 1.5 tons it was always going to be quick. On Cheltenham back roads around HR Owen, I was never going to be able to test the top speed of 195mph, but 0-60 in 3.6 seconds felt about right. The engine is incredible, full of torque and able to pick up effortlessly in any gear. You will never need more speed on the road. The 8 speed ZF gearbox and the ride really won me over – the former is lightningquick when using the paddles, relaxing but still immediate when cruising around town. And in all three suspension settings the Vantage rides beautifully, with grip to spare from wide but surprisingly compliant tyres.

In summary, this car is a triumph – it looks as cutting edge as any other road car on the market, makes fine use of the best components available and goes like a dream. On the used market you can pick up a 2006 example of the previous V8 Vantage for just £25k but I’ll be amazed if the current model ever falls to such levels of affordability. That’s because the Vantage feels like a collector’s car straight from the factory, and will hopefully help fund more of the good stuff Aston still have planned.

Aston Martin Vantage: £115,000 for a 2018 model with 2k miles

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yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

33

n PHARMACY BLOG

Why get the chickenpox jab?

So why vaccinate against chickenpox?

Chickenpox commonly affects children but is worse in adults.

It starts with red spots that

You can still get vaccinated after coming in contact with someone who has chickenpox.

Useful tips in avoiding its spread include wearing loose clothes, cutting an infected child’s nails and putting socks on a young child's hands at night, to stop scratching.

Do not be around pregnant women, newborn babies and people with a weakened immune system, as it can be dangerous for them. Anyone in these vulnerable groups who comes in contact with or has suspected spots, including all adults with chickenpox, should seek medical attention.

The chickenpox jab, at ÂŁ65 a dose (two are required), is one of the popular low-cost vaccinations, which also include travel jabs and medicines, meningitis B, hepatitis A, typhoid, rabies and antimalarial tablets.

See www.bristoltravelclinic.co.uk for more information or call us free on 0800 7723575.

Abbotswood Pharmacy Tel: 01454 313193 38 Abbotswood, Yate, Bristol, BS37 4NG

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appear anywhere on the body. The spots fill with fluid that blisters and may burst. They might spread or stay in a small area.

You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it, contact with clothes or bedding.

You can also catch chickenpox from someone with shingles, if you have not had chickenpox before.

Chickenpox is infectious from two days before the spots appear to until they have crusted over, usually five days after they first appeared.

It takes one to three weeks from the time you were exposed to chickenpox for the spots to start appearing.

You'll need to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have crusted over. Many airlines will also not allow you to fly with chickenpox.

Abbotswood Pharmacy offers private chickenpox vaccination at a low cost for children and adults.

“Th e

CHICKENPOX. A message on Facebook or parent group forum, a letter from the nursery or school.

A child with unexplained spots or confirmed diagnosis. What do you do?

A pharmacy is the ideal place to visit to manage this and other minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, stomach upset, skin conditions aches and pains, alongside taking care of patients with long-term conditions and preventing ill health.

We can help with correctly diagnosing and managing common symptoms such as itches, loss of appetite and a high temperature, and advising on medicines and treatments to use and avoid.

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34

April, 2019

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Help spread word on knife crime RESIDENTIAL burglary, knife crime and the illegal supply of drugs have a devastating impact on our communities. I know local people continue to be very concerned about these crimes, as am I – especially with the ongoing national conversation about knife crime – and you want to be assured that the police are doing everything they can to tackle these issues.

With the council tax bill coming through our letterboxes recently, you will have noticed an increase for policing. By increasing policing by £2 a month for the average band D household, the Constabulary will be intensifying their fight against serious violence and continue to make our communities safe.

This investment means we can recruit an additional 100 new officers and launch a focused operation that will tackle burglary, knife crime and the supply of drugs as part of initiative called Operation Remedy. I want local people to

see and feel the difference in our Constabulary’s fight against crime, and we will be sending a loud and clear message to criminals that coming into our area to commit crime and exploit the vulnerable is not an option.

Work to tackle knife crime and serious violence was intensified in mid-March as officers took part in Operation Sceptre, a week of action that aims to reduce the number of knives on our streets. The initiative incorporates several tactics including education of both young people and retailers, targeted patrols of hot spot areas, weapon sweeps and knife surrender bins.

We need to remember that knives do not keep you safe; by carrying a knife you are putting yourself in much greater danger and are more likely to become involved in a violent situation.

We must work alongside other agencies in health, local government, the charitable sector and our communities to

PRESENT

PUCCINI’S

MESSA DI GLORIA Together with music by Dyson, Fauré & Quilter

SATURDAY 11TH MAY AT 7.30 P.M. ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, CHIPPING SODBURY WITH SOLOISTS & ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR

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ACCOMPANIST

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TICKETS £10.00

Tel: 01454 313907/ 01454 314779 Also Chipping Sodbury

Tourist Information Centre & Choir Members

www.yatechoralsociety.co.uk Supported by Chipping Sodbury and Yate Town Councils and South Gloucestershire County Council

understand the reasons why young people are arming themselves. We need to make it clear it is never acceptable to carry a knife or a weapon. If you are worried that someone you know is carrying a knife but are nervous to talk to the police, you can contact Fearless (the Crimestoppers youth arm) anonymously and potentially help to save a life.

Finally, we also supported child exploitation (CE) awareness day.

Children and young people can be victims of sexual or criminal exploitation in return for money, drugs, the newest trainers or simply just affection.

These children who are being exploited don’t think of themselves as victims; we need to be their voice, speak out on their behalf and raise awareness of the warning signs. Our frontline officers are working with hospitality businesses and taxis so employees can spot and speak out about this form of abuse. The police, educators,

With Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens healthcare professionals, charities and youth workers need to continue to work in partnership and be the ones who ask, ask again and keep asking so we can stop the exploitation of our children. If you suspect a child is being exploited, please let the police, local authority or a charity know and help us end the cycle of abuse.

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For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

n LOCAL MP

Luke Hall MP writes for Yate & Sodbury Voice

35

Your vote is vital – whoever you cast it for ON Thursday May 2, just a month from now, residents across Yate, Chipping Sodbury and the surrounding towns and villages will have their opportunity to elect their representatives on South Gloucestershire Council.

Your votes, and who you elect will determine who runs the council – as whichever party has the most councillors, forms the next council administration.

In the UK we often take for granted this opportunity to elect our most local representatives, those with the power to effect, campaign and implement ultralocal changes. Voting in these elections is so important because sometimes it’s the local issues that can often frustrate us all most, but as busy people, we often find that the amount of people who vote is around half that of that of a general election.

Local elections are particularly important as your local councillors have a crucial and direct say

over issues that directly affect our daily lives such as schools, libraries, getting pot holes filled, leisure centres, transport, parks, healthcare and recycling.

All of these services impact our immediate environment and it is your local councillor that helps determine how funding for these resources are allocated. Your local councillor has the capacity to significantly improve the area that you live in, therefore it is vital that you turn out to cast your vote.

South Gloucestershire has recently undergone boundary changes, meaning that the upcoming elections are imperative in defining our sense of community, and a notable opportunity to elect new names and fresh faces at a district level.

South Gloucestershire is divided into community groupings known as wards and each ward is represented by one, two or three councillors. Yate has had a re-jig, but the new Chipping Sodbury and Cotswold Edge ward is now

a two-councillor ward, which covers Chipping Sodbury, Wickwar, Hawkesbury Upton, Old Sodbury, Acton Turville and the surrounding villages.

The boundary changes also mean that South Gloucestershire Council’s total number of elected representatives have been reduced from 70 to 61. Such changes have been orchestrated to ensure that each councillor represents the same number of residents and each ward successfully represents the identities and interests of local communities.

It is crucial for every resident’s voice to be heard. Your neighbours may be relying upon you to vote, so it’s important to make sure yours counts whoever it may be for.

If you have any further concerns or questions regarding the upcoming elections, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at luke.hall.mp@parliament.uk.

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36

n VETS ADVICE

n NEWS

With Abbotswood veterinary centre

Anterior Cruciate Disease THIS is the most common cause of acute lameness in the hindlimb of dogs. This can be the result of either an acute strain on the ligament, or because of a degenerative disease.

The cruciate ligament is a very important structure within the dog’s 'knee' or stifle, and is essential to the stability of the joint.

Instability will cause pain and eventually severe arthritis.

The options for repairing this are rest, physiotherapy, pain relief medication and nutraceuticals.

More commonly, surgery is the

April, 2019

best option and there are two types of surgery: 1 Changes to the 'biodynamics' of the joint such as the angle of the leg.

2 Other techniques attempt to stabilise the joint with either intra or extra-joint techniques.

All in all, it is unfortunate if your pet has this, and expert advice will help speed the recovery.

Patrick Murphy D.V.M MRCVS Tel: 01454 322449 abbotswoodveterinarycentre@ hotmail.co.uk www.abbotswoodvets.co.uk

Homecoming for Gillian HIGHLY-acclaimed soprano Gillian Wells is returning to her home village of Tormarton to sing in a charity concert.

Gillian, above, is guest soloist in Marshfield Male Voice Choir’s spring concert, which is being held this year at Tormarton Church.

The concert is on Saturday April 27, starting at 7.30pm.

It is a ticket-less event, with voluntary donations made by concertgoers going towards improvements being made at the church.

Gillian Wells is currently based in Stratford-upon-Avon. She is a classically-trained professional who sings a wide range of styles, including opera, art song and musical theatre.

Marshfield Male Voice Choir has been entertaining audiences for 12 years and has an extensive repertoire of songs, traditional and modern.

For more information about the choir, visit mmvc.co.uk online.

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Consultation Hours

Open Surgery: Monday - Friday 9-10am and 5.30-7pm appointments available at other times throughout the day Saturday surgery open 9am-5pm appointments available during the day

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Monday-Friday 8.30am-7.30pm • Also open Saturday 9am-5pm Local We have been located right in the middle of south Yate for over 26 years. All of our staff live locally in the community, giving us knowledge of the needs and requirements of local people and their pets.

Experience Between our vet and nurses, we have over 100 years of cumulative experience here at Abbotswood. There is always a nurse to provide quality in-patient care for your pet, and available for help, advice or consultations throughout the day.

Independent We are the only NON-corporate and NON multi-branch veterinary practice in Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

Visiting Specialists We offer a ‘one stop practice’ for your pets in that everything (advanced imaging excepted) is done on site, with visiting specialists for surgery, orthopaedics, ultrasound examinations etc. There is no need to transport your pet anywhere else.

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Fixed price dental scale and polish starting at £73.26 for cats and £99.78 for dogs

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

37

n RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Tickling the taste buds season, I’m looking to cook recipes that are lighter, brighter and more snazzy. So, I’ve gone for a Thai favourite of mine. It’s quick to make and very tasty. Make sure you use raw prawns, not the cooked ones that you use for prawn cocktails.

Cooked prawns in this recipe will taste rubbery. Even if you’re not a great lover of fish, give these little fishcakes a go – you may surprise yourself!

Enjoy April and have a happy Easter.

Fragrant Thai Fishcakes

Ann Murray is from the Cooking4 Cookery School based in Chipping Sodbury.

She’s teamed up with Yate & Sodbury Voice to pass on her wealth of experience in the kitchen.

Serves 5-6 as a starter or 4 as a main course.

Ingredients: • Any white fish (cod, haddock, sea bass) weighed after skinning and boning, then cut into chunks – 200g (7oz)-done easily with a pair of cooking scissors.

• Raw peeled tiger prawns – 200g (7oz) • 4 spring onions, outer layer and roots removed, finely chopped, including the green part.

• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves and stalks, finely chopped • 1 heaped tbsp Thai red curry paste.

• Cornflour- 1 tbsp • Fresh lime juice- 1 tbsp • Fine green beans- 4-5, finely

IF you are a regular reader of my articles, you’ll know how much I enjoy cooking different food for different seasons. After all the elaborate food at Christmas and the hearty, warming dishes in the often bleak days in the early months of the year, I yearn for something different.

As we are now in the Spring

chopped in rings Here’s what you do: 1. Place all the ingredients apart from the green beans in a food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper, then blitz/pulse until you have blended all the ingredients together – but not too pureed, as you need a little texture.

2. Tip into a bowl and add the chopped green beans.

3. Using damp hands, make prawn cakes from the mixture. (You should get about 15 of the starter-size, or 8 main-coursesize).

4. When you have made all the fish cakes, put them on a plate, cover with cling film and put in the fridge ideally for an hour, or until they are easy enough to handle and have become firm.

To cook: 1. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat.

2. Add a little oil if needed and fry the fishcakes lightly for 2-3 mins on each side.

3. Serve warm with sweet chilli dipping sauce and a few sprigs of coriander as a garnish.

Cook’s Tips: You can pre-cook these, chill and quickly reheat for 5 mins in a hot oven.

They also freeze well. Freeze uncooked then defrost at the bottom of the fridge overnight ideally, or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Freeze for no more than 2 months for best flavour. ann_cooking4@yahoo.co.uk

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38

yate&sodburyvoice

April, 2019

n NEWS

£1.7m barn restoration underway

Chair of the Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust Sue Parsons and ViceChair of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Brian Allinson hand the keys to the site to contractors

THE turf has been cut at Winterbourne Medieval Barn as work gets underway to restore the 14th century building.

Contractors have moved in to the Grade II* listed building to start work on the £1.7 million project on March 18.

Some £400,000 has been raised towards the project by the Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust, with £936,600 coming from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The trust is still fundraising for the last £5,000 to enable it to restore the roof of the West Barn.

The work should be finished in about a year’s time, but by this autumn the scheme should be far enough advanced for members of the public to visit on ‘hard hat’ days to see the restoration in progress.

Chair of Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust Sue Parsons said: “Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust are thrilled that work is about to start and it marks the culmination of many years effort by the trust and the local community. We are also looking forward to the site reopening next year with new and exciting events and activities in the enhanced facilities.”

The conservation work on the main barn will concentrate

on preserving the roof timbers, which date back to 1342.

The South Barn and the West Barn will have a new kitchen, an office, and an interpretation gallery which celebrates the history of the site. They will be flexible community spaces for meetings and events. The West Barn will also have its roof restored.

The Trust is still appealing for help to raise £5,000 to pay for dismantling, cleaning and remounting the clay pantiles through its ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign.

The Victorian cow byres will be restored and rented to local micro-businesses, especially those with links to heritage, crafts and skills.

Vice-chair of South Gloucestershire Council Brian Allinson said: “It’s fantastic to see this project progress and the conservation and development work begin of one of our area’s most important heritage sites.

“The barn and associated buildings will be used for a multitude of purposes, including education, leisure and business opportunities providing a valuable resource for the people of South Gloucestershire for years to come.”

Even though the main barn is out of bounds, the Cartshed is being used for a number of activities including craft workshops, monthly talks, nature walks and children’s activities including a family Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday.

Pre-booking is essential for activities and details can be found in the Voice or online at www.winterbournebarn.org.uk.

A new floor will be created

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April, 2019

39

n NEWS

Two coaches for Brexit protest ORGANISERS of transport for protesters heading to the latest People’s Vote march ordered a second coach to cope with demand from people in Thornbury and Yate.

Local People’s Vote campaigners said the first one to the event sold out in a few weeks.

The Put it to the People march, calling for another referendum on the Brexit deal, was due to take place in London on March 23, with national organisers predicting that hundreds of thousands of people would take part. Supporters in Bristol and Bath hired a train to take protesters to the event.

Jackie Quarrell from the group said: “Last October over 700,000 people marched for a People’s Vote on Brexit. Things have got a lot worse since then.”

The People’s Vote campaigners recently had a visit from former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, who gave a speech at Castle School.

The Labour peer told audience members the current political situation was a crisis which threatened future generations.

He also told the audience time spent in Westminster passing provisions for a no-deal Brexit was taking time and focus which could be far better spent on other critical issues.

The peer called for a long extension of Article 50, which set the timetable for the UK to leave the EU by the end of March, and a second referendum with the option to remain in the EU.

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Members of the Tudor Bridge Club teaching the game at a taster session

Club helps beginners to bridge the gap MEMBERS of a bridge club which meets in Chipping Sodbury are offering free sessions to other groups and organisations to teach them how to play the popular game.

They are particularly keen to teach people who have never played before.

The Tudor Bridge Club is well established and thriving. It has been running for over 35 years and has 40 members.

The club wants to send trainers with equipment out to the venues where other groups meet, and trainers are happy to travel, or to run sessions themselves.

Member Christine May said: “The way we teach bridge is different to most clubs. Instead of one teacher standing at the front, we have two or three teachers, plus several experienced bridge players to help.

“There is an experienced player at every table to help the beginners and explain things in different ways.

“There’s a huge level of individual support, rather than new players only playing with other beginners.”

The club is particularly keen to hear from anyone interested in taking the game to women’s institutes, community groups, care homes or residents living in sheltered accommodation.

Anyone wanting to arrange a session can contact Christine May on 07876 334921 or email christinemay001@gmail.com.

Tudor Bridge Club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm in St Lawrence Church Parish Hall, Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury.

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41

n NEWS

Changing rooms revamped at Sunnyside CHANGING facilities at Sunnyside Playing Fields in Yate have been overhauled and extended at a cost of more than £200,000.

There’s now a larger sports changing room, designed in a way that makes it available to both male and female teams, plus two additional changing rooms.

The whole building is fully accessible.

It has also been redecorated and the fire and security systems have been upgraded.

Yate mayor John Ford, who is also chair of the town council’s properties and play area steering group, said: “I am pleased and proud to be associated with the enhanced accessible multigender sports changing facility at Sunnyside Playing Fields which has brought the facility into the 21st century.

“It has come a long way since we used to change in the groundsman’s store.

“On behalf of Yate Town Council, I would like to thank the building contractor for the courtesy they showed to the neighbours throughout the project duration, minimising disruption.”

In funding the scheme, £211,000 came from contributions from housing developers made towards community facilities as part of planning agreements. Yate Town Council was successful in its bid for the money from South Gloucestershire Council.

Councillor John Ford, Mayor of Yate, with town councillors and players at the new changing facility South Gloucestershire cabinet member for communities Paul Hughes, who was involved in the decision-making process to award the money handed over by developers, said: “We were delighted to be able to support the enhancement of the pavilion, which will benefit many more South Gloucestershire residents for years to come.”

The official opening took place on February 21 and was attended by residents, Yate Town Council members and playing field users.

Iron lung on display MEMBERS of Yate Rotary Club are displaying a piece of medical history in the vtown as they battle to eradicate a debilitating disease.

Iron lungs were used to prolong the lives of people with polio suffers in the latter half of the 20th century and the club will display one at East Walk, close to Tesco in Yate, on April 25 and 26 to raise awareness of the continuing battle to eradicate polio from the world.

They wil also be collecting money towards the immunization work Rotary supports.

Over the last 30 years, Rotary Worldwide has donated more than £1 million to the polio eradication effort and has protected over 2.5 billion children from the disease through vaccination programmes. Rotary spearheaded the campaign at a time when there were over 1,000 polio cases a day in 125 countries, paralysing and even killing children.

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April, 2019

n NEWS

Rise in charges ‘slipped through’ by council RISES of up to 20 per cent in charges for a variety of South Gloucestershire Council services have been “slipped through”, opposition councillors claim.

Larger than usual hikes in fees for renting DVDs from the library, compost bins, brake tests and planning application fees have been approved by the council’s cabinet.

Council policy is to raise its discretionary service fees and charges by five per cent each year but a series of far higher increases have been approved this year.

Some new charges will also be introduced, and some existing fees reduced, as the council seeks to cover its costs and bring its pricing schedule into line with neighbouring authorities.

Increases include: *A new £40 charge to request historic planning applications. *A 5.2% rise for voluntary brake tests and headlamp alignment checks, at £12.20 per axle and £18.30 per check, respectively. *Compost bins will cost £6, a price rise of 20 per cent. *Reusable nappy kits and booster kits up 13% to £151.40 and £62.10, respectively. *Library fees rise by up to £1.20 for book reservations and DVD rentals. The maximum fine will be reduced to £10, however, with no more charges for audio books and overdue audio visuals for children and young adults. *Licences for a house of multiple occupation up £60 to £656. Cost of a landlord fit and

proper check will fall by £10 to £35. *New charge of £165 for restaurants wanting their food hygiene rating re-assessed following a food hygiene rating of zero to four.

Planning advice fee increases proposed from April 2, pending the response of planning agents to a council survey, include: *New £50 charge to check whether permitted development rights have been removed. *Charge to find out if planning permission is required up £10.80 to £115. *Pre-planning advice charges of £110 for household development and £200 for a listed building. *Pre-planning advice for major applications for 500 or

more homes rises to £12,000.

The timing of the decision on the charges, after the final council meeting before local government elections in May, has prompted criticism from Liberal Democrat councillors.

Lib Dem recycling spokesman, Dodington councillor Tony Davis, said the changes had been “slipped through” and a pledge to phase out green waste charges had not been carried out.

A spokesman for the council said it keeps its fees and charges under “regular review”.

He said the alternative to fee rises was to stop providing some services altogether.

Townswomen raise £1,500 for hospice YATE & District Townswomen’s Guild has successfully fundraised £1,500 for the Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm in Wraxall.

The group organised a crafts table in Tesco which raised £430, and an afternoon tea made £470, whilst the Christmas carol service brought in £128. Other money raised was added to bring the total to £1,500. Some members went on a visit to the hospice to find out more about its valuable work.

Pictured left: Rhona Cowie, Chairman of Yate & District Townswomen’s Guild, hands the donation to Gordon Bleaken, fundraising volunteer for Children’s Hospice South West.

www.doorexpresssouthwest.co.uk

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April, 2019

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n SPORT

Gold for gymnast James A YATE gymnast has become a national champion.

James Puddy, who trains at Winterbourne’s Fromeside Gymnastics Club, won gold on the parallel bars in the hotly-contested men’s under-16 category on March 17 at the 2019 Artistic British Championships, which took place at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.

The 15-year-old Yate Academy student said: “It feels brilliant to be a British champion.

“It was amazing to see my score come through and see that it was at the top – it just felt great.

“My hopes for the future are to go as far as I can and make it to international competitions one day.”

James, who lives in Yate, was one of 490 participants from 91 clubs to take part in the four-day gymnastics spectacular, with youngsters travelling from all across the UK to compete.

In all, five boys from Fromeside took part in the event, and the club sent them on their way with a good luck message on social media, saying: “We are so proud to have you represent Fromeside.”

The gymnasts performed in front of a packed M&S Bank Arena, with the competition also

broadcast live on the BBC. The age of the gymnasts taking part ranged from 11 to 33 years old. Competitors also included five-time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock, who successfully defended his British pommel horse title.

Also competing was former European champion and newly crowned British all-around champion Ellie Downie, along with four-time Commonwealth champion Claudia Fragapane, from Longwell Green, who returned from injury to take silver on floor.

British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen said: “It’s been a remarkable four days at this year’s Artistic British Championships in Liverpool. I’ve really enjoyed seeing so many of the established names sharing the Arena with up-and-coming stars. The talent on display has been phenomenal and I’m very excited to see what the future looks like for gymnastics in Britain.”

The next major British Gymnastics event is the Gymnastics World Cup, which was due to take place on Saturday March 23 in Birmingham and will see the best nations in the world competing for glory. Visit www.gymnasticsworldcup.co.uk for more information.

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James Puddy wins gold at the Artistic British Championships. Picture: Alan Edwards/British Gymnastics

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April, 2019

n SPORT

Yate Town close in on league leaders after late penalty drama YATE Town’s impressive season has continued with a crucial victory at Cirencester Town that included a last minute penalty save to ensure all three points.

It left Yate a point behind leaders Blackfield & Langley, as the season heads towards a close finish.

The wind played its part in the match, making conditions very difficult with few chances in the early exchanges. Nick Peare came close to opening the scoring in spectacular fashion on 22 minutes when his 30-yard half volley was tipped over by Mat Wieczorek.

It was the hosts who opened the scoring just before the half hour mark when Alan Griffin held the ball up before playing Whitehead through on goal and the striker bent the ball into the far corner.

Cirencester thought they'd made it 2-0 when Whitehead prodded in Griffin's flick on but after a lengthy discussion with his assistant, the goal was ruled out for offside.

Yate went down the other end and from a corner the ball found Sims-Burgess on the edge of the box whose shot went through everyone to score.

And they took the lead a minute into the second half, when Peare got on the end of a cross and finished from close

Alexis Andre Jr was was given treatment. But the Bristol Rovers loanee turned out to be Yate's hero, as he saved Whitehead's penalty to ensure they came away with a crucial three points.

The win was a fillip for Yate, who had suffered after losing 2-1 to Larkhall Athletic. The setback for the title challengers came after a sparkling performance in a 3-0 win over Slimbridge. Nick Peare scored a stunning hat-trick on his return from suspension.

Peare was having his own goal of the season contest, with two contenders either side of the break, before earning the match ball with a header.

April Fixtures (Saturdays at 3pm unless stated): Nick Peare followed his man of the match performance against Slimbridge, when he scored a hat-trick, with the winner against Cirencester Town.

April 6: Yate Town v Winchester City April 13: Yate Town v Blackfield and Langley

range.

Yate could have wrapped it up with three minutes to go when Josh Ford came close from just outside the area after a corner.

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Cirencester were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute after Joe Guest was adjudged to have handled in the area. Guest was sent off and Yate keeper

April 20: Cinderford Town v Yate Town Monday, April 22, 3pm: Yate Town v Melksham Town April 27: Street v Yate Town

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April, 2019

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n SPORT

Sodbury back to winning ways Chipping Sodbury 40, Chosen Hill 39 A SIMPLY cuckoo contest containing 13 tries, two yellow cards and four changes in the lead saw Sodbury come out on top against a Chosen Hill side whose kicker struck the underside of the crossbar from in front of the posts.

Sodbury’s first try was a typical long-range solo effort by Jon Cook. He powered through Hill’s defence and simply kept going, picking a mazy path to the posts. Hill then took the lead with two unconverted tries before Gavin Edgar reprised his scoring. Pete Butcher provided a quick lineout ball just 15 metres out and Dan Bradley ghosted his way through the defence before passing to Edgar three metres out; he needed all his strength to drag three men over the line to score.

Edgar was in again soon after, when Sodbury’s ICBM, Joe Horton, exploded like a 10 kilotonne bomb and smashed a huge hole for the home team to pour through and Dave Guest was on hand to delivered a delicious pass to Edgar.

But tries just before and after half-time saw Hill take a slender one-point advantage. The Sods kept Hill in their own half from the restart and, when awarded a scrum 40m out, looked to pounce. Bradley hit the line and the pack poured over to produce quick ball. Cook took the next pass and lit the blue touch-paper; with the ball in two hands and support on both sides, he once again embarrassed the defence to sneak in from 30m.

Sodbury’s confidence in their scrum was such that they started to opt for them from penalties. Ben Sharp was drafted in at tight-head after completing a long residential decorating course: he didn’t disappoint and went forward at will. It was one of these scrums, 20m out, which provided the ball for the next Sodbury try. Butcher picked up and drew two tacklers before finding Bradley with a seductive one-handed pass. He in turn passed to Lance Cassemis, who has footwork to rival Michael Flatley – he jinked his way past his man for a fantastic try.

Pete Butcher in the thick of it for Chipping Sodbury Picture: Paul Rubery Sodbury now had an 11-point lead, and just as well, as their pesky visitors wouldn’t lie down.

They scored two unconverted tries, one an interception of a pass that was thrown onehanded.

Bradley scored Sodbury’s final try from a scrum 15 metres out. But it was Cook who kept Sodbury’s noses in front, converting five out of six tries to ensure Hill’s injury time was not enough, although it left the home support breathless.

Sodbury’s previous home fixture with Wells ended in a far more comfortable 40-15 win.

That match saw the First XV return to winning ways after a few torrid weeks. It also marked Gavin Edgar’s fourth hat-trick of the season, just one highlight of a fine team performance.

It also included a wonderful solo try from Matt Tait, who launched his own 50m kick down the tramlines and gave chase, chipping ahead, and spotting the cover – a card-carrying member of the front row union. Sorry front row-ers but it wasn’t even a contest.

Paul Rubery

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April, 2019

n SPORT

St Nicks boys thump Imperial

Imperial Youth 0-5 St Nicholas FC under-13 boys.

AN impressive performance saw St Nicks travel to Brislington for a thoroughly-deserved 5-0 win over Imperial Youth.

The first half saw St Nicks playing into the wind but they started the game brightly, playing some neat passing football.

Haydn Frost scored the opening goal of the game with a great finish

but it seemed to galvanise the Imperial team and there followed a period of sustained pressure in the St Nicks half of the pitch as the hosts fought to get back into the game. The St Nicks defence and Jack Humphries in goal were able to deal with the threat and saw the half out.

Playing with the wind behind them in the second half, St Nicks took a firm grip on proceedings.

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Aaron Batey added to the scoreline about 10 minutes in and from then on it was pretty much oneway traffic, as St Nicks piled the pressure on their opponents. Just a few minutes later Jamie Dennis added a third goal to their tally and, although Imperial fought hard St Nicks were in no mood to be benevolent and in the next 10 minutes Stan Wyatt scored twice, to make the game safe.

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