Memorial to covid's lost lives

A MEMORIAL orchard has been planted in Yate to mark three years since the start of the Covid pandemic.

The memorial trees on Yate Common, by Westerleigh Road, are dedicated to all who were affected by the pandemic – and the health workers and others who helped the nation through it.

It has been created by Yate Town Council as a permanent memorial, on common land, with permission of South Gloucestershire Council.

Rector of Yate Rev Ian Wallace joined councillors and volunteers planting 25 apple and pear trees, and dedicated the orchard.

The town council said the trees were funded by the Tree Council’s Branching Out fund for projects in local communities.

A spokesperson said: "These fruit trees were planted in memory of people who lost loved ones, friends whose health has been affected long term, and in recognition of key workers and all the volunteers who gave up their time to support the community during the height of the pandemic.”

Town councillor Chris Willmore said three years on from the first lockdown felt like a suitable time for reflection.

She said: “It feels like a time

Slug menace

SLUGS and other small creatures are shorting out traffic lights across South Gloucestershire, it has been revealed.

They squeeze their way into control boxes for warmth and shelter but are singed when they come into contact with the electrical wiring, which knocks out a set of lights in the district about once a month.

The council has now set up its own in-house team of dedicated engineers to try to prevent the damage caused by the pests and keep the local road network running.

The team is carrying out preventative maintenance to seal holes and make sites watertight.

we can reflect on what happened over the past three years, and start to say thank you to all those who did so much to help us all, and to remember those who we lost.

“We hope it will grow into a place where people can visit and spend a little time to reflect and remember.”

A council spokesperson said: “Keeping our roads safe is one of our main priorities and slugs, snails, spiders and mice are all attracted by the warmth of our traffic light control cabinets but they can cause major issues – spinning webs that channel condensation or sliming across and shorting expensive circuit boards."