Yate & Sodbury Voice January 2020

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January, 2020 Issue 59

FREE EVERY MONTH IN YATE, CHIPPING SODBURY & SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Spotlight on Georgina Luke keeps seat

Georgina Moore of Chipping Sodbury mixed with stars including Sir Chris Hoy (pictured), Gary Lineker and Katarina JohnsonThompson at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

Full story: Page 7

A chance for a new start HOMES for young people who need help to start living independently are being created in Yate.

A total of 28 people at a time will be helped thanks to two schemes involving a charity, a housing association, businesses and South Gloucestershire Council.

Both projects are aimed at helping people aged

between 16 and 25, some leaving care and others either homeless or at risk of homelessness, to learn the skills for independent living.

One new home has already opened and work is underway on the other, which is due to open in the spring.

Full story: Page 3

CONSERVATIVE Luke Hall retained his Thornbury and Yate seat as the Tories won a majority of 80 in the general election.

PAGE 17

8 out of 10 want subway closed

A SURVEY of Yate residents found 80% supported a move to block up an underpass in the town centre.

PAGE 6

'Excellent' club

INSPECTORS have praised an out of school club in Chipping Sodbury where children "thoroughly enjoy their time".

PAGE 5

School tops charts YATE Academy is one of the best in the country for raising pupils' achievement.

PAGE 8

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n NEWS

Appeal after pedestrian hurt

February deadline Our February edition deadline is January 15.

Yate & Sodbury Voice contacts Advertising Enquiries Richard Drew, Publisher

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Local information South Gloucestershire Council www.southglos.gov.uk 01454 868009 Safer Stronger team sscg@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868009 Anti social behaviour team asbreporting@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868582 Streetcare/litter/vandalism etc streetcare@southglos.gov.uk Environment/trading standards 01454 868001

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www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk general enquiries: 101 Fire www.avonfire.gov.uk General enquiries: 0117 926 2061 NHS Health Call 111 Well Aware health & social care information www.wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252

COMPLAINTS Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in Yate & Sodbury Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour. Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.

A member of the PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Yate & Sodbury Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Yate & Sodbury Voice is distributed each month to local residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is welcomed, contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

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January, 2020

POLICE have appealed for dashcam footage and witnesses after a pedestrian was injured by a car in Chipping Sodbury.

Officers say a red Citroen C1 collided with a man and a parked vehicle outside the Horseshoe pub in the High Street shortly before 5.40pm on November 30.

The injured pedestrian The High Street outside the was taken to hospital and Horseshoe pub. later discharged following treatment.

The driver of the car stayed at the scene until police arrived.

Avon and Somerset police have called on anyone who what happened or has dashcam footage of the incident, or the moments before it, to call 101 quoting incident reference number 800 of November 30.

Pervert targets commuters POLICE are trying to trace whoever left messages of a "crude, personal and highly sexual nature" on cars parked by female commuters at Yate station.

British Transport Police said two young women found a series of "disturbing notes and gifts" on their cars in a series of incidents over a two-week period between October 30 and November 13.

A spokesperson said: "Both victims parked their cars in the morning at the station and, on three separate occasions, returned in the evening to find disturbing notes left on the windscreens of their cars.

"The six notes were all of a crude, personal and highly sexual nature, causing the young women an understandable amount of concern.

"On two occasions, lollipops and handfuls of Quality Street chocolates were left with the notes."

Detectives are appealing for anyone who may have seen anyone leaving notes or behaving suspiciously in the car park between the dates in question to get in touch with them.

Witnesses can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 655 of November 1.

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January, 2020

n NEWS HOMES are being created to give almost 30 vulnerable young people in Yate a chance to start living independently.

New accommodation for up to 30 young people aged 16 to 25 who need support to help them learn the skills for independent living is being created in two places in the town.

Southwold House in Station Road was refurbished and opened just before Christmas, providing 10 rooms for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

And work is underway to convert the former Woodleaze care home in Wood Leaze into 18 units, half of which will go to care leavers, with the remainder offered to young people from a range of backgrounds.

Both projects have involved the charity 1625 Independent People, which provides a range of support, from accommodation to learning life skills and help with accessing training, to people in the 16-25 age group.

Woodleaze is expected to open in May and has space

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New homes will give young people a new start for other support services to be based there. The building has been leased by South Gloucestershire Council to charitable housing association Solon. The council helped to secure £126,600 in grant funding and Solon have received £630,000 from housing agency Homes England.

The work at Southwold House was carried out without charge

by Ian Williams, a property maintenance and improvement company from Chipping Sodbury. 1625 Independent People also had a partnership with volunteer staff from Triodos Bank and the Avon Wildlife Trust who helped to create a wildlife garden and relaxing outdoor space.

1625ip chief executive Dom Wood said: “Our young people

Dom Wood of 1625IP, Paul Ville of Solon Housing Association, Jon Hunt and Chris Sivers of South Gloucestershire Council.

have a place that is now somewhere they can be proud of, from which they can rebuild their lives and create a successful future.

"We now have a project where young people can study, a fantastic kitchen to learn to cook healthily on a budget, and proper places to relax and be part of the community.

I cannot thank Ian Williams and their suppliers enough for their generosity.”

Staff and residents of Southwold House at the Ian Williams opening event. executive director Mike Turner said: “We wanted to project, which will make such a do something really brilliant; difference to the lives of young something that would have a people, reach this important long-lasting and positive impact milestone. I look forward to on people's lives.” returning in May to welcome Announcing work at them to their new homes.

Woodleaze, council cabinet “Not only will the new member for young people Jon Woodleaze provide a better Hunt said: “Our top priority is to facility to improve our offer to improve outcomes for all young help some of our most vulnerable people in South Gloucestershire young people achieve better and we know that some of outcomes, ensuring this is done our most vulnerable need an locally rather than further afield, extra helping hand to make the but it is also highly cost-effective, transition to independent living, with the saving transferred particularly among our care to the residents across South leavers.

Gloucestershire.”

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yate&sodburyvoice thornburyvoice

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January, 2020 April, 2017

■nNEWS NEWS

Food on the Post growing Office apology menu at Thornbury for Sodbury closure open meeting

LUKE HALL MP MP for Thornbury, Yate and the surrounding villages Write to Luke at: Luke Hall MP, 26 High Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AH e: luke.hall.mp@parliament.uk w: lukehall.org.uk Promoted by Luke Hall MP, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA.

Foradvertise, Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 800 120120 To contact Richard on01454 01454 800

THE Post Office has apologised over the closure of Chipping Sodbury’s post office at the busiest time of the year.

The post office on the High Street, was shut in November for ANYONE interested in producing their own vegetables, fruit and salad "operational reasons”, with the Post Office Ltd saying it planned is invited to an open meeting of the Grow Your Own Food Group in to restore the service by December 5. But the date came and went Thornbury. without the branch reopening.

The group was set up to share knowledge about food gardening and A Post Office spokesperson said: “We understand and appreciate last year held two successful open meetings, which resulted in new how much communities rely on our services and we sincerely members joining. apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused by the With the start of the new growing season, the exercise is being temporary closure of Chipping Sodbury Post Office due to operational repeated, with the event taking place in The Chantry, Castle Street, on reasons.

Thursday, March 30, from 7.30pm-9pm.

“We are committed to providing Post Office service in Chipping Sodbury and we are working hard to restore Post Office service as soon as possible. During the temporary closure customers can access Post Office services at Yate Sodbury and Abbotswood branches.”

Another post office nearby in North Road, Yate, was "temporarily closed" in June after the postmaster resigned and the premises were no longer available. In September a mobile service was set up and the Post Office said it was still looking for a ‘permanent solution.’

Operated by the postmaster for Cam, the mobile service visits the car park at the Codrington Arms, North Road in Yate every Friday from 1.45pm to 2.45pm.

At the time, Neil Jenkins, a Post Office Change Manager, said: “The establishment of a Mobile service presents the best temporary solution to restore Post Office services to the community in the North Road area of Yate whilst we continue to look for a permanent A CONCERT in Thornbury by Cornucopia, a quartet of solution.” professional horn players, will raise money for the town’sin Yate.

The Yate Sodbury branch is located at 1 South Parade Armstrong Hall development project.

Music by Mozart - and his son - and Haydn will feature in the performance in the Cossham Hall, Chapel Street, on Friday, March 31.

The 19th century piece Bird of the Forest will also be played, with the evening closing with Gordon Carr’s Chinese Songs.

Cornucopia will join up with local flute player Nicki Woodward (Barnes), baritone Niall Hoskin and pianist Steven Hollas for the concert, tickets for which cost £12, with concessions available.

They are on sale in Thornbury Town Hall, High Street, or by phoning 01454 412272.

Horns of plenty in fund raising concert

by Cornucopia quartet

Advertise your business in Thornbury Voice Contact 01454 800 120

Graffiti tagger sorry Fashion Show

A TEENAGER who sprayed graffiti tags around Yate shopping centre has written a letter of apology after being caught following a public appeal.

Police asked for help identifying a man captured on CCTV near the scene of the offences, which was published by the Voice in print and online.

Wednesday 14th June 2017 An Avon and Somerset constabulary spokesperson said an 18-yearArmstrong Hall, old man was traced and has been givenThornbury a conditional caution after what he had done during July.

Tickets available from chloe-tony@hotmail.co.uk He agreed to pay £75 and write a letter of apology to the centre manager as part the caution on November 20. labels.

Fabulous cutofprice bargainsissued from quality high street The spokesperson "Officers traced him through All items areadded: available for purchase on the night. a public appeal for information andorare grateful to everyone who came Cash card only please. forward."

Show Corecord, Ltd. may be disclosed A caution staysSD on Fashion an offender's criminal in pre-employment checks and can affect travel to some countries.

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January, 2020

5

n NEWS

Praise for 'welcoming and inclusive' club INSPECTORS have praised an out of school club in Chipping Sodbury where children "thoroughly enjoy their time".

The Den provides care for youngsters before and after school, as well as providing a holiday club.

Based at St John’s Mead C of E Primary School in Hounds Road, The Den has 32 registered places per session and 52 children currently on roll, and is oversubscribed.

The holiday club, for children aged 3 to 12, is open to the wider community.

Ofsted has changed its ratings for out of school clubs and they are no longer classified as in the same way as schools, which have gradings such as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’. The only rating clubs are given under the new system is whether they have ‘Met’ Ofsted's standards or not, with detail about where improvements are needed, if required.

Inspector Vanessa Redmond said The Den met Ofsted's standards.

Her report said: “Staff provide a wonderfully welcoming and inclusive provision which is wheelchair accessible.

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the club. They settle quickly and are eager to join

in with their friends.

“Staff are kind and are excellent role models. They interact well with children and take a genuine interest in what they say and do.”

Ms Redmond noted that the children’s behaviour was "exemplary" and that they cared about each other, sharing, taking

turns and respecting differences, with older children aware of the needs of younger children.

She said that the management team provide an "excellent service" for families, evaluating the way they work, striving for improvement, and having a close relationship with parents and carers.

Ms Redmond said: “They meet with staff and seek the views of parents, to help them gain ideas and suggestions to analyse areas of improvement. As a result, the setting has extended the opening hours further, to cater for the needs of working parents.”

Karen Owers, who founded the club with a colleague in 2012, said: “We are very proud of our latest Ofsted inspection but even prouder of our wonderful staff, whose hard work and dedication has helped The Den become a success. And a big thank-you to all the children that attend and the parents for their support.”

The Den is open from 7am until 8.50am and from 3.15pm until 6pm on weekdays during term time. The holiday club opens from 7am until 6pm during most school holidays.

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January, 2020

n NEWS

8 out of 10 residents back underpass closure EIGHT out of 10 residents have backed plans to close off an underpass in the centre of Yate blighted by anti-social behaviour.

The Voice reported last month that South Gloucestershire Council was considering a public spaces protection order to shut the subway under Kennedy Way and eventually fill it in.

An online council survey, which closed in December, was launched to let people have their say - and only four disagreed with the plans.

Just 44 people filled in the online questionnaire - and none of them said they used the underpass once a week or more often, while 36 never used it.

By contrast, 45% used the nearby surface pedestrian crossings once a week or more often.

Just one person said closing the crossing would cause them problems and 35 - more than 80% - said they agreed with the plan to close it.

The council must now decide on the future of the underpass, following a campaign to close it led by the South Gloucestershire councillor John Gawn.

A police study found that over the past year there were 317 incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour reported within 200m of the underpass - an area which also includes a large part of Yate Shopping Centre.

Of these, 151 were theft, 76 violence, 22 arson and criminal damage and 35 were public order offences.

Anti-social behaviour was reported separately, with the statistics showing 302 incidents over the same time. The

majority, 205, were logged as a nuisance, but 15 involved assault.

In his report, Avon and Somerset police Designing Out Crime Officer Kevin Wilkinson said: “As well as resulting in substantial amounts of police resources the anti-social behaviour also results in the creation of large amounts of rubbish, requiring often daily cleaning by the Streetcare department of the council.

"The rubbish left includes drink glasses, bottles, broken glass and general retail rubbish.

This makes the area not only a drain on resources but also such that users do not feel safe in the vicinity.”

The underpass is linked to the higher ground by steps and walls, which are used as informal seating by youths. The report says it has urban design features

common where anti-social behaviour takes place: seating, shelter, lighting, a location near to shops, the ability of users to see anyone approaching, lack of surveillance from passers-by and easy escape routes.

Kevin Wilkson suggests various options which could be explored, from removing the central steps, upgrading the lighting to LED to putting a CCTV camera on a street light above the subway. He points out that if the subway is closed with gates this will only stop people from using it for shelter: they would still gather there and be able to use the so-called escape routes.

He recommends that the subway should be filled in to address all the issues and enable the space to be redesigned.

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January, 2020

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n NEWS

Georgina honoured at Sports Personality of the Year awards A SOUTH Gloucestershire woman who set up an inclusive sports club after finding there wasn't one in her area mixed with the stars at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

Georgina Moore, 36, from Chipping Sodbury, set up and runs an inclusive boccia club at Yate Leisure Centre.

It is one of the most successful sports clubs in the area, where people with any additional need or disability and those without can play together. Boccia is like bowls but played sitting down, and players can use any part of their body to propel the ball.

Georgina's achievement saw her given the BBC South West Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award and nominated for a place at the final on December 15.

Although she missed out on the national award, Georgina said it was an "honour" to there.

She said: “It was like I had gone inside my TV, after watching it every year. To be on stage with the other 14 nominees for Unsung Hero was an honour.”

Georgina has a severe physical disability and moved to independent living in Chipping Sodbury three years ago. She is supported by carers.

Growing up she was often separated from other children and PE was always a lesson where she was removed to play games with a teaching assistant, and after school sports clubs weren’t accessible.

Georgina said: “Growing up and moving into adulthood the only club I was part of was a disability swimming club.

This meant I was only mixing with other disabled people and couldn’t take my nondisabled friends along. Also going swimming was physically challenging, due to the changing, hoisting, showering. However, there wasn’t a sport’s club out there that was fully inclusive and I could take part in without leaving my electric chair.”

Medical experts have advised that physical exercise is essential to manage the side effects of her disability, which include pain and fatigue, and it also helps her mental health.

Georgina had trained as a primary school teacher but as her symptoms increased she had to give up work, so she put her energy into trying to find a Boccia club.

She said: “Many people meet others by working or joining clubs. For myself and others similar to me, it is incredibly difficult to mix with others due to limited opportunities, unless you want to be pigeon-holed with other disabled people, which should not be the only choice for disabled people.”

On finding that the nearest boccia club was half an hour away, she set up her own. The biggest challenge was funding, with a set of balls costing £300, a court to hire, and insurance to pay, but Georgina rose to the challenge.

Georgina with world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson She borrowed some balls to get started and ran a stall at Yate Leisure Centre, which raised nearly £500.

She also got funding from Access Sport, individual donations, and Waitrose, amongst others. The club had to have a qualified boccia Georgina Moore, left, on stage at the BBC Sports coach, and her carer Personality of the Year awards. Photo: BBC Tom stepped forwards, calling someone with a disability paying half the cost inspirational is insulting and himself. offensive. I completely disagree.

Georgina’s ambition is to If people see me as an inspiring keep running the boccia club, person for whatever reason, and and to focus on her personal it helps motivate them to go out performance. She said: “I will and things, then that is a positive aspire to play at a Paralympic thing in my opinion! Life is too Games and be inspirational to short to waste time.” others. I recently heard that

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January, 2020

n NEWS OFFICIAL performance tables have confirmed that a Yate school is one of the best in the country for raising pupils' achievement.

The government has compiled a list of figures for every school in the country and its flagship measure for secondary schools is known as Progress 8.

Yate Academy is in the top 1% of schools in England for its known as the Progress 8 score.

Progress 8 measures pupils' improvement between leaving primary school and sitting their GCSEs. It is increasingly considered to be a better way of indicating the quality of a school's teaching and how effective it is at helping its pupils to improve, rather than merely showing exam results.

Based on pupils’ performance in eight qualifications, including English and maths, up to three traditional sciences and humanities and best scores from other qualifications, including approved non-GCSEs, schools are given an Attainment 8 score which shows how pupils have performed on average.

Yate Academy is top of the table for pupil progress This is then compared to those of other schools where pupils started with the same SATs results from primary school, to see how much progress each student has made during secondary school.

Schools are then given a Progress 8 score of between +1 and -1, with a +1 score meaning that pupils are getting a grade higher for each qualification than other similar pupils nationally and a -1 score representing one grade lower.

The average Progress 8 score is 0 - and Yate's score of +1.01 means GCSE pupils made "significantly above average" progress in all areas of the curriculum. In maths and science pupils were in the top 1% of all schools in the UK for progress.

Other subject areas that performed highly were English,

languages and humanities.

A score of 0.19 to -0.19 is counted as average. Anything below -0.2 is below average.

Nearby schools Brimsham Green scored -0.09 and Chipping Sodbury School 0.01, both classified as average.

Winterbourne Academy scored below average at -0.2.

Yate Academy head teacher Isabel Ambrose, pictured, said: "I am delighted that students leave Yate Academy with such exceptional outcomes, which enables them to have a wider range of higher education choice. Although we recognise that examination results are important, I am also committed to ensuring excellence in the arts and sports.�

The tables also measure other data, such as the percentage of students achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE and the percentage of pupils who continue in education or move into employment post 16 is also recorded.

The tables can be found by searching for "compare school performance South Gloucestershire" online or using the shortcut bit.ly/34CH67E.

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January, 2020

9

n NEWS

Petition for Samet tops 250,000 supporters A PETITION set up to support a Yate teenager who is threatened with deportation has surpassed 250,000 signatures.

Foster dad John Stokes is leading the campaign to overturn a government decision to deport his foster son Samet, 18, who was trafficked into the UK aged 15 after a childhood of violence and abuse in Albania.

John has already fostered two other young men, Dave and Ali, giving them a new family. Samet has learnt English, goes to SGS College and is hoping to become a carpenter. But when he turned 18 and applied for asylum, he was denied it. John appealed with legal aid and lost.

In the hope of spreading the word even further about his case, the family has recently released a song for download.

The track is called I’m a Soldier, by musician Stevie-DRed. John describes Samet as a soldier because he has post-

John Stokes, right, with foster son Samet traumatic stress disorder and every day can be a battle.

The song went straight in to the Amazon new release charts at number 1 and reached number 2 in its best sellers list. People can find it by just searching the website's digital music section

for I’m a Soldier.

It is dedicated to Samet and other 18-year-old victims of child trafficking, many of whom are in hiding in Britain after having been refused asylum.

John said: “Our intention was to release it and then sort out a

video and some radio plays to back it up early in the New Year.

We were totally unprepared for it to happen so fast, hence why it has dropped down now, as all the major labels are throwing massive support behind their tunes and we just can’t compete with that.

“We have had a lot of interest from Germany where Stevie-DRed was successful in the 90’s under the name of Sir Prize.

He had a major record deal at that time and there is certainly interest over there again.”

John hopes to push the track as originally planned if he can get some radio interest. He’s also starting a second campaign under the ‘I’m a Soldier’ name to ask for an amnesty for young people who are in hiding. A crucial court appearance takes place this month too, which will decide whether John can appeal against the home office decision to deny asylum.

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yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

11

n NEWS

If Geronimo had TB, why is he still healthy more than two years later?

A FARMER has spoken of her frustration that the government is "refusing to listen" to reason after over an alpaca it ordered to be killed.

Helen MacDonald, who runs a farm in Wickwar, and her alpaca Geronimo are at the centre of a court battle over whether he has bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Geronimo, pictured, tested positive more than two years ago, after being imported from New Zealand. Helen claims the result is a false positive, because Geronimo's immune system was responding to injections of Tuberculin which he received as part of the skin test carried out in New Zealand for bTB surveillance and for his export to the UK. She says if Geronimo really had the disease he would be dead by now – and would have affected the other animals he has been quarantined with.

But the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insists that the alpaca has the disease and must be put down, despite Helen's pleas for officials to look again at the evidence. She says the department has a 'kill at all costs' policy which is not fair and reasonable.

Helen said: “In Geronimo’s case he had had four injections of Tuberculin. The government has never measured the effect of cattle Tuberculin on healthy camelids' immune systems. It's the same dose as you would give a cow, which is ten times

the body weight of an alpaca.

Camelids are not cows, they have a completely unique immune system.”

Helen has been fighting for a re-test, and although she lost her case in the High Court, judges ruled that Geronimo would not be put to sleep while her legal challenge was underway.

Her request for an appeal hearing was turned down in November by the Court of Appeal and she has no further rights to appeal in the UK – but is now considering whether to take the case to the European Court of

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Human Rights.

Helen said: "I'm so disappointed and quite shocked the court hasn't looked at the evidence but has ruled on the law as it stands – so it seems that you can't hold a government to account – and this is a unique case, where there is a wealth of evidence to show Geronimo did not get bTB in New Zealand, as Defra allege.”

Helen wrote to the most recent Environment Secretary, Theresa Villiers, to request a meeting, but had not received a reply before December's general

election. Ms Villiers is the third minister Helen has written to since she started her legal battle, during which time Geronimo has remained healthy.

Helen says Geronimo’s exact movements in New Zealand have been documented and no other animals he came into contact with has tested positive. The farm where he lived has been free from any suspicion of TB for 20 years. Since coming to Britain, he has been quarantined – and none of the other animals he is held with have contracted the disease.

What keeps Helen fighting is her conviction that there is no scientific evidence behind the government’s decision.

She said: "It's wrong – the fact is, they have no valid test data, Geronimo is running around five years after Defra allege he ‘got it at a show’ in New Zealand and now, more than two years later, must be slaughtered because they say the test results were correct back in 2017.

“How do you make a government accountable for their actions? I have expert witnesses, I have expert camelid vets, I have evidence from around the world that says this isn’t acceptable, but DEFRA won’t listen to anybody.

"It's not about trying to save a sick animal, if I thought for one minute that Geronimo was diseased then he would have been taken at the outset in 2017."

The Voice has asked Defra for a comment on Geronimo's case.

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yate&sodburyvoice

12

January, 2020

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Yate Academy Receives Prestigious Award

S

TAFF and students at Yate Academy have just received a prestigious award in recognition of their broad character education offer; this is in addition to their deep focus on achieving academic excellence. The Character Kitemark, awarded by the Schools of Character Association, acknowledges schools and academies whose extra-curricular programme is as impressive as their strong curriculum offer. The three core values – Ambition, Excellence & Pride – were chosen by leaders, teachers and students at the school, and permeate everything they do; in the classroom, at break and lunchtime, in connection with the local community, and in wider pursuits of activities – including the arts, sports teams, academic clubs, expert workshops, and volunteer initiatives – these all contribute to the success of the programme. When you step through the doors at Yate Academy, it’s impossible not to notice that everyone is desperately proud to be there. A healthy balance between true scholarship, a real investment in developing identities and a powerful contribution to the local community has clearly been struck.

One crucial element of Yate’s impressive character programme involves every student having their own individual booklet, which is used to record achievements throughout their education journey from Year 7 to Year 11. There are a wide variety of character-building activities on offer in every year group, with 45 badges of recognition to be achieved in total – all of these are centred around the three core values. Activities this year alone have included; a daily commitment to their wonderful Tutor Time reading programme; an uptake in the quality musical groups on offer (the academy runs choirs and orchestras led by subject specialists and visiting professional musicians); attendance at Ivy League lectures delivered by guest speakers from top universities and local organisations; engagement in excellent school performances; attendance on outdoor pursuit residentials to encourage effective peer relationships and a stretch beyond comfort zones; ongoing partnerships with local primary schools and contributions to major concerts at both Gloucester and Clifton Cathedral in the advent of Christmas.

students, Yate Academy seems to be outrivalling many of its local competitors. GCSE results in Summer 2019 saw this school swiftly move into the top 1% of schools nationally for progress.

With a Progress 8 score of +1.01 (where Progress 8 score ‘0’ is average), students at this school achieve, on average, one grade higher in every subject than the rest of their peers across the UK. You would think, then, that there might be very little time for additional opportunities beyond their subject disciplines – but, no. This school continues to look outwards and upwards, taking every opportunity to prepare students for their bright futures, be it in a year, three years or five.

On hearing the news of being awarded the Character Kitemark, Izzy Ambrose, Headteacher at Yate Academy, stated: "I am delighted that Yate Academy has been recognised as a school of character. Although examination results are important, our school is about much more than that. Our aim is to make every child in our care the very best version of themselves through nurturing talent, channelling creativity, exposing ambition and competing for excellence. As such we are committed to providing excellence in Sport and the Arts. We are also very proud of the number of opportunities our students get through trips and experiences, to develop their confidence and wider understanding of the world.”

Yate Academy remains oversubscribed this year, which is a true reflection on the impact it continues to have with its own students and their families, and the strong relationships it has established within and across the local community. Bristol, UWE and Cambridge University all partner with the school to raise aspirations and encourage links with their own Access to University programmes. The school is also part of the Future Frontiers scheme; a local initiative designed to offer mentoring support from those in local businesses to those students interested in pursuing careers in business. The staff body are committed to ensuring that all students within their care – irrespective of gender, ethnicity, financial background, religion, or any other demographic group – are successfully prepared for the exciting futures full of possibility that are absolutely within their reach.

Achieving academic excellence is no easy feat but, with true visionary leadership and a committed team of staff and

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

13

n NEWS

Schools encouraged to help young carers SCHOOLS are being encouraged to work with a charity to help support children who have to juggle their academic work with caring for relatives.

Bristol-based charity Carers Support Centre, which helps young carers across South Gloucestershire, is raising awareness ahead of National Young Carers Awareness Day January 30.

Among the local schools which has already joined the charity's Young Carers in Schools programme is Chipping Sodbury School, which organises a lunch club for young carers.

Carers Support Centre young carers manager Kama McKenzie said: "Did you know that many school children take on huge caring responsibilities? Young carers are just kids, yet they care for someone at home who could not do without their help. The average age of a young carer is just 13 years old.

“On average young carers will miss a day of school each month as a result of their caring role, so the steps schools take to identify and support them can have a huge impact on their learning, wellbeing and life chances.”

The Government classifies young carers as ‘children in need’. They can be isolated and lonely, and often suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as lack of confidence and low self-esteem.

Kama said: "Young carers

struggle to keep up with their schoolwork, are often bullied at school, and have significantly lower educational attainment than other children.

"A local authority survey found that young carers were 70% more likely than other pupils to report feeling ‘generally unhappy’ at school. Carers Support Centre also found that 75% of young carers have been absent from school due to the physical and mental impact of their caring responsibilities."

Carers Support Centre helps schools by providing training for staff, governors and pupils.

Schools can then set up support groups, homework clubs and drop-in sessions for young carers, to give pupils confidence that staff understand their home situation and can give them the support they need.

Young Carers in Schools is a national programme promoted

by Children’s Society and Carers Trust, and hundreds of schools across England are part of it, including 17 of the 120 primary and secondary schools in South Gloucestershire.

Carers Support Centre is calling on people to help by finding out if their local school is part of the Young Carers in Schools programme and asking those who are not to get in touch with Carers Support Centre.

More details about the charity and its work can be found at carerssupportcentre.org.uk.

Staff and young carers at Chipping Sodbury School's lunch club.

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yate&sodburyvoice

14

January, 2020

n NEWS YATE fundraiser Clive Daniels has handed over his final fundraising donation, almost 35 years after his first charity marathon.

In his last charity run, 73-year-old Clive, from Yate raised £14,350 for Macmillan Cancer Support at the Bristol Half Marathon in September.

The donation took his final total for the charity to £261,000 and his total for all charities to £283,000 since his first charity marathon in 1985.

Clive's time for the race was 2 hours 42 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes slower than his fastest time for the half marathon, achieved in 1988.

But he said: "This time it was all about the fundraising.

"I'd like to thank all my sponsors, the vast majority of whom are in the Yate and Sodbury area, for their valued support over the years.

"I will carry on running, although I will no longer be knocking on doors and contacting shops and businesses for sponsorship."

Clive hands over £14,000

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yate&sodburyvoice

16

January, 2020

n NEWS

Car narrowly avoids office block after crash A CAR narrowly avoided hitting an office building after crashed off a road and through a hedge following a collision.

The incident happened in the early hours of November 24 in Iron Acton Way, Yate.

A white Audi A3 left the road near the roundabout junction with Yate Road and went over three kerbs and through a hedge, before coming to rest a few feet from the front door of Orchard Computer Services.

Orchard Computer Services director Chris Patten said he had only been made aware of the incident, which was captured on CCTV, later in the day via social media.

He said the security footage, which was made available to the police, showed three people getting out and running from the Audi.

The owner of the car, which

The damaged car after the early hours crash. Photo: Chris Patten. lost a wheel in the incident, later visited the scene and the car was removed.

Chris said: "It launched itself

through the hedge and across the parking spaces.

"Luckily, apart from the hedge and a few kerbs here and there,

there wasn't much damage.

"If it had come a few more feet it would have crashed into the pillar that holds the porch up."

Avon and Somerset police investigated the incident but said they were no longer looking for witnesses, after the owners of both cars involved in the collision exchanged details for insurance purposes.

A police spokesperson said: "We were called to reports of a two-vehicle road traffic collision in Iron Acton Way in Yate, shortly after 2am.

"After the collision one of the cars collided with a fence and bush surrounding the Oaklands Business Park – the occupants of the car are reported to have left the scene.

"The occupant of the other car was not injured."

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yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

17

n GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS

Luke retains seat as Tories build majority THE Conservatives have held on to all three constituencies in South Gloucestershire, as the governing party swept to an 80seat Parliamentary majority in December's general election.

In Thornbury and Yate, sitting Tory MP Luke Hall was reelected with an almost identical majority to the previous election in 2017.

Both the Tories and Liberal Democrats increased their share of the vote on an increased turnout, with Labour – the only other party standing – slipping to under 10 per cent.

Mr Hall, who first won the seat in 2015, received 30,202 votes, 58% of the total cast and up from 28,008 (55%) in 2017.

His majority was 12,369 - up by 298 from 12,071 two and a half years earlier.

Defeated Labour candidate Rob Logan and Lib Dem Claire Young.

Lib Dem Claire Young finished second on 17,833 (34%).

This was also a three per cent increase in her share of the vote compared with 2017, when she received 15,937 votes (31%).

Labour’s Rob Logan mustered only 4,208 votes (8%), down from the 6,112 (12%) his party achieved in 2017.

Just three candidates stood in the constituency this time after the Greens withdrew, as part of their Unite to Remain pact with the Lib Dems. The Brexit Party unilaterally withdrew from all Tory-held seats.

Turnout was up from 50,690 (75%) in 2017, to 52,243 (76%).

In his victory speech, Mr Hall said: “It has been the most enormous privilege in my life to serve my constituency since 2015.

“The Conservatives will form a majority government. I hope this will provide clarity and certainty to the country as we look to deliver a Brexit deal with the European Union.

“I would like to say thank you to the residents who have elected me for a third time, which is a huge privilege, and I will do everything I can for you.”

Ms Young, who leads the Liberal Democrat group on South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I would like to thank everyone who supported me.

“I am proud to have run a positive campaign, and rest assured my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will continue to serve our communities with whatever lies ahead.”

Mr Logan said: “I’m very

Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall looks on as fellow South Gloucestershire MPs Chris Skidmore and Jack Lopresti shake hands. grateful for the opportunity to represent my party in this constituency that I love.

“I would like to thank the other candidates for the tone and manner in which this election has been fought.

“I’m not sure the campaign nationally has quite lived up to that standard and I think in the future all parties need to learn how to be nice to each other again.”

Elsewhere in the South Gloucestershire, Jack Lopresti retained his Filton and Bradley Stoke seat with a majority of 5,596 over Labour's Mhairi Threlfall and in Kingswood, fellow Tory Chris Skidmore

increased his majority to more than 11,000 over Labour’s Nicola Bowden-Jones.

Thornbury & Yate result: Luke Hall (Conservative) 30,202 Claire Young (Liberal Democrats) 17,833 Rob Logan (Labour) 4,208 Turnout 52,243 (76%) (254 rejected ballot papers)

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Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

18

January, 2020

n NEWS

Rugby players team up to help foodbank MEMBERS of Yate Rugby Football club and staff at Ashfield prison worked together to donate a large amount of food for people in need over Christmas.

Boxes were left at Yate RFC's home base at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex, in the main staff entrance at Ashfield in Pucklechurch and at Yate player Bernie McMullen’s shop, Calendar Club, in East Walk in Yate, for items to be donated.

The food people gave was handed to charity the Trussell Trust at their collection point at The Candle, in Station Road, and given to people who need them.

People are referred to foodbanks when emergencies mean they are unable to afford to buy food, for example because of being made homeless or unemployed. Families can be referred to the foodbank up to three times every six months, although for most it is a one-off.

Mark Summerville, Neil Olive, Stewart Stacey and Martin Booth bring donations to volunteers at the food bank in Yate.

HMP Ashfield director Martin Booth and three Yate RFC board members, who also work at the prison, chairman Stewart Stacey, club secretary Mark Summerville

and club captain Neil Olive attended the collection point at the end of November to hand over two large boxes and several other bags of items, which were

due to help local people in the Yate and Sodbury area.

Mark said: "As ever, people were extremely generous."

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yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

19

n NEWS

Volunteers’ efforts celebrated at reserve VOLUNTEERS at a Yate nature reserve have been thanked for their award-winning work.

Wapley Bushes Nature Reserve off Shire Way has won the Green Flag Community Award and two Outstanding Neighbourhood Awards from South West in Bloom in the past year.

Certificates recognising the awards were presented by the chairman of Dodington Parish Council, David Lane, who thanked the volunteers.

He said: "Your hard work is very much appreciated by local people who visit the Nature Reserve. We're proud of what you have achieved."

The site is looked after by the Wapley Bushes Conservation group, who are members of the Southwold branch of the Avon Wildlife Trust. At their most recent session the volunteers planted 30 trees as part of the Ash dieback replacement programme and tidied up the reserve.

Paul Hulbert, a member of the conservation group, said "We're very grateful for all the support we get from Dodington Parish Council.

"We're just starting our busy season, planting new trees in the wood and generally tidying up the reserve.

David Lane presents certificates to Wapley Bushes volunteers.

"Our next work morning will be on Sunday February 16, meeting at 10am at the nature reserve sign at the gate next to the pedestrian crossing on Shire Way.

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yate&sodburyvoice

20

January, 2020

n STROUD AUCTION ROOMS

Jewellery and watches sparkle in sale THERE was definitely a sparkle about the December sale at Stroud Auction Rooms, with specialist sections for jewellery, watches, silver, clocks and coins attracting bidders across the globe.

A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Submariner gentleman's wristwatch, pictured, made £4,400, setting the scene for the next few highest lots.

An 18ct white gold ring with a round cut diamond went under the hammer for £3,200, followed by a modern Breitling Navitimer gentleman's automatic chronograph wristwatch (£2,300), a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date gentleman's automatic wristwatch (£2,300), an 18ct gold ring set with three round cut diamonds (£2,300) and a Breitling Navitimer 806 vintage gentleman's chronograph wristwatch (£2,100).

An Art Deco platinum ring set with a 1ct diamond and with diamond encrusted shoulders also sold for £1,700: Alexandra Bowkett always comments on how popular Art Deco pieces are, and this was a prime example.

The jewellery and watches theme was broken by a Georgian hallmarked silver twin-handled hare coursing trophy, with a greyhound finial and decorated with a hare coursing scene, which went under the hammer for £2,000. Dated 1827, it was made

by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, who held a Royal warrant from 1797

until 1834.

In the silver section, a George V 12-place setting canteen of Old English pattern cutlery, all having the Seymour (Duke of Somerset) crest and housed in a fitted mahogany canteen on legs, which sold for £1,300, was ready for the Christmas dinner table. A pair of hallmarked silver pedestal tea light holders made £1,050 amongst a small group of lots, all by Stuart Devlin, including novelty eggs, napkin rings and a pair of chalices, totalling over £3,000.

Top of the coin lots was a 2000 Queen Mother Centenary Year proof gold crown in deluxe case with certificate, selling for £1,010.

The star amongst the older coins was a 1658 Commonwealth shilling in excellent condition, which made £850.

While jewellery and watches dominated the top selling lots, all the other categories, from bijouterie to fine wines and spirits, performed well.

Auction staff have already started lotting for the first sale

of the new year. The auction on January 8 and 9 will feature ceramics, glass, Asian and tribal art, books, ephemera including another single owner collection of playing cards, stamps, musical instruments, vinyl records, and pictures. Viewing will be on Tuesday, January 7, from 10am7pm.

Another guns, weapons, medals and militaria auction will be held in February. Patrick Smart our militaria expert is already working on a large single owner collection of over 400 military cap and other badges, it will likely total over 500 lots. This is always a very popular event, so if you are thinking of consigning items into this sale, now is the time to take them in.

For any queries about buying or selling with Stroud Auction Rooms ring 01453 873800, email info@ stroudauctions.com or visit the website www.stroudauctions.co.uk

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

Including specialist sections of ceramics, glass, Asian & tribal art, books, stamps, ephemera, pictures & paintings, vinyl records & musical instruments Vinyl Records

Ceramics

Led Zepplelin One LP. Sold for £1,000

Royal Worcester pair of vases decorated with Highland cattle. Sold for £2,300

Stamps

Glass

A collection of stamps Sold for £3,500

Baccarat glass paperweight.

Sold for £1,400

FREE valuations every Friday (9am-5pm) & Saturday (9am-12:30pm) at our saleroom, at your home by appointment or why not email a photograph to info@stroudauctions.com We are regularly ranked no 1 in the country for the number of online bidders

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

January, 2020

yate&sodburyvoice

21

n NEWS

Joel 's £11,000 TV win for Thornbury charity ROCKHAMPTON comedian Joel Dommett has done a Thornbury charity a big favour by making it the beneficiary of a win on TV show Catchphrase.

Former Castle School pupil Joel, best known for his appearances on I’m a Celebrity…

Get Me Out of Here! and E4 drama Skins, won £11,200 for Brain Tumour Support on the ITV quiz.

He beat fellow former I'm a Celebrity... 2016 contestants, actor Dean Gaffney and chef Rosemary Shrager, who competed to identify a familiar catchphrase represented by a piece of animation.

Joel said: “I can’t believe how much money I won! It turns out I’m good at Catchphrase!

"I was so happy to win it for such a wonderful charity that is close to mine and my family’s heart. The charity’s support groups and specialist counselling are a lifeline to so many patients

and families and I know these funds will make a big difference to these people’s lives. I’m really proud to be able to support the charity.”

Joel grew up Rockhampton before moving to London to start his showbiz career and remembered his roots when choosing the charity, which is based in Thornbury but offers support and advice to people nationwide.

It is estimated that 100,000 people in the UK are living with a brain tumour and Brain Tumour Support can receive more than 20 referrals every week.

Charity founder and chief executive Tina Mitchell Skinner said: “We were over the moon when we heard that Joel had chosen Brain Tumour Support.

He has such a big heart and always wants to make a difference. Winning this amount of money for us will allow us to do so much.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Joel Dommett (right) with Catchphrase presenter Stephen Mulhern (centre, left), dean Gaffney and Rosemary Shrager.

"The impact of brain tumours desperately needs more awareness and more money allocated to support the growing number of people affected, living and dying, every day."

The charity, which received a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2019, operates across the UK with 23 support groups and one-to-one support on offer.

It campaigns to raise awareness of the impact on patients and their families.

Anyone who needs support or would like to help the charity should email info@ braintumoursupport.co.uk or visit the website www. braintumoursupport.co.uk for more information.

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

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yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

n NEWS BUSINESS owners at a Frampton Cotterell farm shop believe the same gang of thieves is behind two raids on their store.

The Trent Food and Beverage Hall at Poplars Farm Shop on Bristol Road has been raided twice in a matter of weeks.

Large quantities of meat, the shop's entire stock of red wine and 11 bottles of apple juice were stolen in the most recent break-in. Added to the £2,000 value of the lost stock is the cost of repairing damage to windows and equipment, which is likely to cost more than £1,000 to repair.

Cindy Trent and her husband Tim run the food hall business, next door to a café run by Mike and Sarah Cowell.

Cindy discovered the break-in when she arrived for work at 5am on December 12.

She said: “I was in shock – I could see something shiny through the window before we went in, there was glass everywhere and it was shattered into smithereens.

"We’ve got three refrigerated units and they broke all the shutters in the units, one was completely empty and one three quarters empty.

"They took all the pork counter – gammon, pork fillets, sausages, there were no sausages left. From the beef counter they took the burgers, they took all the cut-to-size steaks, all the topside joints of beef, the half leg of lamb – not the whole leg of lamb - they left the whole chickens and the beef dripping.”

After the first break-in on November 5 last year, when around £1,000 of meat was taken, Cindy and Tim were advised by police to install crime prevention measures such as

23

Farm shop business is targeted twice by burglars

The aftermath of the raid on the Trent Food and Beverage Hall at Poplars Farm Shop in Frampton Cotterell. roller shutters, CCTV, or smoke cloaks. Without the immediate funds available to pay for a long-term solution, as an interim measure they had the doors reinforced, extra bolts added, and bars put on all the windows.

The food hall and cafe were separated by internal doors and

windows in a partition wall and in the first burglary, the thieves appeared to have broken through from the café to the food hall, so bolts and bars were added there, too.

But during the second breakin the damage was far worse.

Cindy said: “They clearly

couldn’t get the doors open between the shop and the café, so they took the whole partition wall down. The doors were on the floor and the wall, they had kicked over the Christmas tree and broken the lights, there were eight bottles of red wine on the floor, two of which they had broken.”

Police did find some evidence and are still investigating. Cindy and Tim noticed that on both occasions the same type of thick white polythene bags, with no handles, were left behind, so they are sure they have been targeted by the same thieves twice.

They have now built a permanent wall to try and protect both businesses and changed their working hours so that staff are there overnight as well as in the day.

Cindy said: “We would like to thank our customers for the support they have shown us and they looked genuinely horrified when they found out that we were burgled once again.”

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said: "Police enquiries into these incidents are continuing."

Anyone who has information about either raid or has been offered meat or wine in suspicious circumstances should call the police on 101, quoting the crime reference number 5219 286 028 in relation to the December 12 incident or 5219 256 655 in relation to November 5.

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yate&sodburyvoice

24

January, 2020

n NEWS

Yate Resident Wanted to chair 4 neighbourhood meetings a year

Yate & Dodington Neighbourhood Network Group is looking for someone who'd like to: Be more involved with community decisions Develop meeting facilitation and chairing skills Is able to attend four, 2 hour meetings a year at locations in Yate Talk with the community development workers to plan the agendas If you are passionate about local matters, have a voice about how you'd like the area to be developed and want to act together for the common good of whole community then this role would be right for you.

Contact us for a conversation about the group and role Southern Brooks Community Development Coordinators Sato Black 07971 670880 satoblack@southernbrooks.org.uk Alex Swatton 07890 56919 alexandraswatton@southernbrooks.org.uk

Yate Resident Wanted to chair 4 neighbourhood meetings a year What is the purpose of the group?

Yate & Dodington Neighbourhood Network Group is a group of residents, community groups and services working in the local area who meet to steer the strategic direction of community development work in Yate and Doddington. The discussions at the meeting produce tasks and actions to take which everyone completes and updates at the following meeting.

Who goes along?

South Glos Council services e.g. public health, community Emergency Services e.g. fire and police Community groups e.g. Scouts, Abbottswood Action Group Schools Churches and other faith groups The 2 community development workers from Southern Brooks Community Partnerships facilitate the meetings by setting the agenda, sending the invitations and following up actions.

What experience do I need to do this role?

No previous experience of chairing meetings is required, only a desire to learn. The community development workers can support you to understand the aim of the meetings and help you to develop chairing skills as needed.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Staff at Stanshawes care home in Yate, which has retained its good rating from the care watchdog.

Care home praised in inspection A YATE care home has been rated “good” by the health watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission said staff at Stanshawes Care Home were "responsive to people's health and social needs" and looked after residents in a “calm and friendly atmosphere”.

The home was commended by residents and their families for the care their staff give, with one resident telling the watchdog: “The staff are all lovely - I couldn’t wish for a better place to live.”

CQC inspectors visited the home in Stanshawes Drive in August.

They said in their report: "The service was caring and put people at the heart of everything they did. We were introduced to people throughout our visit and they welcomed us.

"People appeared relaxed and comfortable in their home. The feedback we received from them and family was positive.

"Staff had a good awareness of individuals' needs and treated people in a warm and respectful manner. They were knowledgeable about people's lives before they started using the service."

The inspectors were impressed with staff morale at the home.

One member of staff told them: “I enjoy working here and the residents mean everything to us. I leave my shift knowing I have done the very best for them.”

The report said that staff went out of their way to welcome families to the home and arrange day trips for residents.

It also pointed out that the home received thank-you cards from relatives. One wrote after a family member died to say: “Nothing was ever too much trouble and you did your utmost to meet his needs and keep him as comfortable as possible right to the very end.”

One resident told the inspectors: “The staff are caring and friendly, they pop in and chat and they know my family well.”

The home, which is run by Four Seasons Health Care, provides nursing and residential care for up to 48 older people.

It had 40 residents at the time of the inspection.

Four Seasons Health Care managing director for southern England, Fiona Williams, said: "Stanshawes certainly deserves the level of praise outlined in the report and we are so pleased to receive such lovely comments from our staff, residents and their families."

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

25

n NEWS

Add your voice to this Yate choir ANYONE looking for a new musical hobby to start the New Year is being recommended to come along to a rehearsal of Yate Choral Society.

The mixed-voice choir of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses currently has about 60 members but is always on the lookout for more people who enjoy singing and the company of fellow singers to join the ranks.

Society secretary Jan Hazelby said: "We sing a variety of different music which we share with the people of the area in three main concerts each year.

"Being a choral society, our principal concert is usually a major choral work, such as Mozart’s Requiem or Handel’s Messiah, so we can enjoy the uplifting experience of performing great music.

"One of our concerts is always in support of a local charity, and each year we raise a substantial sum of money in support of our chosen charity.

"This concert will consist of some lighter pieces, folk music and songs from film and show.

"Our Christmas Concert is held in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, where we perform a variety of well-known and some unusual carols and Christmas music, as well

Yate Choral Society. Photo: Rich McD. as favourite carols to enable the audience to sing along with us. Also, at Christmas we sing some of our seasonal repertoire in several nursing and residential homes and are wellenough thought of to be hired occasionally to sing at events and weddings, which helps to support the choir and keep our membership cost down."

The choir rehearses on Tuesday evenings

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between 7.30pm and 9.30pm at St Nicholas Church, Abbotswood.

Jan added: "You don’t have to be a musical expert to join us, just someone who enjoys singing. Come along to one of our rehearsals and see for yourself how you like what we do."

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yate&sodburyvoice

26

n LOCAL MP

Thank you for your support

I

Luke Hall MP writes for

January, 2020

Yate & Sodbury Voice

AM totally humbled to have been elected as the local MP for our community for a third time. As someone who worked in Lidl before being elected, I never thought I would be here. The fact the community has supported me again makes me eternally grateful.

Opening yourself up to scrutiny is never easy, so I want to express my gratitude to the other candidates who stood in the Thornbury and Yate constituency. I know we are all grateful to them.

The big issue is settled. We are leaving the European Union on January 31. The new government has a mandate to deliver the result of the referendum, end the delay and provide certainty for our country. I have never believed that people wake up every morning thinking about the EU. Quite the opposite. It is now time to deliver on the issues our community is concerned about. We will put more nurses in our hospitals to deliver world class care and more police on the streets to tackle anti-social

Yate Town Council is proud to reflect on some of its achievements in 2019 Yate Town Council Buys YMCA Building In early January 2019, Yate Town Council was delighted to finish the negotiations and complete the purchase of the YMCA building on Station Road, Yate. The building had been empty for several months.

Councillor John Ford, Chair of Yate Town Council at the time, commented: “This is part of saving facilities for our town long-term. This is a vital extra space for local groups and I am delighted we have been able to protect it.”

The property is now available for hire for community use.

Yate Outdoor Sports Complex (YOSC) In January 2019, YOSC welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to the facility, where the work of volunteers was celebrated.

Track and Athletics Enhancement Project The refurbished and enhanced track and athletics facilities at YOSC were opened for business back in September 2019.

Councillor Chris Willmore, Chair of the Project Steering Group, said “We are delighted that local athletes now have access to a completely upgraded facility that will last another 25 years, and give disabled athletes, Brimsham Green

behaviour and speeding. This recruitment has already started.

We will invest in our local health services, rebuild Thornbury Health Centre and the Frenchay Centre of Rehabilitation Excellence and upgrade the Yate Minor Injuries Unit to an Urgent Treatment Centre.

We must invest in transport infrastructure by building the Yate Park and Ride, Charfield Station and put in place a proper Thornbury Infrastructure Plan with an A38 Transport Package.

We will further increase funding for every school in South Gloucestershire, bringing our area in line with other areas around the country whilst rebuilding Castle School, building two new primary schools in Yate and improving village schools.

We will work with and protect local businesses with low taxes, allowing them, as the engine room of our local economy, to create jobs and enhance our community. At the same time we must connect the remaining 4% of homes and

businesses in South Gloucestershire with a good broadband connection so our children can do their homework and entrepreneurs can run start-ups from home.

As your local MP, I will continue the fight against poorly planned development across South Gloucestershire, working with the communities in Thornbury, Charfield and Coalpit Heath to make sure we make the best possible case about the correct locations for development, and the infrastructure that must come with it.

South Gloucestershire is a remarkable place to live and work.

It is family orientated, community minded, full of entrepreneurs and incredible High Streets, all set amongst the most beautiful scenery you will find anywhere in our country. It is a privilege to serve you as our local MP. Thank You. If there is ever anything I can help with, please do not hesitate to get in touch at: luke.hall.mp@ parliament.uk.

School pupils and athletes of all ages international quality facilities.”

Funding for this project was obtained from Sports England and SGC s106.

Astroturf Pitch Replacement Project The Astroturf pitch replacement project at YOSC was completed in September 2019. Yate Town Council raised funds for the project through Sport England, Ibstock & Entrust Communities and Suez Landfill Community Trust.

Kingsgate Park Yate Town Council was over the moon to hear that our very own festival, Yate Rocks!, held annually in Kingsgate Park, had been shortlisted as a finalist at the National Outdoor Events (NOEA) Awards 2019. The winner of the award for Best Small Outdoor Event was announced in November 2019 and Yate Rocks! came in the top 4.

2019 saw the upgrade of the toilets in Kingsgate Park, as well as the installation of outdoor exercise equipment. Yate Town Council is currently arranging to install a defibrillator, in early 2020, on the outside of the gates leading in/out of Kingsgate Park from Elmwood, as well as at Poole Court, Sunnyside Bowling Pavilion and the Armadillo.

Appointment of 2 New Apprentices During 2019 we were pleased to welcome 2 new apprentices. Ashleigh is supporting our Service Support Team at Poole Court and Eloise is based at the Armadillo Youth Café and Venue. As an organisation we are happy to support apprentices

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

who bring diversity to our workforce and the benefits of fresh thinking through curious minds wanting to progress and develop their future careers. In 2020, Yate Town Council will be appointing a further apprentice to work with the Estates team.

Have Your Say What do you want your Town Council to achieve in 2020?

Projects currently underway or due to begin in 2020 include: Relocation of Yate Amateur Boxing Club and development of YOSC Multi-Activity Building; Yate Ageing Better, Health and Wellbeing; Graffiti Busting; Abbotswood Play Area and paving completion; Howard Lewis Play Area completion; Scoping of Carbon Neutral Initiatives; New North Yate Community Building.

It is important that we continue to best represent the town we live in and promote the interests of residents within it. If there is something you feel passionately about achieving in your town, please let us know by contacting us at: Yate Town Council, Poole Court, Poole Court Drive, Yate, South Gloucestershire BS37 5PP or via info@yatetowncouncil.gov.uk or telephone 01454 866506.

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

January, 2020

n NEWS WHEN organisers of a South Gloucestershire festival decided to donate proceeds from the event to support the area's air ambulance they had no idea it was about to save a friend’s life.

Mellow in the Meadow raised £1,000 for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity from its inaugural event in 2018 and decided to double the donation second time around.

Just a week before the event at Pound House Farm, Thornbury, in August, Vicky Vatcher, a close friend of the organisers, had a riding accident.

She fractured her skull, resulting in a bleed on her brain, and also broke her ribs and punctured a lung. She was taken by the air ambulance to Southmead Hospital’s major trauma centre.

Three months later Vicky was well enough to meet specialist paramedic Jack Kilminster, who was with the air ambulance crew on the day, when the £5,000 Mellow in the Meadow raised – more than double the target – was presented at the GWAAC air base in Almondsbury.

yate&sodburyvoice

27

Five thousand thanks for saving Vicky's life Specialist paramedic Jack Kilminster meets Vick Vatcher and the organisers of Mellow in the Meadow.

Vicky said: "It is amazing how quickly circumstances changed from being a normal day to waking up in hospital, weeks later. It was wonderful to meet Jack and hear about the care I received at the scene. I am grateful to have the opportunity to say an enormous thank you to

Jack and the crew at GWAAC." Lorna Hook, from Mellow in the Meadow said: “We are very proud of our achievements fundraising for a fantastic cause, but also enormously grateful for all you do and for providing super care to our friend.”

Mellow in the Meadow also

raised £1,000 for the Farm Safety Foundation.

GWAAC community fundraiser Joe Hughes said: “Mellow in the Meadow is a real South Glos success story and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.

"It’s only thanks to people like Lorna, Beth, Massey, Julia, Suze and Jackie doing amazing things like this that we can continue to save lives in South Glos and Glos and surrounding areas, so on behalf of everyone living or working in this region: thank you so very much!”

GWAAC has to raise over £8 million every year to keep the air ambulance flying, with no government or lottery funding.

It is called out to more than five incidents every day in South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and B&NES.

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Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

28

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

n WHAT’S ON IN OUR AREA January 13 n Bristol Budgerigar Society: Veteran budgerigar breeder, exhibitor and judge Mervyn Viner talks about his life in birds at Little Stoke Community Hall, 7.30pm. Visitors welcome without commitment to join. Details from Ron Ramplin by email at ronnie. ramplin@btinternet.com or call 07748 740794.

January 22 n South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group talk by Bryn Hawkins: Boy to Man in the Somerset Coalfield. 7.30pm for 8pm start at the Miners Institute/ Village Hall, Badminton Road, Coalpit Heath.

February 1 n Burns Night, Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, with entertainment provided by RockPipes, a sevenpiece Celtic rock band. Includes piping in and address of the haggis followed by a two-course meal and some Scottish dancing. More details from Andy Warn on 07916 253267 or at www.rockpipes.co.uk.

February 21-22 n Severn Valley Quilters Exhibition of members work, Thornbury Methodist Church Hall, Castle Court. Friday 2-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pm. Admission £3. Traders, sales, tombola and refreshments.

Disabled access. Proceeds to Western Air Ambulance. More details from severnvalleyquilters@ gmail.com.

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 Macular-support group meets monthly - 3rd Monday 1:303:30pm at Watkins room, Old Grammar School, Highstreet 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, 6.159pm. New members welcome, experienced or otherwise. Contact chairman Richard Gilpin on 01454 321323 or email richard_gilpin@ btconnect.com. n The Arts Society Severn Valley meets at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, third Monday of the month.

Lecture programme, special interest days, art gallery and museum visits. Visitors £6. More details at www.svdfas.co.uk or email memb@svdfas.co.uk. n Monday Lunch Club meets at St Nicholas Church, Abbotswood, midday-1.30pm. Delicious home cooked soup and a roll, a dessert and drink for £2.50. Come and make new friends, especially if you live on your own. Tel 01454 324712 or email st.nicholas.abbotswood@ hotmail.co.uk. n Job club (drop-in), 11am-1pm, Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale Primary School, Tyndale Avenue, Yate. Contact Chelsea Bell, Building Better Opportunities Officer, on 01454 868570 or email chelseabell@southernbrooks.org.uk. n Avon Pickleball Club play at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre from 9-11am. Indoor racquet sport combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.

Email info@avonpickleball.club

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

or phone 07801 715421 for more information.

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 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 Chipping Sodbury Men's Probus.

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 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 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 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 GENTLE YOGA CLASS Every Tuesday at 2pm-3pm, only £7. Book on 07702 344287 Crossbow House,Frampton Cotterell,BS36 2DB Beginners welcome, Please bring a yoga mat and wear comfy clothes Facebook – Holisun therapies UK 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 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

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

29

n WHAT'S ON CONTINUED

Thursday

n Coffee morning, 10am-midday, Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale Primary School, Tyndale Avenue, Yate. Contact Mike or Barry on 07780 188146 or 07890 320445. n Avon Pickleball Club play at Thornbury Leisure Centre from

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 Gloucestershire Arts Appreciation Society meet at Bradley Stoke Community School, Fiddlers Lane, Bradley Stoke, 3rd Thursday evening of the month.

Starting October at 7.00 for 7.30 start. Refreshments provided.

Contact: Sallykitching@googlemail. com Tel. 01454 774401

South West CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018 ALE AL

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For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

n The Phoenix Art Club meets at Guinea Lane, Fishponds in the Methodist church hall every Wednesday mornings 9.30am to 12noon. We have a number of artists with a wide range of skills and interests and we break for coffee at 11am to enjoy a chat with our friends and look around at what everyone is creating, be it watercolour, pencil, oils etc.

Anyone interested in joining is welcome to drop in for coffee and see what goes on. We welcome all abilities!

DIS

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

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 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 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 Blossoms play groups, 10.30amnoon, Cranleigh Court Community 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.

10.15am-12.15pm. Indoor racquet sport combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Sessions cost £2.50 for an hour or £4 for two hours. Email info@avonpickleball.club or phone 07801 715421 for more information.

E

Wednesday

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

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.

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n Learn traditional Japanese samurai and ninjutsu martial arts by training body, mind and spirit, with experienced and welcoming 5th Dan instructor. First class free then £6 per class (paid monthly), Tuesdays 8pm - 9:30pm, Yate Leisure Centre. Contact Michael: colbournemichael@hotmail.com

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 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! 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.

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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. n Friendship & Dance for over 50s returns in 2020 with a change to 2nd TUES IN THE MONTH (except Feb): 14th Jan, 18th Feb, 10th Mar, 14th Apr, 12th May. Miners Social Club,Badminton Road, Coalpit Health, 2-4 pm. No partner needed, Gentle exercise with easy circle dances to live music.

Experienced teacher, beautiful dance floor, refreshments, friendly group.£4. More details from Hilary: 07515 351 813. n Wellbeing peer support (dropin), every other Tuesday 1-2.30pm, Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale Primary School, Tyndale Avenue, Yate. Contact Kate Ross, Wellbeing Support Worker, on 07989 402871 or email kateross@ southernbrooks.org.uk n Knit and Natter. Last Tuesday of the month, 7-9pm, Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale Primary School, Tyndale Avenue, Yate.

Contact Lynne on 07751 818191

NT SCH

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January, 2020

n WHAT'S ON CONTINUED n Relax, Refresh & Recharge 5 week guided relaxation course. Reduce stress & anxiety, boost creativity & calm. The Annexe@ Manor Hall, Coalpit Heath. Thursday Evenings 9th Jan- 6th Feb, 8-8.45pm. Course cost £30. Contact Sarah on 07743041957 or visit www. balancedlifehypnotherapy.com for more information. 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 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. 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 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. n Emersons Green Quilters meet at Christ Church Centre, Quakers Road, Downend, 7.30pm9.30pm on second Thursday of every month. Contact Ann Price on 07505 267931 or email emersonsgreenquilters@gmail.com for more details. n Computer Club (drop-in) 2-4pm, Cranleigh Court Community Hub, Tyndale Primary School, Tyndale Avenue, Yate. For more details contact Matt Force by email at jobnetworkbristol@outlook.com.

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.

If you want to get back into cycling this could be for you. More details from Brian on 0778 018 8146.

Saturday n Yate Racketeers Junior Badminton Club meets from 10am-11am and 11am-12.25pm, from September to April, term time only. Ages 6 to 18 All coaches DBS checked and Badminton England qualified. All abilities welcome. First session free. Contact Penny Shears on 0794 101 3514 or pennyshears@ googlemail.com. n Dippers Swimming Club for disabled plus family, meets every Saturday 5.30-6.30pm at Yate

What’s on at Yate Library Staffed opening: Monday: 10am-5.30pm Tuesday: 10am-5.30pm Friday: 10am-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.

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

Thursday mornings 10.30-11am, term time only.

Storytime: A free family-friendly storytime. Stories and a simple craft for pre-school children.

Monday mornings 10.30am-

11am, term time only.

Lego Club: Listen to stories and poems, then create a model to display at the library. Suitable for primary school age children, who must be accompanied by an adult. Saturday January 11, 10.3011.30am.

Teen Focus book group: Do you love books? Have a favourite author? Come and talk about books. Year 7+, £1 per session, refreshments provided. Thursday January 16, 6.30-7.30pm.

Other events and groups The Craft Group: January 4 and 18, 10am-noon. New members will always be made welcome by this friendly group. Share tips and ideas for your knitting, sewing or crochet projects.

Poetry Group: January 14, 21 and 28, 1-2pm.

Owls at Yate Library: January 25, come and meet owls and birds of prey at Yate Library. Join us and

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

the experts at Owl Occasions for a talk all about their beautiful birds.

Meet the birds 9.30-11.30am. Talk at 10am.

Support and educational groups RNIB Technology for Life: Technology support for blind and partially sighted people takes place at Yate Library on Wednesday afternoons by appointment only. For more information contact the RNIB Technology for Life team by email: tfl@rnib.org.uk or phone 0303 123 9999.

Vision West of England: Information, advice and support drop-in, Friday January 17 from 10.30am-12.30pm. 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, 2.30-4.30pm.

Advance Notice Murder Mystery Evening: Assassination aboard Amphitrite A Red Herrings Production. Friday February 7, 7.30pm. Booking required: tickets for library members £3.20, non-members £6.40. Bring your own drinks – glasses, tea, coffee and nibbles provided.

For more information on the library, 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

January, 2020 Leisure Centre. Contact Sue on 01454 850775 for more details.

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. n Teas on Sunday at Old Sodbury Church. From 2.30-4.30pm every Sunday until September 16. Come and enjoy a cup of tea in the tranquility of the church or outside with an amazing view over the Severn Valley.

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. South Gloucestershire Council Diamond Cards can be used on the service.

Office is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30am-4pm, and Saturday from 9.30am-2pm.

For more information call 01454 868718 or 0799 957 4474, or email 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.

January events at Chipping Sodbury Library: All Sorts Club – an after-school club for crafts, homework, games and reading. Wednesday January 15 and 29, 3.30pm4.30pm. Most suitable for ages 3-12 years.

Pre-school Story and Rhyme Time: Join us for stories, songs and lots of fun. Friday January 17 and 31, 10am-10.45am.

Lego Club: Let your imagination run wild with Lego and Duplo. Saturday January 25, 10am-midday. All ages welcome.

31

n NEWS

Whirlpool hit by new safety recall YATE employer Whirlpool has launched another massive product recall.

The American comany, which owns the Station Road site, announced on December 18 that 500,000 Hotpoint and Indesit branded washing machines sold in the UK over the past five years need to be repaired or replaced.

The company said the machines' door locking system can overheat, creating a fire risk.

The issue affects around one in five Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines sold between 2014 and 2019 and has been linked to 79 fires over that time.

Whirlpool set up a website and hotline for owners to use to check whether their machine is affected.

It comes months after thousands of tumble dryers made at the Yate plant were recalled, after being blamed by the government for 750 fires over 11 years.

Company executives told MPs that there could be up to 800,000 Hotpoint, Creda, and Indesit dryers still in people’s homes which need safety modifications.

The Yate factory has been focused on making tumble dryers purely for the UK market since 2017 and the washing machines involved in the latest recall are reported to have been manufactured in Poland and Turkey.

The company issued a statement, which said: "People’s safety is Whirlpool’s priority, which is why we are proactively recalling certain models of washing machines manufactured under the Hotpoint and Indesit brands between 2014 and 2018.

"When the heating element in the washing machine is activated, in very rare cases a component in the door lock system can overheat, which, depending on product features, can pose a risk of fire."

The company stressed no Whirlpool-branded machines were involved.

Anyone who needs more information and to check whether their machine will need to be recalled should call 0800 316 1442 or visit washingmachinerecall.whirlpool. co.uk online.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Whirlpool's Yate factory People will be offered either a free like-for-like replacement washing machine or a free inhome repair.

Whirlpool vice president Jeff Noel said: "We know this will cause some concern. We especially understand that the washing machine is so important to family life, and in Christmas

holiday season it will be even more of an important matter and, for that, we apologise."

Mr Noel said the firm's customer service department was being expanded, engineers hired, and delivery and collection capability increased from January.

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January, 2020

n NEWS

Cars clamped in DVLA tax crackdown CLAMPS were fixed on to 12 vehicles in the Frampton Cotterell area by contractors working for the DVLA. The cars were targeted for not having up to date vehicle tax over a six-day period as part of an ongoing campaign by the agency.

Its partner firm NSL clamps or impounds any untaxed vehicles spotted on the roads as part of a range of enforcement measures.

The clamping took place between December 2 and 7, and drivers faced paying a hefty bill before they could use them again.

A spokesperson for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency said: “While the vast majority of vehicles on the road are taxed correctly, it is right that we take action against those who don’t tax their vehicles and then drive them - otherwise it wouldn’t be fair to those who do the right thing.

“We don’t need to spot a vehicle on the road to take enforcement action but if we do, wheel clamping is an effective way to make sure that an untaxed vehicle is not driven on the road.

“It’s never been easier to tax your car – it’s just a few clicks to do it online and you can do it 24 hours a day, you can also spread payments across the year by Direct Debit so there really is no excuse.

"Having your vehicle clamped is expensive and inconvenient. Don’t take the risk – tax it or lose it.”

All vehicle owners are sent tax reminders by post to let them know it’s time to pay.

When a car is clamped, the motorist must pay a release fee of £100, and if they are unable to prove that the vehicle is now taxed then a surety fee of £160 is charged.

The surety fee is refunded if the motorist can provide evidence of tax being paid within 15

days of the release of their vehicle.

If the release fee isn’t paid, the vehicle is impounded, with further costs to pay. The release fee rises to £200 and there is also a storage charge of £21 per day. A surety fee of £160 is again due if the owner can’t prove that the vehicle has been taxed.

When a vehicle is declared off the road (SORN), it must be kept on private land.

Further information on taxing a vehicle can be found via www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax.

89 drivers arrested POLICE arrested 89 drivers in the first two weeks of their annual festive crackdown on drink-drivers.

The Avon and Somerset force’s annual Operation Tonic sees officers carrying out extra road patrols, stops and tests to highlight the dangers of drink and drug driving.

Police said a quarter of all fatal collisions in the force area, which includes South Gloucestershire, over the past 12 months have had drink or drug driving as a contributory factor.

Superintendent Claire Armes said: “This year there have been nine fatal road traffic collisions across Avon and Somerset linked to drink or drug driving. This is a worrying statistic and shows that the message is still not getting through. The tragic consequences of risking drink or drug driving are clear for all to see.

“Visiting a family to tell them their loved one has died or has been taken to hospital in a critical condition is perhaps the most difficult message that we have to give.

“Our message is simple, don’t take the risk – it’s not worth it. The worst-case scenario is that you are responsible for killing someone, ruining the lives of dozens of that person’s friends and family and a lengthy prison term to contemplate your actions.”

Information from neighbourhood police teams and members of the public is used to target habitual drink drivers.

Officers are calling on anyone who sees someone they think is driving under the influence to call 999 immediately. To report pass on evidence about a known drink-driver, call 101.

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

January, 2020

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33

n NEWS

The West Barn

Work to strengthen the arch

Medieval barn restoration is on track WORK to restore Winterbourne Medieval Barn is going well, with the dilapidated West Barn now being turned into function rooms with a kitchen, toilets, and office space.

It has always been closed to the public, but the arched waggon entrance, which was unsafe, has now been strengthened.

The old cow byres have been already been converted into workshops for small businesses, and a waiting list has already been started. Eventually there will be a covered walk from the Medieval barn to

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the West Barn, so that people can get to the toilets without going outside. The restoration work is on schedule to finish late spring, with a launch event planned for Sunday June 14.

In the meantime, the Winterbourne Barn Medieval Trust is still raising funds to reequip the new learning facilities and its been chosen for the Co-Op’s local community fund for this year.

The Co-op dedicates 1% of spending to community projects and members can choose who they support.

Member can choose the barn online at coop.uk/2rMfLTn and it is possible to sign up to be a member on the website.

While the restoration work is in progress, there will still be monthly talks and smaller workshops running in the Cart Shed.

The next is an apple grafting workshop on Saturday February 22, with Ben Raskin of the Soil Association. Participants will make three newly grafted trees to take home.

Bookings can be made via www. winterbournebarn.org.uk.

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January, 2020

n NEWS

New road named after composer NEW homes taking shape in the village of Rangeworthy have a link to a distinguished figure form the area's past.

The new community of threeand four-bedroom detached homes being built close to the village hall has been named Harford Place, after the organist and composer Charles Harford Lloyd, who was born locally in 1849.

At the age of ten he played the organ at Rangeworthy church but went on to serve as organist and choirmaster at Gloucester Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral in Oxford and Eton College Chapel.

As well as organ and choral works, Harford Lloyd wrote three clarinet pieces, chamber works, an overture and an organ Charles Harford Lloyd concerto with

An artist's impression of a new home in Harford Place orchestra, as well as a number of songs for voice and piano.

He was a friend of fellow composer Hubert Parry, who is best known for writing the tunes sung to Jerusalem and Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.

Already reservations are being taken and the housebuilder reports ‘keen interest’ in those still available.

Cotswold Homes, which also built an earlier development in Waverley Close in Rangeworthy,

is reporting keen interest in the new homes.

For more details about the development, email harfordplace@cotswoldhomes. co.uk.

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NO MORE WASHING-UP IN 2020 Have you made your New Year Resolution yet?

I made mine on Christmas Day when things came to a head.

It was one thing to have the in-laws in residence but when my neighbours’ oven packed up on Christmas Eve my wife insisted that they should also join the family for lunch the next day.

Our current home can feel a bit cramped at times, so with three excited children and four additional adults, my ‘goodwill to all men’ was nonexistent.

With standing room only for the Queen’s Christmas message on TV, I retreated to the kitchen sink and endless piles of washing up.

My wife and I have talked about moving so were intrigued to hear about the spacious kitchens, dining and family rooms in the new homes taking shape on Cotswold Homes’ Florence Gardens development off

Chipping Sodbury’s Trinity Lane, but we decided to do nothing until we could see what they were really like.

That was a big mistake, according to Cotswold Homes’ sales and marketing director Terri Hayes-Pugh who told me that some buyers were forward-thinking enough to buy off-plan, rather than wait-and-see. They snapped up some of the best plots and spent Christmas in their fabulous new versatile homes.

She added that if I’d acted earlier I would not have spent the afternoon of Christmas Day stressed out and washing up as all the new homes at Florence Gardens come with a full set of integrated appliances . . . including a dishwasher!

Other features of the new homes – depending on housetype and location – include a spacious hallway leading to a kitchen/dining suite with a separate utility room; a dualaspect lounge with French

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

A dishwasher is fitted in every Cotswold Homes kitchen in addition to an oven, hob, fridge-freezer and washer-drier. Pictured is the kitchen in the Florence Gardens showhome doors opening on to the garden for alfresco living; a ground floor study or playroom, and bedrooms which include a master bedroom with wardrobes and an ensuite.

So, my New Year Resolution?

‘Buy now!’

For more details call Milburys

on 01454 417336. Advice is available on the Help-to-Buy scheme (terms and conditions apply – visit www.helptobuy. gov.uk) and Cotswold Homes’ GameChanger package which, subject to terms and conditions, could assist with moving costs.

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

January, 2020

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35

n NEWS

Glimpse of future at new retirement complex

Back in September Len, 94, who saw action at the Battle of Normandy in 1944 and fought in Belgium, Holland and Germany, unveiled a special brick recognising that the building has been named after him.

For more information on the new development call 01454 837 682 or visit www. churchillretirement.co.uk.

D OO ST L F RU CA N T LO U CA YO

THE firm building a new retirement complex in Yate has unveiled new images of how the development is expected to look when complete.

Trewin Lodge in Normandy Drive is being built by Churchill Retirement Living, which has opened an on-site Welcome Centre at the development to show potential residents what they can expect if they move in.

The company says 17% of the purpose-built one and twobedroom retirement apartments at the development have already been reserved.

Regional Marketing Manager Caroline Haswell said: “We are delighted to be bringing our new development to Yate, and we’re looking forward to welcoming people to our new Welcome Centre to give them a taste of what the Churchill lifestyle is all about.

"Being in a manageable home with no worries about maintenance gives our Owners more time to spend doing the things they enjoy, making new friends and being part of a new community.

“We have already seen lots of interest from local over 60s.”

Trewin Lodge, which when finished will comprise 65 privately-owned, self-contained apartments designed for the over 60s, has been named after Yate war veteran Leonard Trewin.

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January, 2020

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37

n MOTORING A guide to pre-owned cars with Richard Cooke

Second-hand Style Turning over a new Leaf

B

ACK in October I wrote a stink-o-gram to Bristol’s Mayor Marvin Rees, asking him (in what with hindsight seems rather harsh language) just why he hadn’t pulled his finger out and made a decision on Bristol’s air pollution plan. This plan had been delayed for years, Marvin’s obfuscation resulting in the threat of court action by the government.

I did not expect a response but – knock me down with a feather - he came up trumps.

In November he announced that central Bristol will be a diesel-free zone from 2021, and the council agreed that this was a jolly good idea. The scheme needs government approval but, if enacted, Marvin will have gone from embarrassing laggard to a UK air quality pioneer.

Credit where it’s due, Mr Rees, because I think you’ve made the right decision. The plan will inconvenience many people for a short period and, more seriously, it will financially impact small business owners with diesel vehicles.

But it will immediately stop people dying, and generally make life more pleasant for everyone in the centre of town. I urge central government to wave it through.

In the meantime, if you still own a diesel car

and drive it anywhere near Bristol, you need to move fast. The local used market will start to fill up with unwanted diesels as the deadline approaches, and that means your car will be worth less as a trade-in. This is happening already in London, as people change out of diesel and get back into petrol or go electric for the first time. What should you do? I’ll do my best to control my inner Mr Toad – Poop! Poop! – not everyone wants the fastest, shoutiest petrolguzzling road rocket. Some people just want to get to work or drop the kids at school. For this demographic – you? – I revisit the Nissan Leaf.

When I first drove the electric Leaf in 2017, I was pleasantly surprised by the speed, silence and space that it offered. I was less impressed with a range of just 80 miles from the 24KWh battery. So this month, I drove the facelift version, equipped with a bigger 40KWh battery (about 150hp).

Like the previous model, this is a very spacious car and it retains the futuristic swoopy lines of the Mk1. All the power and torque is available immediately, as before but even more so. The Leaf is properly fast. You can also drive it purely on the throttle if you engage the ‘e pedal’.

This regenerates the battery and slows the car as you release the accelerator. As an aside, the colour of my test car (officially called ‘Spring Cloud green’, but I prefer ‘Sparkly Spearmint’) is really attractive. Handling is neutral, steering light, brakes excellent when you need them.

The dash is finished with leather, along with the thick-rimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel.

For cold mornings, both front and rear seats are heated. Cooking model Leafs do without these creature comforts, but you’ll pay very little extra for them on the used forecourts, so look out for the top ‘Tekna’ specification.

Have Nissan overcome their range issue?

Almost. This 40KWh model manages 140 miles in real-world driving, so you still can’t get from Bristol to Heathrow and back without stopping to charge up. For that journey, you’ll need the too-new-to-test-here 62KWh ‘e+’ Leaf and have at least £38k spare. That’s a chunky £16k more than a two year old 40KWh (or £160 for every extra mile of range). Two years ago, the Leaf looked like an absolute steal second hand, as range anxiety kept prices low. As this becomes less of a problem and the regulatory tide turns inexorably in favour of electric cars, used values have firmed. That said, Nissan are still offering much more for less compared to their rivals, especially German manufacturers. Whilst Mr Toad wouldn’t have bought a diesel in the first place, you may have. Possibly on the advice of previous Governments, who were wrong. A used Leaf isn’t a bad way to come back in from the cold.

What to pay Nissan Leaf 40KWh: From £22k for a 2018 model with 12k miles.

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January, 2020

n RECIPE OF THE MONTH

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.

No sermons please S

O, it’s January and all those magazines which only a short month ago were encouraging us to indulge in rich food and fine wine are now suggesting that we have a dry January and a do controlled fasting. Just another example of how human beings swing from one extreme to the absolute other.

After many years of feeling guilty in January, I’ve come up with a scheme to avoid that.

First, over Christmas say no to seconds, food or drink. Try to do some exercise every day over the holiday period: a short walk, try and walk instead of taking the car for short trips or even walk up and down your stairs three times, twice a day. It all really helps avoid those extra pounds.

Secondly, after New Year you don’t need to go totally dry, just limit the alcohol. Maybe have a drink every other day, or drink only at the weekend. Research has shown that doing either of these (preferably as a lifestyle change) is better than having a month at a time abstaining and then getting stuck in again.

Thirdly, have a reassessment of what you are eating. Try to eat less red meat and more fish, plus

extra fruit and veg. All of this isn’t rocket science, it’s all about being determined to put it into practice.

That’s why my recipe is a supereasy fish dish.

I started by saying no sermons; hopefully this hasn’t been too much like that. Now all I have to do is to follow my own good advice!

Good luck to us all with that.

Salmon with a Saffron Couscous Crust The salmon fillets can be prepared in the morning, covered with cling film and put in the fridge until they’re needed. The mango salsa can be made the day before and kept in the fridge. Remember to take the salsa out of the fridge about a half hour before serving to appreciate the full flavours.

Serves 2 Ingredients: Salmon fillets - 2×150g.(5oz) Medium couscous- 40g. (1 ½ oz) Cider, white wine or apple juice3fl. oz(75ml.)

Saffron -1 generous pinch.

Beaten egg - ½

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Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 375F, 190C, gas mark 5 First prepare the couscous. Warm the liquid of your choice and add the saffron, salt and pepper. Whisk this lightly to distribute the saffron. Put the couscous. in a bowl and pour all the liquid over it. Stir with a fork and then cover with cling film and leave to one side to allow the couscous. to absorb all the liquid.

Now prepare the salmon. Season the fish with salt and pepper and then dip in the egg.

Then fluff up the couscous. with a fork and tip into a shallow dish.

Dip the salmon (with the eggdipped side down first) into the couscous. and press down with your hands so as to cover the fish. (It’s just like covering fish with breadcrumbs) Place the fillets on a baking tray and if you’re not ready to cook them, cling film them and put in the fridge.

When you want to cook them, remove the cling film and place in the oven.

Bake for 15-20 mins until crispy.

Serve with mango salsa, green beans if in season, or roasted baby tomatoes and broccoli.

Mango Salsa Serves 2.

1 small red onion - peeled and finely chopped.

Mild red chilli- ½ de-seeded and finely chopped.

Mango- ½ peeled and cut into small cubes.

1 lime - zest and juice.

Olive oil - 40ml. (1½ fl. oz.)

Salt and granulated sugar- a generous pinch.

In a bowl, mix the onion with the pinch of salt and sugar.

Add the chilli, olive oil, lime zest and juice. Stir well.

Mix in the prepared mango, cover with cling film and put in the fridge.

Cook’s tip: Aioli (a garlicky mayonnaise) also works well with this. You can make it, but it’s a little tricky and Tesco’s Finest is fab, so save yourself the aggro!

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

39

n NEWS

Get creative at art and craft club THESE paintings, drawings and pots are just some of the creations made by a club which is looking for new members to exercise their artistic talents in the new year.

Yate and Sodbury Art and Craft Club meets on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings

at the Ridgewood Centre for arts and crafts including drawing, painting, sewing, collage, paper crafts and pottery.

Emma Daniells from the club said: "Two to three times a year we will invite a guess artist to give us a demonstration or

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"We welcome adults of any level or ability."

Anyone interested in joining can find out more at the Yate & Sodbury Art & Craft Club Facebook page or call Roz on 07941 946412.

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yate&sodburyvoice

40

January, 2020

n PETER'S VISION

2020 vision is our goal

W

glare, and from the number of comments I’ve had I know this rang true for many of you. If you experience glare and have yet to have your eyes looked at then how about a New Years resolution to see us soon?

I’m particularly championing clear vision for young eyes. Every child deserves the opportunity to see clearly, yet so so many still don’t get to have an eye exam with an Optometrist. It’s free under the NHS at our practices, so really there should be no excuses! We check how well the young eyes of your loved ones can see close, mid & far away, we make sure their eyes work together and are healthy as well as looking for the signs of problems just around the corner (do eyes have corners?). If they need glasses, well we can even provide two pairs free under the

ELL a Happy New Year to you all! I trust that however you celebrate Christmas you had a truly super time. I’m sure you’ve all noticed the year 2020 is upon us. As an Optometrist, it would be a missed opportunity, short sighted even, if I didn’t mention the year, seeing as how it’s almost a vision standard.

20/20, or 6/6 if you prefer the British notation to the 20/20 US version, is how we write down good vision.

Perhaps it could be the year of good vision, who knows? I hope it is a year of good vision for as many of you as possible. For me, clear vision is the goal for each and every patient I see. Now sadly for some this is just not achievable, but wherever and whenever possible we’ll aim for this for each of you. And why not eh!

I wrote a few months back on

GLASSES

NHS optical voucher scheme.

As it’s the New Year, I should mention a new lens I’m a fan of. It’s our Drive lens. No prizes for guessing what this one’s for!

Whether you need glasses just for driving or for driving & close we’ve a new lens just for you! These lenses are designed for driving but also allow you to see at home, in work and when out and about too. The clever bit’s inside the lens, giving optimal clarity & focus, which is surely key for a glasses lens.

So, back to the year of good vision - how’s your vision? Are you definitely sure it’s as good as it could be? If you, or your loved ones are due (or overdue) an eye exam, why not book one now?

As well as a vision check we also carry out a full eye health check for your peace of mind. You can

book an appointment to see us by calling 0117 962 2474 or 0117 965 4434, via our website, or just pop in to our practices in Henleaze or Fishponds and say Hi! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Peter

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

January, 2020

41

n COMMUNITY NEWS News from Chipping Sodbury Lions THE Lions Club of Chipping Sodbury have been involved in their main fundraising period of the year.

We have been out with our sleigh on eight evenings collecting around the area. There were also six days of collections at supermarkets. A lot of hard work has been put in by Lions and volunteers.

Our photo shows Santa, his sleigh and collectors.

We have also had our annual Christmas Concert in the Town Hall. This was extremely successful, with the hall being full to capacity.

Entertainment was provided by the Wotton Silver Band and, for the first time, Yate Community Choir. The performances were very much enjoyed by the audience.

Chipping Sodbury WI It does not seem two minutes since I was writing last December’s article - must be a sign of getting old!

Since the last meeting a lot has happened. We enjoyed a visit to the Royal Mint in Wales. I took my bag for life for some free samples, but none were available! The talk prior to the tour stated that you would not look at money in the same way. This turned out to be true, only problem is that it does not stay in my purse long enough to examine closely. Lunch was at a nearby garden centre, followed by some retail therapy. It was good to see the coach full with not only Chipping Sodbury WI members and family but from three other local WIs. The December meeting went down well, with a raffle for one of the Christmas hampers (no luck again). The talk was on the sights and sounds of the bygone years of the music halls. I am not old enough to retire but was surprised at the number of names of artists that I knew whose career stated in this way.

The craft group have been busy making Christmas tree decorations telling the story of the 12 Days of Christmas, which was on display at St Mary’s Church. The Carol Service on the 9th was again open to family members and other WIs in the area.

The January meeting will be on the first Thursday in the year, being the 2nd, at 7.30pm at the Town Hall up in the Charter Suite. It will be an American Supper, a quiz and a chance to catch up on all the Christmas and New Year gossip.

If you feel that you would like to get involved with Lions in some way, please make contact on 0345 8337424. All proceeds go to charity.

Come as a stranger and leave as a friend.

Be part of an organisation that can and has proved to make and will continue to make a difference.

If you wish to come on your own we will ensure that you will not stay on you own. www.thewi.org.uk Jeanette Oakley

Yate WI Our first year – we opened in April - has been fun and busy especially the last month. On November 20, two of our members went on a visit to the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Cardiff, with Chipping Sodbury Morning WI. The Royal Mint moved from London in 1971 at the start of decimalisation.

After having our bags searched, we were shown the dies used to cut and shape the coin, then entered the factory but stayed behind a soundproofed window, as the noise is up to 90 decibels!

The machines produce 700 coins per second and supply more than 60 countries. Blanks go into the machine at the start and brand new coins come out the other end, with people then checking the results. The Royal Mint also makes all the military medals, engraved with the recipient’s name and service number, and the medals for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. There were over 7,000 medals made. Somebody had to be available to make and engrave spare medals, in case of a draw!

We struck our own special 50p piece commemorating Wallace and Gromit’s 30th anniversary.

We visited the museum, showing the development of coins, had lunch in a Cardiff garden centre

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Richard Cole President

and returned home. It was a great day out.

The same day also saw the first of our planned monthly coffee afternoons at the Cupcake Fashion Tea Rooms. Several members came along to chat and to get to know other Yate WI members better.

On November 27, thirteen of us met up with other Avon WI members for an evening of shopping at John Lewis. In between wandering around, we had a complimentary glass of 'bubbly' and a mince pie. We had a free raffle ticket (none of us won), a demonstration on dressing a Christmas tree, samples of gin with Fever Tree tonics, new flavoured Quality Street chocolates, truffle chocolates and a demonstration of a coffee maker with tastings.

Finally, to top it off, we had a £5 voucher off any purchases we made.

Monday December 9 was the last meeting of the year and we had our first Christmas party.

We welcomed 28 members and with a table laden with luscious Christmassy puddings and drinks, a couple of silly games and a raffle.

We all had a good time, with plenty of chat, laughter and Christmas wishes. Another great chance to get to know one another better!

Our first meeting of the New Year is on January 13, with a speaker from the Great Western Air Ambulance, and we have a year full of interesting speakers booked, such as the Hat Lady, dressing a Tudor queen, SARA (the Sharpness lifeboat and rescue station), interspersed with various sales and raffles.

We are looking forward to a great 2020 and there is always a warm welcome for visitors and prospective new members For more information, visit our website yatewiavon.wixsite.com/yatewi or find us on Facebook at Yate WI. Best wishes for the New Year to all from the Yate WI. Jo Rees

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42

January, 2020

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Rotary leadership course is 'life-changing' CHIPPING Sodbury and Yate Rotary Club got together to hear the experience from four teenagers who recently attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.

Three girls and one boy attended this year’s course, which is sponsored by Rotarians but conducted by professional trainers Grass Roots.

The course was held at Dean Field Study Centre in the Forest of Dean in July. It aims to give a development opportunity to young adults by exposing them to leadership scenarios, working in a team to solve problems and applying creative approaches to leadership. It also allows them to meet new people, build selfconfidence and to understand how they might approach community and service projects.

The RYLA course is very much an activity-based learning experience, requiring some willingness to try something new and testing. Some of the activities are physical and designed to ensure good involvement and reliance on team working to achieve the results. Of course, new talents and skills are discovered along the way, as well as being great fun.

The four candidates said that RYLA was life changing, unique and challenging, and a great opportunity for them.

Three of the group were from Brimsham Green School: Esme Littlechild, Sarah Friis and Luke Firstbrook, who is also a Challenger Explorer scout. The fourth member was Casey Mason, from Chipping Sodbury School.

The four teenagers who attended the Rotary Youth Leadership course.

Mrs Friis said she had noticed a difference in Sarah, who was noticeably more self-confident and has much more self-belief.

There is more information about Yate Rotary online at

yaterotaryclub.co.uk and Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club at bit. ly/36H5yWS. David Picton Rotary Club of Yate and District.

News from the Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury AT the time of writing we were looking forward to the club’s Christmas dinner, expecting 90 attendees for a festive evening at the golf club.

With our Inner Wheel colleagues, we supported the second of four Dementia Support Group tea dances, attended by some eighty local people, enjoying an afternoon of music and dancing.

More recently we participated in the town’s Victorian Day, with our traditional mulled wine and mince pies stall, established to raise money to support deserving causes in the community.

In conjunction with Yate & District Rotary Club, we hosted a recent event to hear from the

four students from Brimsham Green & Chipping Sodbury schools who had participated in the 2019 prestigious Rotary Youth Leadership Awards scheme, an intensive leadership based course to develop skills in areas such as presentation, communication and team working whilst having some fun. Club members enjoyed a talk by local well known resident Emma Doney, who gave a thoughtprovoking presentation focused on the challenges of combating loneliness and isolation in the community. Two apprentices from Atkins Global, part of a team from the company who will help organising the club’s Health and Wellbeing Day in the Town Hall

in June 2020, explained to club members their proposed approach to the event. An impressive and refreshing presentation from two young people in our local community.

We supported the Caring in Bristol Christmas appeal with clothes, food and toiletries, whilst also giving the charity a sizeable financial donation. The club made a financial contribution to the Southmead Hospital Blue Light Technology fund, technology designed to identify bladder cancer. We also made a financial donation to the National Eye Research Centre. On the youth front, we made a financial contribution to a Bristol based

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Finally, we made a donation to support a Rotary club in India to provide milk for an orphanage and we provided a sizeable financial donation to the internationallyacclaimed organisation ShelterBox, providing emergency shelter and other essential items to disaster-hit families worldwide.

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January, 2020

yate&sodburyvoice

43

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

A time to reflect

W

ITH a new year comes the opportunity to reflect, take stock of the last 365 days and plan for the year ahead. I'm very proud of what the OPCC and the Constabulary have achieved in 2019 but am aware there’s always plenty more to be done. As your PCC, I will continue to act as a fierce advocate for victims and as your voice in policing.

I would also like to challenge you to do something different by getting involved in your local policing service in 2020. Volunteers play a vital part in assisting me in my role and make a huge difference in ensuring our local communities are safe

and feel safe. Volunteering can be incredibly rewarding and it is always a privilege to work alongside so many people who selflessly give up their time. Find out more about volunteering roles on the PCC’s and Constabulary’s website.

As always in December, Avon and Somerset Police launched Op Tonic, a monthlong campaign that includes high visibility and covert patrols to target drink and drug drivers. Over the festive period, many of us have been having fun and celebrating with friends and family. But remember, driving under the influence of drink or drugs is a serious crime that can devastating consequences.

Even being ‘slightly’ over the

limit will still land you with a penalty if you’re caught and it’s really not worth the risk.

I know officers have been working hard to keep the roads of Avon and Somerset safe during the festive period.

I believe that local people support the police in doing all they can to bring offenders to justice so they can ensure our roads are safe to use over Christmas and New Year, as well as the whole year round.

Finally, I want to take a moment to think about the people who have been working hard day and night over Christmas and New Year to ensure our safety and protection. It’s always an extremely busy time of year for those who work in emergency services and I

With Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens know they all go above and beyond to keep us safe. I want to say a massive thank you to those in the NHS, police and other emergency services as well as those in voluntary and charity organisations who work hard during the festive period to support local communities.

n ABBOTSWOOD PHARMACY BLOG

The secrets of keeping a New Year resolution A NEW year presents the perfect time to make a fresh start, especially after the excesses of the festive celebrations.

The most common resolutions involve eliminating harmful habits, establishing new routines or pursuing new interests.

Sadly resolutions are much easier to make than to keep. By the end of January, many of us have abandoned our resolve and settled back into our old patterns.

Relationships can also come under strain as promises are broken.

So is it even worth making one? A study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found people who set New Year's resolutions are 10 times more likely to actually change their behaviour than those who don't.

So what are the secrets to keeping them?

• Avoid making non-specific resolutions like losing weight or getting in shape – set realistic and measurable goals to focus on. For example, commit to lose 20kg, do a park-run or at least one family activity together weekly.

• Pick only one or two things to focus on. Changing behaviour can be difficult and taking on too much sets you up to fail.

• Avoid repeat failure. Don’t just keep setting the same goals that you keep failing to meet. Ask yourself what worked and what did not before and seek help to devise a new approach.

• Renew your motivation. Be ready to answer the question: 'Why am I doing this, again?' Celebrate and mark every small progress made.

• Enlist the help of others by joining a group that shares your goal. Family and friends can also help you to stay motivated and offer encouragement.

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44

January, 2020

n SPORT

Winterbourne cricketer James on Lions tour A CRICKETER who grew up and learned his game in Winterbourne is celebrating being selected for England's Lions tour at the end of his first full season as a professional.

James Bracey is set to tour Australia with the Lions – the team at the level just below the full Test team – for six weeks from February.

It follows a first full season as a professional for the 22-year-old left-handed batsman and wicketkeeper, who has been a member of Winterbourne Cricket Club since the age of seven.

Involved in the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club set-up from the age of 11, James joined their academy and made his first class debut in 2016.

He attended the Ridings, now Winterbourne Academy, then SGS College, combining study and cricket under the guidance of the former Gloucestershire player and academy director Tim Hancock.

At Loughborough University James was a key member of the very successful MCC Universities team in both red and white ball cricket.

His appearances for Gloucestershire's 1st XI include a 150 against Glamorgan and a

James Bracey receives his first Lions cap from former England opening batsman Marcus Trescothick in July century at Lord's, the home of cricket.

Graduating in 2018, he spent the winter of 2018-2019 playing grade cricket in Perth, where he made the Western Australia cricket team of the season before his first full season as a professional in 2019, appearing for Gloucestershire in all three formats.

In June he was selected to play for England Lions against Australia A at Canterbury

with two encouraging batting performances and keeping wicket for one innings.

James's mum and Winterbourne CC stalwart Liz Bracey said: "Expecting to return to Australia for the winter, James was delighted to be selected for a ECB development training camp for three weeks in Mumbai and, following this, even more so to be one of seven players selected for both the red and white ball squads for the Lions tour to

Australia.

"This will provide a wonderful experience and good preparation for the new season with Gloucestershire facing their first season back in the first division of the county championship."

Congratulations for James, who was on his way back from India as the Voice went to press, have been pouring in via social media.

He told followers that he was "buzzing" at the news.

Triathlete Taryn takes on the world A THORNBURY triathlete has taken part in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

Taryn Roberts, who works at the Thornbury Active Lifestyle Centre, competed alongside 2,500 of the world’s top athletes, completing a 2.4-mile swim, a 122-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run. She had qualified for the competition after three attempts, by successfully winning her age group category at the Ironman Wales event by an hour.

In Hawaii, Taryn completed the course in 12 hours and 1 minute, finishing 38th in her division, 332nd in the women’s field, and 1,587th overall. The swim took 1 hour 9 minutes, the ride 6 hours and 31 minutes and the marathon 4 hours 9 minutes.

The challenge was made even more difficult because of 45 mph crosswinds and heat of 35 degrees Celsius.

Taryn said: “The entire experience was incredible. As a fitness instructor, I’ve always loved sport and pushing myself to achieve

new goals – so taking part in the Ironman challenge felt like a natural step to make.

Having the opportunity to compete alongside such determined and strong athletes from all over the world inspired me to do my best, and I’m now focused on improving my results at the next World Championships.

“In the lead up to the race, I was training for up to 15 hours a week, so I had to be extremely committed. Luckily, I have a brilliant support base, including the amazing team at the Centre, which definitely helped keep me motivated.”

Centre manager Frances Snell said: “We are extremely proud of Taryn. As a company, we aspire to make exercise rewarding, fun, and accessible to everyone.

“We already support our local GB athletes by providing free access to our facilities to help them realise their full potential, so it’s brilliant that one of our own instructors is also embarking on such incredible challenges.

She is an inspiration to us all.”

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020

45

n SPORT

Yate still top of the table YATE RFC go into the New Year top of the table in the Wadworths Bristol and District 2 league.

The side's 72 points to 26 win away at North Bristol RFC on December 7 was Yate’s seventh win in eight league games this season.

During the game, fly half James Cannon scored a club record 37 points in a single game, with 4 tries, 7 conversions and a penalty.

The game also saw club skipper Neil Olive record 100 points for the club with his solo try.

Other scores came from the prolific Craig Archer, with two tries, and a try apiece for Neil Lavelle, John Muckle and cousins Liam and Rhys Summerville. Muckle’s was his first for the club.

It is worth noting that, to enable the game to take place with a full 15 players per side, Yate lent their opponents two players who completed a full 80 minutes for North Bristol, in Will Mace and Steve Summerhayes, and then also provided several replacements for injured North Bristol players to keep the teams evenly matched.

Mark Summerville Pictured right: Stewart Stacey stealing the North Bristol ball.

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yate&sodburyvoice

46

January, 2020

n SPORT

Improvements give Sodbury reason for confidence

Chipping Sodbury Town 1-2 Street FC GOING into their fixture against Street FC, Sodbury knew that avoiding defeat would move them off the foot of the table.

Their improving form had seen them narrowly lose to a last-minute winner to promotion-chasing Hallen, and a fine 2-1 away win at relegation-threatened Odd Down.

In blustery conditions and on a damp pitch, both sides struggled to gain a foothold during a scrappy opening 20 minutes but it was the visitors who looked the more likely to break the deadlock, with Archie Watts in the Sods goal kept the busier of the two keepers.

With 27 minutes played the Street winger Leighton Thomas headed home from close range to give his side the lead. Just two minutes later, Thomas was on hand again when Sodbury failed to clear, and he kept his cool in a crowded penalty area to fire home his and Street’s second.

The home side responded positively and within five minutes had reduced the deficit, when Dan Brown reacted first to a ball that the Street keeper failed to hold following a shot from just inside his area.

Street looked to extend their lead early in

yate&sodburyvoice

Dan Brown clears the Sodbury lines.

Picture: MJR Photography the second half however they were thwarted

by Watts, who made several outstanding saves. As the half progressed, both sides struggled to create any clear openings but it was Sodbury who looked the more likely, as they pressed for an equaliser.

The narrow margin of defeat and their recent improved performances against strong opposition will give Sodbury confidence as they look to move away from the relegation positions.

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Another another narrow away defeat, 4-3 to mid-table Tavistock, left the team still at the bottom but within three points of 18thplaced Bridport.

Sodbury then tasted success in a midweek Gloucestershire FA Challenge Cup match, winning a penalty shootout 4-3 against Hellenic League Division One West side Tytherington Rocks, after the tie at the Ridings ended 2-2 in normal time.

Mark Lloyd

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Wigs Bristol

LOCATED IN DOWNEND

We have been supplying all types of wigs and hairpieces for fashion and medical purposes for 45 years.

Wigs can be purchased off the peg or made to measure in hair or synthetic fibre.

We stock many styles and makes.

Please book an appointment on:

0117 956 6556 www.wigsbristol.com

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

yate&sodburyvoice

January, 2020 DRAINAGE SERVICES

47

LANDSCAPING

GROUNDWORKS

Hawthorn Landscapes and Tree Care We are a family run business est 1990 we do all types of Fencing, turfing,patios,power cleaning Trees and shrubs topped shaped and felled All types of rubbish removed - cheaper than a skip

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

PLUMBING

957 5092

Full Load Full £199 Full Load Load £199£199

www.junkmonsters.co.uk www.junkmonsters.co.uk

COMMERCIAL ROOFING - DOMESTIC ROOFING - FASCIAS, SOFFITS & GUTTERING A roofing company you can trust

01454 881 120 07833 913 365 info@sodburyroofing. co.uk www.sodburyroofing. co.uk Find us on Yell:

Mosaic, Travertine, Porceline & Ceramic Specialists

Andy 01454 602506 or 07468 791619 Email: arhys-jones@sky.com A Yate business

www.tilingheaven.co.uk

Based in Downend, Bristol

3/4 Load 3/4 £179 3/4 Load Load £179£179

Sodbury Roofing & Cladding Systems Ltd

Bathroom, Kitchen & Floor Tiling

Tel: 0117 3708528 Mob: 07543056558

Half Half £139 Half Load Load Load £139£139

@HWGroundworks

TILING SERVICES

PLUMBING SERVICES

www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk

1/4 Load 1/4 £89 1/4 Load Load £89 £89

07455 016626

ROOFING & CLADDING

Call or Book online

07592 003 Tel: 07592 506 003003 Tel: 07592 506 Tel:Tel: 07592 506506 003

Mini digger & dumper hire henrywilliams.99@hotmail.com

Gutter Clearing Gutter Cleaning Fascia Cleaning

House, Garden, Office Clearance - all Plus all other Plus All Your Other Waste Removal Needs too!

House, Garden, Office Clearance -- Plus other House, Garden, Office Clearance Plus all other Plus Your Other Waste Removal Needs too!

Plus All All Your Other Waste Removal Needs too!

On-average Average cheaper than a skip.

On cheaper than aa skip.

OnAverage cheaper than skip. removal On average cheaper waste removal On cheaper than aa skip wastewaste removal -Average On average cheaper than than skipa skip

• Concrete Bases • Stump Removal • Patios • Fencing • Turfing

Freephone 0800 858 9803 Mobile 07580 260 676

Mark’s Gutter Cleaning

Garden, Clearance House, Garden, Office Clearance House,House, Garden, OfficeOffice Clearance

• Foundations • Drainage • Site Clearance • Pathways • Driveways

All work guaranteed • Free estimates

0117

HOUSE CLEARANCE

All types of work undertaken

Email hawthornlandscapes@yahoo.co.uk

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc…

OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

GUTTER CLEANING

HW Groundworks

RUBBISH CLEARANCE

TREE SERVICES

RUBBISH CLEARED

Registered upper tier waste carrier licence no CBDU225074

We load and clear rubbish/junk from houses Flats, Sheds, Attics, Gardens etc etc No job too small - we even clear single items Cheaper than a skip and we load no VAT Contact Stuart or Sue

Freephone 0800 0234 995 Mobile 07770944727 anytime inc. weekends

For Newsdesk Or Advertising contact 01454 800 120

D. ATTWELL

LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICES For All Garden Works Patios – Decking Gravelling – Fencing Wood Chippings – Jetwashing Foliage Removed – Roots Destroyed Garden Walls & General Building

• FULLY INSURED • LICENSED WASTE CARRIER

For a FREE quote call 07960 681 921 d.attwellgardenservices@hotmail.co.uk

Email: contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

Phase 2 Launching January Just 4 meticulously designed stunning 5-bedroom executive homes.

• Exceptional space and style.

• Set within large plots of circa 580 - 680m2 • Outstanding internal specification • Double garages

Register today for an early accompanied viewing in January 2020

hatterswood.co.uk juniperhomes.co.uk

0117 946 1799

0117 946 1799