Yate & Sodbury Voice May 2024

Charlie's dream call-up

TEENAGER Charlie

pictured with dad Paul, has been selected to represent his country at the under-20s World Coarse

Sewage spills 'disgrace'

SEWAGE was flushed into waterways in the Yate area for thousands of hours last year, the Environment Agency says.

Official figures show the Rangeworthy pumping station north of the town spilled waste water into the Ladden Brook 104 times in 2023, for a total of just over 2,079 hours.

And the River Frome, which flows through Yate and Chipping Sodbury on its way to Bristol, suffered a total of 4,058 hours of spills from eight combined

sewer overflows (CSOs), where rainwater and foul waste water from homes is washed into waterways, downstream between Iron Acton and Winterbourne. Most of the spills were in Frampton Cotterell, where Wessex Water, the company responsible for the area's waste water disposal and treatment, started work on a £5 million project in April to alleviate the problem. But campaigners say the works will not reduce spills from all of the area's sewer overflows.

Turn to page 4

Jailed for PC attack

A YATE man has been jailed for assaulting a police officer and possessing offensive weapons after an incident in the town's shopping centre.

PAGE 2

Andy's challenge

A CHIPPING Sodbury man is running 5km every day in May, in memory of a young friend who was killed in a crash on the Avon Ring Road.

PAGE 3

Outdoor seats row

THE owners of a Chipping Sodbury restaurant have launched a petition after the town council refused them permission to put up tables and chairs outside.

PAGE 5

Isaacs,

Angling Championships. Full story: Page 9

yate&sodburyvoice

June deadline

Our June edition deadline is May 15.

Yate & Sodbury Voice contacts

Ken McCormick, Editor contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

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Richard Drew, Publisher 01454 800 120

contact@yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk

n NEWS

Man jailed for assaulting PC

A YATE man has been jailed for assaulting a police officer and possessing offensive weapons after an incident in the town's shopping centre.

Colt Valentine, aged 31, was arrested during the incident on February 6 and charged with affray, assault by beating of an emergency worker, possessing a knife with a six-inch blade in a public place and possessing an offensive weapon – a broken bottle.

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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

COMPLAINTS

Police 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

Valentine, of Dowsell Way, admitted all four charges and on April 15 he was sentenced to a total of nine months in jail: six months for possessing the broken bottle and a further three months for the knife, which will run alongside a three-month sentence for affray and one month for assaulting the police officer.

A spokesperson for Avon & Somerset police said: "No police officer should be attacked for doing their job. It is totally unacceptable, and will not be tolerated."

Burglary charges dropped

FIVE people arrested after an alleged armed burglary at a home in Yate are no longer facing charges.

Santiago Pablo, aged 31, of Cater Drive in Yate, Anthony Docherty, 38, of Red Hill, Bromley, Daniel Gray, 32, of Bark Hart Road, Bromley, Adrian Kupperblatt, 62, of Meadowside, Greenwich and Michael Peters, 32, of Eltham Green Road, Greenwich, all appeared in court on March 2 charged with aggravated

burglary, in relation to an incident in Stanshawes Drive in the early hours of February 29. However the case was subsequently discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service ahead of a scheduled appearance by the men at Bristol Crown Court on April 8.

A CPS spokesperson said: "Following a careful review of all available evidence, we made the decision to stop proceedings as there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction."

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.

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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Colt Valentine

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n NEWS

Adam runs to keep Tyler's memory alive

A CHIPPING Sodbury man is running 5km every day in May, in memory of a young friend who was killed in a crash on the Avon Ring Road.

Adam Young is taking on the challenge to raise money for a charitable foundation set up by the parents of Tyler Carley.

Tyler, who was 20, died in December when the lorry he was a passenger in overturned on the A4174 near Mangotsfield.

The former Castle School pupil, who was living in Thornbury and working as a scaffolder at the time of his death, was a huge Bristol Rovers fan, and often travelled to away games with Adam and his friends.

Tyler's dad Mark said he, Tyler's mum Gemma and siblings Kylan, Skye and Ronni-Irene, had founded The Road Forward – Tyler Carley Foundation to support road accident victims' families, in the light of their own experience.

He said that in the immediate aftermath of Tyler's death: "We literally had no support.

"The police give you a green book and send you on your way. You come home and get an email about six hours later from your police liaison officer, and that's it.

"There was nothing at all for Tyler's sisters, brother, aunts and uncles."

The family eventually found two charities which offered help.

The first, SCARD (Support & Care After Road Death & Injury), provides a phone helpline, free counselling, legal and practical support for families affected by road deaths and serious injuries.

The second, 2Wish, supports the families of children and young people who have passed away, offering counselling, home visits and 'memory boxes'.

After supporting SCARD with donations from mourners at Tyler's funeral, the family started considering a more permanent way of honouring his memory.

Mark said they decided

to set up The Road Forward after people who knew Tyler contacted them, offering to run the 10k at the Great Bristol Run in his memory.

Already more than 20 people have volunteered to run, with an initial target set of raising £5,000 through sponsorship and online donations.

Mark said every penny raised would go towards charities supporting other families in a similar position, and to raise awareness of their work, starting with SCARD and 2Wish.

Eventually he hopes that the foundation will be able to offer help direct to local bereaved families struggling with funeral and burial costs, or living expenses after having to take time off work.

Mark also hopes to organise sessions to teach CPR at Kingswood Boxing Club, where he is a volunteer coach, after learning that passers-by tried to revive Tyler at the scene of the crash that claimed his life.

Mark said: "It's surprising the number of people who don't know any first aid."

Adam, who works at Bristol Airport, is unable to take part in the Great Bristol Run on May 19, so instead he has decided to do a 5k run every day during May in honour of his friend, and is inviting people to sponsor him.

Adam said: "I knew Tyler through supporting Bristol

Rovers.

"He was a polite, happy and friendly lad, who enjoyed his away trips with us, going to grounds that we hadn’t been to before.

"I saw everyone was going to do the Bristol 10k, but I can’t do it due to work commitments. I still wanted to raise money for

the foundation, so I came up with 5k a day for May.

"The routes will vary and I will try to mix them up – even when I'm away in the Canaries, I’ll still be running over there every day."

Adam has already received pledges of more than £450 online – his JustGiving page can be found at tinyurl.com/ dffmwdbz.

More details on the foundation can be found at its Facebook and Twitter accounts, or by emailing info@tylercarley. org. A website is also being set up at tylercarley.org.

*A 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with Tyler's death and later released under investigation. Police say their enquiries into the circumstances of the collision are ongoing and there have been no charges as yet.

Adam Young (right) with a young Tyler Carley

Tyler Carley (right) with dad Mark at the Memorial Stadium

'Disgraceful' increase in sewage entering rivers

From page 1

The Environment Agency released details of spills from CSOs at the end of March.

It showed that for the eight CSOs discharging into the Frome between Iron Acton and Winterbourne – at New Cog Mill, Church Road, Bridge Way, Clyde Road, Rectory Road, Nightingales Bridge, Sunny Acres Footbridge and Harcombe Farm – a total of 520 separate spills were recorded by monitoring equipment.

The total number of hours when discharges were recorded was 4,058 – equivalent to 169 days.

The spills at the Rangeworthy pumping station represent almost 87 days of spills, into a waterway the flows into the Frome between Iron Acton and Frampton.

The Environment Agency said nationally, storm overflows rose by 54% compared with 2022, partly due to wet weather.

Water Minister Robbie Moore said sewage pollution in waters was "unacceptable".

He said: "We demanded that 100% of overflows were monitored by the end of last year as part of our drive to improve transparency. The data shows water companies must go further and faster to tackle storm overflows and clean up our precious waterways."

David Hanks, of volunteer conservation group Frampton Cotterell Nature said: “It is disgraceful that the amount of

sewage entering our rivers has increased.

"I feel very sad that the Frome in Frampton is no longer fit for children to play in, and that the poor water quality is damaging local biodiversity."

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust chief executive Simon Hunter said the figures did not provide the full detail needed to show the impact spills are having on the environment, as a concentrated discharge into

frequently in 2023, releasing mostly rainwater to protect properties from flooding during the fourth wettest year since records began.

"Storm overflows are legal but outdated, which is why we’re investing £3 million a month to progressively improve them – with plans to more than double that investment if approved by our regulators."

Work is underway on the first of three storage tanks in Frampton Cotterell

n NEWS

Restaurant fights ban on outdoor tables

THE owners of a Chipping Sodbury restaurant have launched a petition after the town council refused them permission to put up tables and chairs outside on The Pitching.

Amigos Cocina is a Mexican family restaurant run by Shamsi Kabbara, her husband Dave and daughter Yasmine.

Dave received a double lung transplant in 2019, but despite the medical issues they have faced, the family have since built a thriving eatery.

The restaurant has offered seating outside their premises on Broad Street which is popular in the summer months.

The four tables and eight benches take up two parking spaces on the Pitchings, and after using the space last year, the restaurant applied to Sodbury Town Council for permission to use the space again this summer.

However their request was refused, with a full council meeting hearing that “the provision wasn’t well used last year – and was hardly ever used during the day except on occasions when the High Street was closed to traffic for other events.”

The council noted that although the space

was occupied all the time, the restaurant wasn’t open on Monday or Tuesday.

It decided “on balance, the permanent loss of 2 Pitchings parking spaces for the whole summer was not proportional to the potential benefit of outdoor seating when the restaurant is currently only open at limited times and appears to be rarely utilised by patrons.”

Shamsi said on the restaurant’s Facebook

page: “I can’t tell you how disappointed I am. This could be make or break our family business, that I have fought so hard to keep going through such a difficult time for us.

"Last year, I had no chef so was cooking by myself, plus looking after Dave. This year, I am lucky enough to have two great chefs plus a team of carers.

"Please, please, please could you show your support…so that I can try to appeal this devastating decision."

Mrs Kabbara is now hoping to get the decision discussed again at the next town council meeting on May 14.

The petition had come close to its target of 1,500 signatures as the Voice went to press.

It can be found online at tinyurl. com/4bvtn4m8.

Chipping Sodbury businessman and former town mayor James Ball said: "To be singled out as the only hospitality provider in Chipping Sodbury not to be able to extend an outside welcome to clients is extremely disheartening.

"We have one of the largest High Streets in the country, and there is room for everyone!”

Day Centre Activity Club

Tables outside Amigos Cocina in Chipping Sodbury

n NEWS

Homes join plastic bag recycling scheme

HOMES in Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Horton, Little Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Westerleigh and Wickwar are among 20,000 which will be included in an expanded scheme to take plastic bags and wrapping as part of kerbside recycling collections.

South Gloucestershire Council is expanding its participation in the FPF FlexCollect project, a national scheme to recycle soft plastics, to cover around one in every five homes in the district.

The scheme started in 2022 with pilot collections from 2,000 homes in Chipping Sodbury, Bradley Stoke, Olveston and Alveston.

A council spokesperson said that since then, more than 19 tonnes of plastic bags and wrappers – enough to fill more than 7,000 standard council wheelie bins – had been collected across the district

Blue bags will be used to collect the plastic for recycling

and sent to several different UK facilities to test recycling methods.

Packaging that can be recycled includes sweet, crisp and multipack wrappers, sleeves from plastic bottles, cheese, meat and microwavable food packets, bubble wrap, cling film and plastic net bags for onions, oranges and other fruit and veg.

The authority said it could not share a full list of the streets

involved in the extension of the project, as not all homes on some longer streets would be included in the trial.

Those households which are included in the expansion were due to be given information leaflets over the coming weeks, followed by blue plastic bags to put their waste soft plastics in.

The bags will be hand-delivered, with residents encouraged to ask deliverers about the scheme if they have any questions. They can then be reordered when people run out.

The scheme does not affect the existing collections for plastic trays and containers.

Another trial project, to collect grass cuttings and use them to generate energy, is being extended this year after starting in Yate last summer. The project, called Greenprint, involves mixing cuttings with food waste collected from homes and taking them to an

energy plant to create biogas.

The changes come as opposition Conservative councillors call for plans to move to three-weekly black bin collections in South Gloucestershire, reported in last month's Voice, to be reversed.

Tory councillors have criticised the decision as “flawed” and “short-sighted” and say the local authority should instead work better with residents to help them understand what not to put in the black bin.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in October has said local authorities will be required to collect black bin waste at least once every two weeks.

But the council says it has external legal advice that this would not be compulsory as long as the authority had "cogent reasons" to move to three-weekly collections.

Dodington Parish Council’s Noticeboard – May 2024

Dodington Parish Council & Dodington Parish Band present Brass on the Grass

Sunday 21st July 2024

2:30 — 4:30pm Lilliput Park, Chipping Sodbury

A free afternoon of music, everyone is welcome!

Bring a chair, blanket, picnic and enjoy watching our local brass band. Refreshments

Dodington’s Garden of the Year 2024

Garden centre vouchers and trophies to be won for the best garden, container or window box in Dodington.

Nominations to be made by end of May, with judging to be held in June.

For more information please see website www.dodingtonpc.org.uk or contact us 01454 866546 / clerk@dodingtonpc.org.uk

Join Dodington Parish Council at QEII Memorial Garden, Kelston Close, Yate on Thursday 6th June at 8:30pm, where we will be lighting a lamp of peace to commemorate D-Day 80 Anniversary.

www.dodingtonpc.org.uk

n ADVERTORIAL

ELIGIBLE people are being invited to have a top-up Covid-19 vaccination this spring. The NHS is offering Covid-19 vaccines to people who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus – including those aged 75 and over (by 30 June 2024), residents of care homes for older adults, and those aged 6 months and over with a weakened immune system.

Eligible people can make an appointment at a GP vaccination clinic when invited. People can also book an appointment at a GP clinic, a local pharmacy or at a community vaccination clinic in the following simple ways:

• Download the NHS App and make an appointment

• Visit www.nhs.uk/get-vaccine to use the online National Booking Service

• Call 119 for free if you can’t get online (translators are available)

The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) NHS area is also offering walk-in vaccinations in community clinics. For details

Top up Covid-19 vaccination on offer for high risk people

and more information about the spring campaign, visit www. grabajab.net.

Vaccinations for people living

in the community began on 22 April 2024 and local GPs have also started visiting adult care homes. Spring vaccinations will be available until 30 June 2024.

Bristol GP Dr Hyunkee Kim said: “Protection against Covid-19, either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination, can fade over time and the virus can change, so if you are at higher risk of severe illness it is important that you top up your protection.

“For some, particularly older people and those with a weakened immune system, Covid-19 can still be very dangerous and even lifethreatening. If you or your child are entitled to a spring top up vaccination, I strongly encourage you to take up the offer. It’s quick and easy to recharge your immunity and will give you the

protection you need for the months ahead.

“Covid-19 vaccines provide protection against the virus and help reduce the risk of serious illness. The vaccine has saved countless lives, prevented thousands from needing to go to hospital and helped us to live with the virus without fear or restrictions. For local vaccination information, visit www.grabajab. net.”

Those invited should make sure their appointment takes place at least three months since their last dose.

Anyone who believes they should be eligible for a vaccine but does not get invited can check online. Alternatively, they can self-declare via the National Booking Service and then speak to a clinician on site.

Dr Hyunkee Kim

The Heathers Nursing Home

Our aim is to give a high standard of nursing and personal care in a traditional, homely and friendly environment. The Heathers is a home of great character and charm. The interior architecture, with many of its original features, gives a perfect setting for the home comforts we aim to provide.

The Heathers Nursing Home is a privately owned, Grade 2 Listed Georgian manor house, situated within walking distance of the town centres of Chipping Sodbury, and Yate.

First Class Facilities and Support

• A history of providing 24 hour, high quality care in South Gloucestershire

• Each resident is unique to us and treated as such

• The home is small and family run, offering a highly personalised service

• Exceptional standards of cleanliness and hygiene

• Respite, residential care and day care available

• Special diets catered for by our expert Chefs

Get in touch and speak with our team, or arrange a viewing to see our facilities for yourself.

Aneesh – Registered Manager • Julie – General Manager

n NEWS

Teenage angler lands himself an England spot

A 13-YEAR-old boy from Henfield has been selected to represent England in fishing.

Charlie Isaacs, who goes to Chipping Sodbury School, will compete for the England U15 team at the World Championships in Serbia in August.

He won his spot after impressing at a final selection match in the Midlands. Charlie is part of a team of five who will compete in the week long championships on a canal in Serbia.

Charlie said: "It’s brilliant – it’s my dream."

Fishing has been been part of Charlie’s life from a very young age. His dad Paul is the manager at Bitterwell Lake in Henfield, and they live on-site.

Charlie has been fishing since the age of four, but has only been focusing on match fishing for the last three years.

Whilst other teenage boys might be interested in more mainstream sports, Charlie’s focus is solely on angling.

He said: "I watch football every now and then, that’s about it really – fishing is my main sport.

"What I like most about it is it’s a bit like puzzle-making.

"You’ve got to work out the feed, how the rigs are – I love it.

"Just catching fish, getting the end result, it’s brilliant.”

Paul was there when Charlie qualified for the England team and said on the day he was "the proudest dad on the planet".

He said: "I’m really proud because I know how much work has gone in.

"It’s not the sort of thing you just do overnight; you’ve got to start and keep at it, you’ve got to learn and it takes time to learn fishing. To get to that level takes a lot of dedication.

"He’s very good, but I try not to tell him he’s that good, because there’s always room for improvement.

"He’s got his foot in the door, but now he needs to get his head down and really dedicate himself to becoming even better."

Living just a few metres from the peaceful oasis that is Bitterwell Lake has certainly been very helpful, and Charlie appreciates what he has on his doorstep.

He said: "The fishing is lovely, the fish quality is nice, it’s a nice depth and the weather is nice most of the time – it’s quite a nice fishery to be fair.”

Charlie's ambition is to make it to the adult England ranks in time. He’s making waves in the angling community and already has a couple of sponsors supporting him.

As for August’s World Championships, he doesn’t seem too overawed.

His prediction?

“Hopefully, we will win it.”

Charlie Isaacs at Bitterwell Lake

Motorway closes for bridge works

THE M4 has undergone the first of three overnight closures as part of work to replace the A432 Badminton Road bridge.

National Highways, which owns the bridge and is responsible for the replacement work, closed the motorway in both directions between the Hambrook and Tormarton junctions (19 and 18) overnight on April 18, and has announced two more closures, on May 16 and June 13, from 9.30pm until 6am each night.

Drivers heading east are being diverted via the M32 onto the A4174 Avon Ring Road, the A420 between Warmley and Cold Ashton, then the A46 to re-join M4 at Tormarton, with westbound traffic diverted onto the same route in the opposite direction.

The closure is part of "investigations to determine utility connection points", as engineers work out how to reroute the cables and pipes which are currently carried by the

bridge.

They are also carrying out "ecological mitigation" before vegetation clearance around the structure begins. Surveys at the site found that dormice, a protected species, live there, which means the contractors need a special licence from environment body Natural England.

Van spots drivers on mobiles

SOUTH Gloucestershire Council’s road safety team is using a new camera van to detect drivers who use mobile phones at the wheel.

The council has worked with two specialist firms to use a new artificial intelligence-assisted roadside camera, which can also spot motorists who are not wearing a seatbelt.

It says the idea is part of the road safety team’s "vision zero objective" to eliminate serious and fatal injuries to road users as a result of crashes.

Pictures are processed using AI to analyse whether motorists could be using a handheld mobile or anyone is not wearing a seatbelt.

The council says that the equipment was used to collect information for a

survey on the extent of the two offences, which contribute to causing collisions and serious injuries respectively, rather than enforcement of driving offences, which has happened elsewhere in the country.

It says images containing a likely offence are sent for review trained operators, while others are automatically deleted.

A spokesperson said: "Images from the 12-hour survey at the end of March revealed that 150 people were detected not wearing a seatbelt and seven people were distracted by mobile phones whilst driving.

"The survey showed evidence of drivers choosing not to wear a seatbelt and making a deliberate choice to bypass vehicle onboard safety features in order to do so, putting lives at risk.

The bridge, which carried 16,000 vehicles a day on the A432 between Yate and Bristol, closed last July after engineers found "accelerated deterioration and cracking" in the concrete.

It meant motorists who travelled on Badminton Road between Downend and Frampton Cotterell had to find alternative routes, in part on narrow country roads.

In an update on its work National Highways said: "At present, we are on schedule to begin trenching works below the M4 around mid-June, with an anticipated demolition date of September/October, subject to coordination with utility providers and other authorities.

"The bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists until demolition takes place."

"Further overnight closures may be required before demolition of the structure."

"Current figures show that there were 425 people injured on roads in South Gloucestershire in 2023 – 69 of these resulted in death or serious injury."

WEBBER & SPENCER

Workers on the M4. Picture: National Highways

The detector van

n NEWS

Hayley up for pageant crown

A WOMAN from Chipping Sodbury is to represent the Bristol area at a pageant near Manchester.

Hayley Phythian is competing at the UK National Miss event in July.

The event is a pageant for a range of age groups, from 12 years upwards.

Hayley will compete in the Classic Ms category, for women over the age of 45.

The event is billed as two days of embracing and building confidence, knowledge, beauty and gaining real-world skills.

It also raises funds for the Christie Charity for Cancer patients and their families.

Hayley said she had thought about applying several times.

She said: "One evening I thought 'what is the worst that could happen?' So I applied without telling anyone, knowing I wouldn't get through.

"Then a few weeks later, I had a fantastic letter congratulating me on winning a place in the final to represent Bristol in the Ms Classic category.”

Hayley says she can’t wait to take part in the two-day event at the Park Hotel in Chorley.

She said: “I am very excited and nervous at the same time. I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity to represent my

Phythian won the Classic

Ms Bristol title

home town of Bristol especially for women of a certain age.

"Even if I do not win the crown, I already feel that I have won by just getting this placement in the finals.”

Hayley is also hoping the event will help her raise money and awareness for a charity she supports, the Happily Ever After Dog & Cat Sanctuary and Rescue Centre in Bristol.

As a volunteer she collects bedding, towels, pillows and blankets to help with the comfort of the animals.

Potholes pain

The number of potholes in South Gloucestershire has quadrupled in a year, leaving council chiefs to admit they are fighting a losing battle and merely “papering over the cracks”.

South Gloucestershire Council's scrutiny commission was told the number reported had rocketed from 3,189 between April and September 2022 to 12,695 over the same period last year.

The number of repairs has also shot up, from 4,980 to 11,606, but head of streetcare Mark King told the meeting in late March that the highways team is struggling to keep pace.

Cabinet member for infrastructure Chris Willmore said the previous administration had borrowed £1 million to fund repairs over the previous three years but the authority was now having to pay it back.

She said: "So the team is going to have an even tighter job and the roads are going to suffer as a result."

Lend a hand at your local Girlguiding unit and see the impact you can make in the community. No matter how much time you have to give, there’s an opportunity for you

Find out more girlguidingbsg.org.uk or register at girlguiding.org.uk/volunteer

Hayley

Westerleigh & Coalpit Heath PARISH COUNCIL

Representing Westerleigh, Coalpit Heath, Kendleshire, Henfield, Ram Hill, Mayshill, Nibley, Oakleigh Green, Western Yate and Blackberry Park

We started the year with a new name, now recognising the two largest communities that we serve. Up to nine Parish Councillors represent our area and on behalf of our communities we look after and improve:

That’s not all though! Over the past year we have delivered many projects and improvements in the Parish and distributed over £25,500 in grants to local organisations.

2023-4 ACHIEVEMENTS.

• Installed a new play tower and birds ’ nest swing at Westerleigh Playing Field.

• Carried out major repair works at Bitterwell Lake.

• Widened the pathway and refurbished fishing platforms at Bitterwell Lake.

• Installed a defibrillator (AED) at Mafeking Scout Hut.

• Replaced eight litter bins across the Parish and installed a new bin at Blackberry Park.

• Funded 22 free Holiday Activity Days for local children at Westerleigh Playing Field.

• Part-funded the Frampton Cotterell Youth Service to provide a youth club, youth café and outreach sessions.

• Hosted the annual Westerleigh Fun Day and supported the event with an £800 grant.

• Held two Hedgehog Heroes events in collaboration with Frampton Cotterell Parish Council.

• Awarded over £15k in grants to improve five local community buildings.

• Presented a King Charles III Coronation Medal to all children attending Manor Primary School and Immanuel School.

PLANS FOR 2024-5.

Our budget for 2024/5 is £134,698, made up of £36,728 of external funding/income and a Parish precept of £97,970. The precept charge for a Band D property this year is £60.74

This year’s projects will include refurbishing the natural play area at Newman Field; replacing wooden trim trail equipment at Westerleigh Playing Field; installing life alongside our defibrillators; installing a Memorial Stone at Bitterwell Lake, and further Hedgehog Heroes stalls at Parish events.

GRANTS AWARDED.

Each year the Parish Council distributes grants to local not -forprofit organisations working for the benefit of our residents.

The chart above shows a selection of the grants awarded this year, to organisations including:Great Western Air Ambulance charity Citizens Advice

Bristol & Weston Hospitals charity

Green Community Transport

Yate Heritage Centre

Westerleigh Newsletter

Westerleigh Warm Welcome

W WE WELCOME GRANT APPLICATIONS

Visit our Website to find out which category your organisation falls under and to apply, or get in touch for an informal discussion.

Westerleigh & Coalpit Heath Parish Council currently has Councillor vacancies. If you think you can be an independent voice representing your neighbours and local area please get in touch. Parish Councillors are voluntary and don ’t need to be party political. We are calling on people from all backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about their community to consider becoming a Councillor. Visit the ‘Vacancies’ page on our website or get in touch to find out more.

WesterleighCoalpitHeathParishCouncil.gov.uk Facebook.com/WandCHPC

Come and join the Relay for Life

PEOPLE are being encouraged to sign up for Yate's biggest mass fundraising event, the Relay for Life.

Organisers of the non-stop, 24-hour event say it will take place on the weekend of July 6 to 7 this year at its regular home, Yate Outdoor Sports Complex.

The Relay for Life raises money for Cancer Research UK and also includes a ceremony called Candle of Hope, to remember loved ones lost, honour people affected by cancer and celebrate the progress being made in beating the disease.

During the Relay itself, team members take it in turns to walk round the track while others enjoys activities, including entertainment and music from local performers.

Organisers are even planning a bake off competition.

Cancer Research UK is calling on groups of friends, families and work colleagues of all ages, fitness levels and walks of life to get together and enter a team.

People are being asked to raise as much money as possible in the months leading up to the Relay through a fundraising activities, from bike rides, to bake sales and bingo, and seek out sponsorship and donations from friends and family to support research.

The event's volunteer chair Keith Hatherall, said: “Nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime, but all of us can support the research that will beat it. That’s why we need everyone in

Yate to sign up now."

Keith, himself a cancer survivor, said: "Thanks to our Relayers – and supporters across the UK – every day, people are being diagnosed earlier, have access to kinder and more effective treatments, and in some cases, cancers are prevented completely.

"By taking part in Relay for Life every person, every team and every pound raised will be helping Cancer Research UK scientists to make new discoveries.

"We hope as many people as possible will join us for an unforgettable experience. We want to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer.”

Last year's Relay for Life was the first since 2019, and more than

Charity walk in memory of dad

A FUNDRAISER from Yate has added to the money she’s raised in memory of her father with a sponsored walk.

Sarah Hitchings was joined by friends and family on ‘A Grand Walk to Remember’, in memory of her late father Jerry Milner. They walked a 10 mile route, starting & finishing at the Horseshoe pub in Chipping Sodbury.

Over £500 was raised for Bristol Children’s Hospital Wallace & Gromit appeal.

Sarah was highly commended in last year’s BBC Make a Difference local radio awards after raising nearly £70,000 for the hospital as well money for other local causes over the last 15 years.

Her father, who often used to join Sarah on her fundraising efforts, died after a heart attack last year.

She’s now set herself the goal of reaching £72,000 raised in honour of her father, who was 72 when he died.

400 people defied wind and rain on a day when many other events across the region were being called off because of the weather.

Keith said: “We know the community spirit in Yate is incredibly powerful, so we’re urging supporters to show their solidarity, take part and help bring

hope to more people affected by this devastating disease. Together, we are beating cancer step by step.”

For more information about Relay For Life, offer support or sign up, visit cruk.org/relay or call 0300 123 1026.

Last year's Relay for Life was the first since 2019. Picture: Rich McD

Sarah Hitchings with her dad Jerry Milner

Come along and meet your NEW Com m

u n ity Cho ir

with GRENVILLE JONES

at Rangeworthy Village Hall (New Road, Rangeworthy BS37 7QG)

EVERY Tuesday from 7:15pm-9:00pm each week

bA choir for EVERYONE - gents & ladies - all ages - NO previous singing experience required and DEFINITELY NO AUDITIONS and music for EVERYONE. The choir is conducted by Grenville Jones, one of the most highly regarded choir conductors in the UK. He has appeared on radio and TV across the world and conducted choirs at concert halls and cathedrals in the UK, America, Canada, Japan and Europe.

Rangeworthy Hall is directly off the B4058. Good Parking onsite.

I www.grenvillejones.biz I

Dimming lights lessens cuts to libraries

COUNCIL leaders have defended cutting library hours to save £273,000 from South Gloucestershire’s budget.

Yate library will close earlier each day after the cuts, with staffed opening hours across the district limited to 10am to 5pm, plus three hours on Saturdays. Nearby Winterbourne library is among eight which will be staffed for half a day less than before.

Cabinet member for communities Sean Rhodes (Lab, Kingswood) told a council meeting on April 15 that original proposals were to cut library spending by £473,000, but a £200,000 annual saving from dimming street lights meant that less needed to be taken from the library budget.

Lights will be dimmed to a quarter of their normal brightness from 11pm to 6am each night to cut electricity costs.

Cllr Rhodes said the budget for books would go down by

only half of the £50,000 initially planned and that all branches would have longer staffed hours than first anticipated.

But Conservative Frenchay & Downend ward councillor Liz Brennan criticised the Lib Dem/Labour administration for cutting library services in "priority neighbourhoods" with higher levels of deprivation.

Cllr Rhodes said: “We have to balance the issue around footfall in different neighbourhoods, and actually the footfall for libraries is higher elsewhere than in priority neighbourhoods.

“Disproportionately cutting hours at libraries with big footfall doesn’t necessarily make full sense.”

Trade union Unison had called the original cuts – which included cutting a full day of opening at Cadbury Heath, Patchway and Winterbourne libraries - “discriminatory”. It claimed they would leave

the council unable to meet its legal duty to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service.

Cllr Rhodes said council officers had been in regular contact with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the authority complied with its legal responsibilities.

He said: "The crucial thing to acknowledge is that with the initial proposal, the potential impact of these changes was far greater, and officers have worked really hard to come up with a solution with us to mitigate this.

“There was clear opposition from the public consultation process to the budget reduction for buying books, so we’ve found mitigations in other areas."

Cllr Rhodes said the Open Access scheme, which enables residents to use libraries when they are not staffed, worked well but a quarter of people responding to the budget

consultation were not aware of it.

The plan to dim street lights received broad public support –69% – during consultations, and trials over the winter led to only one complaint, that lights should be turned down further.

However one in 10 of the 783 respondents said the change would make them feel more vulnerable.

Cabinet member for climate and nature emergency Louise Harris (Lib Dem, Dodington) said dimming street lights was good for wildlife and people.

She said: “Sleep disorders, depression, diabetes, heart disease and indeed cancer are linked to artificial light at night. It affects our diurnal and nocturnal activities.”

It will take engineers two years to reprogramme all 31,500 street lamps individually to dim between 11pm and 6am.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

We have received some funding from the Quartet Community Foundation to assist with costs for these trips but the fares will be £10 for those with a bus pass and £12 for those without. Huge thanks to Quartet for their grant to enable us to continue these trips at a lower cost for our passengers.

We will endeavour to get every passenger onto at least one trip, we want to make it as fair as possible. We will have two buses for each trip, so we will have buses collecting in different areas but you can meet up with friends when you arrive. These are designed to be Days Out! Generally passengers can choose what they want to do at each destination but if you want some help booking somewhere to eat we’re more than happy to help. Earlier pickups likely to make sure you have a full day out!

Mon 24th June - Bourton-on-the-Water Mon 1st July - Bradford on Avon Weds 17th July - Weston Super Mare

Tues 30th July – Moreton-in-Marsh Fri 9th Aug - Malmesbury

Tues 20th Aug - Ross on Wye

Acton Court ready to open its doors again

An historic Tudor manor house is set to re-open to the public for the summer.

Acton Court in Iron Acton will be open for a month from the end of May and visitors will be greeted by a re-vamped front of house display. There will also be a new guidebook with fresh content and illustrations.

Gardeners will be available on Wednesdays and weekends to show guests around the garden. On Sunday 16 June, Merchant’s House early music experts will be on site with a collection of Tudor instruments. The week after, Tudor and medieval plant expert Mary Macdonald will be on hand to explain the meaning and usage of Tudor plants and herbs.

Other events include a workshop by Organic Blooms on 26 June and a talk and demonstration by the King’s Herald, Dr. Dominic Ingram, on 27 June.

Tudor costumes associated with Henry and his six wives will be on display throughout the summer season.

On the closing weekend, ‘Tudors, Magic and Music’ has performances by magician Greg Chapman, who specialises in the history of magic and a visit from Owl Occasions with their birds of prey

Acton Court’s Artist in Residence will re-visit an art project from last year which re-imagined the famous Acton Court Tudor Frieze using modern elements and colours. Two panels were finished in 2023 and this year the intention is to paint the last panel and complete the triptych. The next project will be to make a modern rendition of the medieval floor excavated on Acton Court’s grounds.

Visiting times: Tours – 29th May to 30th June, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Tudors, Magic and Music – 29th June and 30th June. Booking is required: For details: www. actoncourt.com, social media, 01454 228224, or email info@actoncourt.com

ACTON COURT

Phil beats marathon time – and target

A FORMER soldier from Yate whose life was saved by a heart transplant during the Covid lockdown beat his previous time – and his fundraising target – at his latest marathon.

Phil Hardwell ran the Manchester Marathon in 5h 53m in April, as part of his pledge to raise money for the medical staff who gave him a new lease of life.

Phil was admitted to the Royal Papworth hospital in Cambridge with severe heart failure to wait for a transplant and subsequently underwent successful surgery in April 2020.

He completed the Bristol Half Marathon in 2021 before taking on the London Marathon the following year.

His latest run in Manchester has raised more than £500 so far for the

Man admits killing footballer

A MAN has admitted killing a former Yate Town footballer.

Avon & Somerset police said George Baylis punched 46-yearold Scott Hendy, who played for Yate as a teenager and also played for Mangotsfield United, Clevedon Town and Bath City, in the car park of the Kings Arms pub, off Redwick Road, Pilning, in the early hours of March 2.

Scott, a father of three children, died the following day of a head injury, in Southmead Hospital.

Baylis, aged 30, of Redwick Road in Pilning, pleaded guilty

to a charge of manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court on April 8.

He has been remanded in custody for sentencing on May 29.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Almond, of the police major crime investigation team, said: "This incident has had truly tragic consequences, and our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies go out to Scott’s family.

"We have updated them of the guilty plea and specially trained officers will continue to offer them support."

In March around 900 people

British Heart Foundation, beating Phil's target of £400.

He said: "The Manchester Marathon felt somewhat easier than the London Marathon, although it was still extremely challenging!

"I managed to beat my previous marathon time by 23 minutes, and I felt much better this time around.

"Looking back I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, chatting with fellow British Heart Foundation fundraisers, and feeling a sense of gratitude that I was able to complete the distance.

"My ongoing hopes to inspire others and raise awareness of organ donation."

Phil's fundraising page is still open for donations at justgiving.com/ fundraising/phillip-hardwell2.

remembered Scott, who was living in Pilning when he was killed, at a charity match at Mangotsfield United's Cossham Street ground, which raised more than £5,000 to support his family.

Scott leaves behind sons Lewis and Harvey, aged 24 and 14, and daughter Holly, 13.

His children and his parents, Bob and Jen, from Pilning, were among family members who attended the memorial game.

Scott's friend and former team-mate Geraint Bater organised a Gofundme online donation page, at tinyurl.

com/36b6mpaa, to support his family, which had raised more than £16,000 by mid-April. Geraint said: "Scott was loved by everyone who met him; he was funny, genuine and the life and soul of any party."

Phil Hardwell after finishing the Manchester Marathon

George Baylis

Roads 'can't cope' with new development

VILLAGERS have raised concerns about four new homes which have been approved in Rangeworthy.

Several people living near the development site off Wotton Road, and local councillors, said just four new houses would make the roads more dangerous as local roads “can’t cope” with the extra traffic.

South Gloucestershire Council has granted planning permission for the new detached houses, which will be self-built, allowing occupiers to customise the designs, on April 11.

The council's development management committee chair Tristan Clark (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell), said: "Rangeworthy does have a few facilities.

"It’s got a public house, a primary school, and a village hall. But it means additional car journeys that will be going to places like Thornbury, Yate and further afield for their weekly shopping, health facilities and secondary school.”

Tony Williams (Lib Dem, Severn Vale) added: “If you’re coming home from work and you need a loaf of bread or bottle of milk, you’ll drive to the shop, and then from the shop you’ll drive home, which is just across the road.”

Several neighbours wrote to the council,

A map shows where the houses would be built, next to Wotton Road

objecting to the plans.

They said the village has increased in size in recent years, while bus services have been cut, and other infrastructure hasn’t kept up.

One resident said: “A lot of development has occurred in the past five years, with no amenities supplied. This forces village residents to get into their cars, increasing traffic levels.

"The bus services through the village have already been cut hugely, impacting people’s options to travel outside of the village.”

On the other side of Wotton Road from the planned new houses, another development will soon take place, with planning permission

EARACHE

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

SINUSITIS

(adults and children aged 12 years & above)

INFECTED INSECT BITES

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

SORE THROAT

(adults and children aged 5 years & above)

SHINGLES

(adults aged 18 years & above)

URINARY TRACT INFECTION

(women, aged 16 to 64 years)

BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

(children aged 30 days to 2 years)

IMPETIGO

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

for 13 new houses, offices and a shop.

The committee heard the four self-build houses will be energy efficient, and cheaper for buyers who will build them themselves.

Coral Curtis, planning agent representing the developer Clifton Homes, said: “Individuals would purchase a Wunderhaus, which is fully customisable. Due to the nature of the Wunderhaus, it means these plots can be delivered much more quickly than your average self-build scheme, meaning that residents won’t need to spend years building their home.”

Peter Deane, a local resident and prospective buyer of one of the homes, added: “I’m an active member of the community and I have a young family.

"Between high interest rates, high house prices and the cost of living, options for young families like ours are limited.

“Self-build allows us to reduce the cost of the mortgage by offering up hard work in its place. Self-build homes are more affordable than traditional new-build properties.

"Through self-build I can provide for my family with room to grow, for less than a newbuild property that we would quite quickly outgrow."

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

n ABBOTSWOOD PHARMACY

We can treat your insect bites

DID you know you can now access NHS-funded treatment for infected insect bites at Abbotswood Pharmacy, saving you time and need to wait for a GP appointment?

As nature awakens during spring, we see many more people getting insect bites and stings. These are usually not serious and get better in a few days, but sometimes, they become infected or cause serious allergic reactions.

Signs of infection from a bite or sting include pus in or around the bite, swollen glands, increased pain, running a temperature, swelling and redness in and around the bite.

Some useful NHS bite and sting prevention tips:

*Be calm and move away slowly if you encounter wasps, hornets, or bees—do not wave your arms around or swat at them.

● Wear shoes and cover exposed skin if outside at sunrise or sunset,

● Apply insect repellent and avoid strong perfumes that can attract insects.

● Never disturb insect nests and

keep food and drink covered when eating or drinking outside

We are proud to once again step forward to protect our community by Abbotswood Pharmacy now offers a Walk-in offer for the NHS Spring COVID booster vaccine.

Anyone aged 75 or older with a weak immune system can simply walk in for a jab or book an appointment using the NHS website or NHS App or call 119 using our postcode to search BS3 1BN.

With COVID-19 still circulating, those at the highest risk eligible for the spring vaccine must get their jab to help top up their immunity.

As we all know, vaccines work to lower risk, but protection fades, so top-up jabs are offered for those deemed most at risk.

The NHS will send texts, emails, app messages or letters to those eligible – but you do not need to wait for the invitation to book or come in.

Need us? Just call Abbotswood Pharmacy: 01454313193

Reform UK unveils Thornbury & Yate MP candidate

POLITICAL party Reform UK has announced its candidate to contest the Thornbury & Yate constituency at the next general election.

IT engineer Andrew Banwell will stand in the seat currently held by Conservative Luke Hall at the election, which must be called before the end of this year.

Mr Banwell is a parish councillor of 12 years' standing, who has been living in the constituency since 2008 with his wife of 37 years: before that he lived in Whitehall, East Bristol, for 22 years.

He said: "I am a 60-yearold IT engineer with a diverse background in various roles, from bus and lorry driving to technology.

"My experience as a parish councillor for Dyrham and Hinton Parish Council has deepened my commitment to community and local issues.

"Outside of my professional

life, I am a family man, proud of my two grown-up daughters and three grandchildren.

"I believe in making a difference one step at a time and am dedicated to bringing positive change to our community.

"I was born and brought up in Southmead, where I lived until I was 23 and got married."

Reform UK was first formed

as the Brexit Party in 2018, by Catherine Blaiklock and Nigel Farage, following a split from UKIP. The party renamed itself Reform UK in 2021.

The party did not stand a candidate in Thornbury & Yate at the 2019 general election, after Mr Farage, who has been the party's leader and remains its honorary president, said it would not contest seats held by sitting Conservative MPs.

UKIP last stood a candidate in Thornbury & Yate in 2015, when it came third, ahead of Labour, and received 10% of the vote.

Mr Banwell is the third challenger to Mr Hall to be confirmed.

Last month the Green Party announced that Alexandra Jenner-Fust had been selected as its candidate.

The Liberal Democrats confirmed last year that South Gloucestershire Council

leader and Frampton Cotterell councillor Claire Young would contest the seat for the party, for a third consecutive time.

Current MP Mr Hall has held the seat for the Tories since 2015.

He won it from Liberal Democrat Steve Webb, a minister in the Coalition government who had held the seat and its predecessor, Northavon, since 1997.

Mr Hall – who was made an education minister in March following the resignation of Robert Halfon from Rishi Sunak's government – had a majority of more than 12,000 over the Lib Dems at the last two general elections.

Thornbury & Yate, which also includes Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury and Wickwar, is a top target for the Lib Dems, who topped the poll in every council ward in the constituency in last year's local elections.

Whirlpool Bunker Tours

THURSDAY

6TH JUNE 2024

You are invited to join us from 7PM

Come and join in this international event to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day to pay tribute to all those who took part in D-Day; the largest amphibious invasion the world has ever witnessed. Beacons will be lit around the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK overseas territories at

If you love music, join us at our Annual Music Festival. On Saturday 22nd June, local acts and bands will be showcasing their talents from 12noon until 8pm alongside a range of entertainment stalls and food & drink vendors.

On Sunday 23rd June, local Churches will be hosting ‘Praise in the Park’ at 10:30am followed by ‘The Great Choir Showcase’ at 12:15pm

at Yate Shopping Centre

23rd Praise in the Park (AM) Choir Showcase (PM)

Andrew Banwell, the Reform UK candidate for Thornbury & Yate

n YATE HERITAGE CENTRE

The objects that bring history to life

OVER the years in these articles, I’ve highlighted the different forms of historical evidence which exist at Yate Heritage Centre in electronic form, such as our photo archive and oral history. However, it is perhaps worth reminding ourselves that one of the most effective and accessible methods of bringing history to life is through threedimensional artefacts.

Artefacts are often worth a thousand words, and offer a sense of wonder, which display panels and electronic information seldom can.

Yate Heritage Centre possesses several thousand items in its collections.

We have a handling collection of generic objects for use in schools, on displays and for the public. Our crown jewels however, are the local history artefacts which are housed in three stores, and vary in size and scale.

Such objects might vary from Civil War musket balls to Parnall-made tumble dryers. Our challenge is to make these as accessible as possible, whether through regular changes of displays or as images online.

As I noted earlier, artefacts can prompt a sense of wonder and also tell their own story.

Such artefacts on permanent display at Yate Heritage Centre include a Civil War cannon ball and musket balls.

Found on land north of Yate near Goose Green Farm, and dated to the 17th century, the cannon and musket balls offer direct, tangible evidence of Civil War military activity, which ties in with our knowledge of the siege of Yate Court by Royalists in the 1640s and other military activity in the parish.

Seen close up, the visual appearance of these Civil War artefacts, worn as they are, conveys something different to what an electronic image could provide.

Another example of a significant artefact is on the back wall of the upper gallery at Yate Heritage Centre.

It’s our hand-painted war memorial board. Generations

of families around Yate will have seen this on the corridor of the former maternity/cottage hospital between Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

In 2012 we were able to salvage this precious artefact as the cottage hospital building changed hands.

The war memorial board tells its own story. It's a tribute to those that perished in the Great

War, of course, and it’s also a product of its time and place.

Hand painted on wood, it's designed to be impressive and is undoubtedly a thing of beauty.

It also reminds us that the First World War didn’t end in 1918, as its title makes clear: "War Memorial – Cottage Hospital –The men who fell 1914-1920".

Finally, although our Second World War Parnall works pass

has been mentioned before in a past article, it is the clearest example of the power of the artefact.

Again, it’s on permanent display and is a small, plastic pass used at Parnall Aircraft Ltd during the War.

Thelma Bennett, who worked in the offices at Parnall’s, had to leave her belongings following the big raid on the factory in February 1941.

She subsequently able to retrieve the pass. Thankfully for us, it is the most significant artefact which tells the story of what was the most traumatic event in the history of Yate parish.

The pass itself is incomplete, as it is seared with the heat and fire of bombs dropped on the plant.

In sort, its story is etched directly into the object.

Such is its significance that it is recognised in the British Museum’s one hundred most important objects for schools housed in UK museums.

Our artefact collections offer something for everyone, even in the electronic age, and remain a great educational resource. Please do come and see them.

Yate Heritage centre is part of Yate Town Council.

Diary dates:

April 30-May 18: Yate Art Open. Showcasing the finest talent around Yate.

May 11: Family History Day with our experienced family Historians – Free event. May 21-June 5: New display (to be confirmed).

May 12, 7.30pm: Yate Lecture Series – Robinson Crusoe and his significance to Bristol, with Mark Steeds. £2 admission or free for Friends of YHC. Booking essential.

More information on yateheritage.co.uk or by calling 01454 862200

The cottage hospital war memorial board

Thelma Bennett's identity pass, badly burned in the big raid on Parnall's

Leslie Garrett headlines weekend of Meadows music

IRON Acton is preparing to welcome Britain’s best-known soprano as part of a weekend of al fresco music.

Acton Aid, which raises funds for local good causes, is once again showcasing two evenings of live music at the Iron Acton Parish Meadows on July 5 and 6.

The Friday night event is Mash in the Meadows.

Headlining will be the Elton John tribute act Nearly Elton. Frontman Lee Brady and the band play at theatres and festivals throughout the UK and Europe.

Opening the Mash will be Joey the Lips, returning after playing last year. Organisers describe them as “the nation’s funkiest 10-piece band” providing a high-energy show, with well known songs from the last 30 years.

Lesley Garrett is the star of the show at Saturday’s Prom. Lesley regularly appears in opera, musical theatre and on television and has been performing for over 30 years, winning critical acclaim throughout her international career. She will be

singing popular classical numbers plus songs from musical stage shows.

Backing her will be Bristol’s only professional orchestra, the Bristol Ensemble, who are making their debut appearance in the Meadows. The evening culminates with Last Night of the Proms music and a firework display.

Tickets are available from www. actonaid.org.uk.

(Above) Nearly Elton. (Right) Lesley Garrett

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

Kumon Bradley Stoke Instructor Sarah Nutchey joins forces with Sonya Willman to open new Kumon centre in Emersons Green

Kumon Bradley Stoke Instructor Sarah Nutchey joins forces with Sonya Willman to open new Kumon centre in Emersons Green

Sarah Nutchey, a qualified teacher, began her Kumon career in 1998 with around 12 students, and over the last 25 years she has nurtured more than 1,400 students through the Kumon maths and English programmes.

Sarah Nutchey, a qualified teacher, began her Kumon career in 1998 with around 12 students, and over the last 25 years she has nurtured more than 1,400 students through the Kumon maths and English programmes.

Sarah has been awarded Elite status numerous times as Instructor of Bradley Stoke Study Centre. To earn the prestigious Elite status, Sarah has developed students who are able to study ahead of their school level, working independently with excellent study skills, and has also nurtured students who are able to complete both the maths and the English Kumon programmes.

Sarah has been awarded Elite status numerous times as Instructor of Bradley Stoke Study Centre. To earn the prestigious Elite status, Sarah has developed students who are able to study ahead of their school level, working independently with excellent study skills, and has also nurtured students who are able to complete both the maths and the English Kumon programmes.

Forming a partnership with Sarah is Sonya Willman, a Kumon parent and accountant. Sonya’s six children have all studied the Kumon programmes and she brings valuable experience from a parent’s perspective.

Forming a partnership with Sarah is Sonya Willman, a Kumon parent and accountant. Sonya’s six children have all studied the Kumon programmes and she brings valuable experience from a parent’s perspective.

Kumon Bradley Stoke Study Centre offers maths and English study, both paper-based and via KumonConnect, using a tablet. Classes currently run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school as well as Saturday mornings. Assessments are free, and without obligation.

If you would like your child to build confidence in maths and English and develop their study skills, book a FREE maths and English assessment today at www.kumon.co.uk/bradley-stoke or call 07808 720208.

Kumon Bradley Stoke Study Centre offers maths and English study, both paper-based and via KumonConnect, using a tablet. Classes currently run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school as well as Saturday mornings. Assessments are free, and without obligation. If you would like your child to build confidence in maths and English and develop their study skills, book a FREE maths and English assessment today at www.kumon.co.uk/bradley-stoke or call 07808 720208.

Furthermore, to celebrate the opening of the new Kumon Emersons Green Study Centre, you can save £50 with FREE registration at both centres until 30th June.

n NEWS Shopkeeper criticises police response to robbery

THE owner of a convenience store in Coalpit Heath has criticised the police response after £400 was stolen and a member of staff assaulted.

Edwina Pennell, who owns the Budgens store on Woodend Road, says officers didn’t attend the incident despite her calling following the robbery. Instead, she was told to log the incident online.

She said: "What horrified us more than anything was that obviously we rang the police, because I got down there within 15 minutes, and we were told that we could only report it online.

“It’s the first time in 35 years we’ve ever had anything like this happen.

The suspect

Kumon Bradley Stoke at The Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8EF.

Furthermore, to celebrate the opening of the new Kumon Emersons Green Study Centre, you can save £50 with FREE registration at both centres until 30th June.

Kumon Bradley Stoke at The Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8EF.

Book a free assessment today and save with our free registration offer!

"We couldn’t even talk to a policeman or anybody."

The attack happened at 8.30pm on February 20, when a man wearing a motorbike helmet came into the store.

He appeared to pay for an item, but when the till was open, he reached over and grabbed cash.

An 18-year-old shop worker tried to stop him but was punched in the chest.

Another member of staff ran after the man, but he had an accomplice waiting at the side of the shop and they made off on a scooter.

Ms Pennell says the robbery and attack have left her very angry.

She said: "I’m appalled really, especially as it was a very young member of staff. It’s really shaken him up and upset him, because you just don’t expect that to happen in Frampton Cotterell at 8 o’clock at night."

Extra precautions have now been taken, including guards on the tills and a ban on people entering the shop wearing helmets.

A police spokesperson told the Voice: "When operational demand is high, we prioritise attendance at incidents in which there is reported violence or a suspect has been detained.

"Because of the time

between the incident taking place and the report being made, and no injuries having been reported, the risk to the public was deemed lower.

"We fully appreciate the concern these incidents can cause, and officers have spoken with the victims, who continue to be updated as the investigation progresses.

"Our neighbourhood team is committed to working proactively with businesses to provide them with support and crime prevention advice, particularly where shop staff or customers have been threatened."

Ms Pennell said she was having to deal with an increase in crime at the shop, with "a lot of shoplifting".

Police released a picture of the suspect in April, along with an appeal for information from the public.

A spokesperson said the suspect they want to trace is white, about 5ft 10in tall and in his 30s or 40s.

He was wearing a black helmet, a black motorbike jacket with 'Frank Thomas' written on it, navy blue trousers and purple shoes with yellow laces.

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote crime reference number 5224 046 181.

n NEWS

Stephen's first novel is a detective thriller

A YATE man is putting his spare time in retirement to good use – by writing a novel.

Stephen Cook worked in social housing for local authorities and housing associations, and when he came to the end of his career it gave him the time to start writing in earnest.

The result is Angels In The Architecture, a detective story set in the heart of Bristol.

Stephen, 62, moved to Yate 36 years ago from Oldland Common, where he attended Sir Bernard Lovell School as a boy.

It took him nearly two years to research and write the story.

Before he retired Stephen published Words for Lost, a short collection of poetry and prose.

The title of the book is taken from a line in Paul Simon’s 1986 hit song You Can Call Me Al

The story follows two detectives investigating the discovery of body in the middle of Bristol.

"But it is also quite daunting when you finally publish your work not knowing how it will be received.

"Early reviews however, have been very positive and it is rewarding to hear how much people have enjoyed reading it."

Angels In The Architecture is being sold online at Amazon, where it currently has a 4.7 out of 5 rating, with one reader describing it as a "cracking thriller" and a "massively enjoyable debut novel".

Stephen will also be hosting a ‘meet the author’ event at Yate Library on Saturday June 1, at 3pm, where he will be discussing the book and selling copies.

Family Tree

It’s a case that becomes increasingly bizarre as the days go on.

Stephen told the Voice: “It’s very exciting to be able to share your story with the world.

When he is not writing he describes himself as a huge fan of pop, especially prog and classic rock from the 1970s, and is "so old fashioned I still buy and listen to CDs".

He is buried under an Oak tree and there is a memorial stone set in the grass.

It’s a lovely spot to visit, it helps us keep his memory alive and it’s a great feeling to support the creation of a nature reserve.

Susan, London

The only funeral director in the UK creating a 100 acre nature reserve complete with its own chapel and reception rooms. Just 15 minutes drive from Cribbs Causeway. A whole morning or afternoon costs about the same as a brief service at a crematorium. Burial or ashes interment. Complete burial service from £1,495.

We’ve got a family plot so eventually we can all be together under the trees. Visit www.memorialwoodlands.com or call 01454 414999

(Left) Stephen Cook. (Right) The cover of Stephen's novel

New health centre is closer than ever

WE are closer than ever to securing the much-needed redevelopment of Thornbury Health Centre.

Back in 2019, I asked the Health Secretary to instruct NHS England to work with our local health experts to put together a new and improved bid for an upgraded Health Centre.

It’s been a long journey from then up until the moment last Autumn, when I secured the first 10% of the funding that we need to get the rebuild underway.

Thornbury Health Centre remains at the top of my priority list. Our campaign to secure the rest of funding to redevelop our Health Centre has now reached its final stage, as the last remaining documents

have now been submitted to the Department of Health and Social Care.

My job now is to fight tooth and nail to ensure that we get the final cheque for the rest of the funding.

I want to thank all those who have signed my petition, supported the debate in Parliament, and continued to advocate for Thornbury Health Centre. Together, we have taken our campaign directly to the Department for Health.

Your support, with the thousands of signatures collected through my petition, and the feedback through my Health Centre survey, is helping me make that case that the Government needs to fully fund the £14 million which is

required to rebuild the Health Centre.

Most recently, I have personally handed in a further letter to the Health Minister Lord Markham, arguing that a new Health Centre would deliver more primary care services, more GP services, mental health services and would be a key part of delivering modern health services for the growing community.

We all know that it has taken far too long to get to this point, but we have never been closer to getting our new health centre.

Very soon, I will be meeting with the Health Minister again, and will highlight the key proposals, and reiterate

Luke Hall MP writes for Yate & Sodbury Voice

the increasing need for these crucial health upgrades for our community.

They are not optional, but essential to deliver a modern local primary care offer to our community and relieve pressure on local hospitals and health facilities.

There are still hurdles in front of us, but I want you to know that every day, I am fighting to get our community the health care services it needs and deserves.

A NEW LOOK FOR YOUR OLD KITCHEN THIS SPRING

Volunteer Dave helps hospice on holiday

A VOLUNTEER with charity Children's Hospice South West loves his role so much, he even does it on holiday.

Dave Senior, 81, is a key member of the volunteering team at the charity's Charlton Farm base in Wraxall, carrying out jobs alongside the maintenance team.

The grandfather of three works at Charlton Farm once a week, but also rolls up his sleeves and works at its sister site, Little Harbour Hospice in Porthpean, Cornwall, when he is on his holidays.

Dave, from Yate, first heard about the work of CHSW while helping at a scouts and cubs gang show at the Bristol Hippodrome.

He was inspired to help after hearing CHSW co-founder, the late Jill Farwell, talk to the audience about the charity's work.

While working as a parts delivery driver, Dave discovered Charlton Farm, which opened in 2007, was on his route –so he popped in to offer his services as a volunteer.

On the day he officially retired in March 2008, he started at Charlton Farm.

Dave's tasks range from sweeping up leaves to mending fences and checking all the vehicles used at the hospice each week are roadworthy.

He said: "The worst job is clearing the site of snow and the best job is doing the water checks – the reason being I meet a lot of the staff.

Dave grew up in Launceston in Cornwall before moving to Bristol aged 18.

He spent many happy days on holiday in St Austell as a child, regularly visiting Porthpean beach.

Keen to continue his volunteering duties while on holiday, while staying with his Cornish relatives he helps out at Little Harbour.

He said: “I do many similar jobs to what I do at Charlton Farm.

"I like to keep busy and I love my work at the hospice. To be able to do it in a place just minutes away from where I enjoyed so many holidays as a child is just marvellous.

“I get to see my family, have a little holiday while continuing with my volunteering role."

David’s family also support CHSW with his grandson completing a 5k run.

Dave says one way he measures whether he’s done a good job is by the size of the cake he is offered while working.

He said: “I like to think I am paid in good cake and the love and reward I get from volunteering for such an incredible charity.”

Charlton Farm site manager site Lawrence Gingell said: “Dave’s enthusiasm is infectious and he’s an important part of our team."

For more information on Children's Hospice South West visit www.chsw.org. uk.

Dave Senior

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Bee a par t of No Mow May

IF you peer over your garden fence this May, you might think your neighbour’s lawn is looking a little scruffy.

A few more dandelions than normal, or (horror!) patches of grass growing at different lengths. But don’t tut – that may be on purpose. And it’s a good thing!

Yes, it’s that time of year again – No Mow May, where people keep their lawnmowers and strimmers in the shed for 31 days, and give space back to nature.

It’s a simple idea. Giving the mower a breather means spring plants getting a chance to set seed before the first cutting.

This means your lawn becomes a haven for insects, birds, hedgehogs, and more.

And it allows wild plants to get a foothold in May, to feed bees, and other pollinators, through summer.

I’ve backed this campaign since it started in 2018 and every year, I’m always fascinated speaking with residents about the different plants they spot in their backyards.

I’m not just talking daisies or buttercups either, but plants we’d not often see in our gardens – one resident told me she’d even started growing wild strawberries!

Worryingly, future generations won’t see

these either if we continue down our current path. Tragically we’ve lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 30s.

That’s why I’m again urging readers to take part by doing, well, nothing! Leave the mower alone, and watch the flowers fill your lawn.

Check out plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay for more information.

If you can’t imagine allowing your entire patch to run wild, then how about leaving a circle of grass in the centre of the lawn to bloom? Or why not stagger it – so that you have one area that’s mown once a month, one area mown at the end of summer, and so on.

For those without a garden, fear not! I’m urging everyone to check in with their local church, school or anywhere with grass or fields, and ask if some space can be left for nature this year.

Ultimately, the momentum behind No Mow May shouldn’t stop with May, and thanks to the West of England Combined Authority I lead, it won’t.

An incredible 620,000 square metres of land is being transformed for the region’s pollinators thanks to bee-rilliant bee projects we’re funding.

This is double the target I set when launch-

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

ing a £1 million Pollinator Fund for projects that support bees, and other pollinator superheroes.

Projects like the creation of mini nature reserves in ten primary and secondary schools across the West, including in Coalpit Heath, Temple Cloud, and Bristol.

Alongside my annual Bee Bold Awards, we’re making the West the bee and pollinator capital of the country.

But I know we can go further.

So, this year, please give No Mow May a go. Who knows, you might like it so much you give the lawnmower a permanent shunning. The bees will certainly thank you for that.

A quick, cracking party dish

AS soon as the better weather comes (and it should be by May, surely?) I want to get into my garden.

To give me more time there, I return to my old, quick favourite recipes – and this is a cracker!

Once you are familiar with the recipe, you should be able to get it on the table from prep to serving in about 40 minutes. Or less, if you have an air fryer.

Added to that, it will delight a range of tastes, from carnivores to vegetarians and vegans, with subtle adjustments.

I call it a cheat, but actually it really isn’t. All I’ve done is cut down the bother of making a mushroom sauce from scratch, and used a quality substitute instead. This way you’ve got time to do a spot of gardening or have a

cheeky glass of wine in the garden whilst it’s cooking. The choice is yours!

Cheat's chicken

This is a great supper party dish which can be done on the hob, in the microwave or in an air fryer, if you have one. Quick to prepare, easy to cook, delicious to eat.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

● 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts

● 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

● 2 tablespoons oil (sunflower/ olive)

● 100g (4 oz) cheese of your choice e.g. Stilton, Dolcelatte, Gruyere, Camembert

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Ann Murray founded 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.

● 100g (4 oz) mushrooms, chopped into small pieces

● 1 large leek, carefully washed and finely sliced

● 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

● 4 heaped tablespoons of crème fraiche

● Fresh or dried herbs of your choice e.g. parsley, oregano, marjoram, tarragon

● Salt and pepper

● Squeeze of lemon juice

Here’s what you do:

● In a medium sized frying pan, brown the garlic and leeks in little olive or sunflower oil.

● Remove from the pan and put to one side.

● Add the chicken to the pan with a little extra oil if necessary. Turn in the pan to nicely brown the chicken pieces.

● In a medium sized bowl mix the soup, crème fraiche and lemon juice until well combined.

● Return the leek and garlic to the pan with the chicken together with the sliced mushrooms, freshly

ground salt and pepper and dried herbs, if using (put fresh herbs into the mix 10 mins before the end of cooking time).

● Spoon over the soup mix, crumble/chop the cheese over the top and mix well.

● Continue cooking on the hob for 15 to 20 mins or in the oven for 20 mins 180C/fan 160 C/Gas mark 4. Remember to add the fresh herbs 10 mins before the end of cooking,

● If cooking in a microwave, put the mixture into a microwaveable casserole, cover and cook on medium for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the wattage.

● In all cases, check that the chicken is cooked through: when cutting into it there should be no pink.

● Serve with broccoli florets or ratatouille and a timbale (shaped mound) of rice.

Cooks Tip:

This recipe is very versatile. Leave out the chicken if you’re a veggie, and add extra veg if you like.

n WHAT'S ON

MAY

May 2 to 6

n SEVERN VALE ART TRAIL, 68 artists in 31 venues from Stinchcombe to Alveston, including paintings, photography, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, glass art, mosaics and more. Refreshments at some venues. More details and trail map at www.severnvalearttrail.org or local shops and cafes.

May 3

n CHIPPING SODBURY LIBRARY

RHYME TIME – every Friday during term time in the library from 1010.30am. Free for children aged up to four years.

May 5

n WINTERBOURNE DOWN VILLAGE CARNIVAL MAYPOLE TRAIL AND TREASURE HUNT, 2pm. Pick up a map from Winterbourne Methodist church. Followed by ‘Songs of Celebration’ with Frampton Cotterell Male Voice Choir, at the Methodist Church, 6pm.

May 6

n WINTERBOURNE DOWN VILLAGE CARNIVAL PARADE, leaving Bradley Avenue at around 10am, arriving at Winterbourne Down Methodist Church, Down Road, at around 10.45am, for crowning of carnival king and queen. Fancy dress competition and stalls. More details elsewhere in this month's Voice.

May 11

n THORNBURY CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT OF ENGLISH MUSIC, conducted by Steven Kings, St Mary’s Church, Thornbury, 7.30pm. Tickets £18 pre-booked, £20 on the door, £5 students, available from members, Horders Stationers or by email at tickets@thornburychoralsociety. co.uk. More information from www. thornburychoralsociety.co.uk.

May 7

n CHIPPING SODBURY MUSIC SOCIETY PRESENTS CarmenCo – A Pocket Opera, Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £18 on the door – school-aged children free.

May 11

n CHIPPING SODBURY LIBRARY

Saturday Lego Club at the Waters Room, Old Grammar School Rooms, 10am. No need to book – just come along.

May 12

n WAPLEY BUSHES LOCAL NATURE RESERVE WORKDAY. Spring clean of the reserve and planting out native flower plug plants in a grassland area. Wear stout footwear and bring your own gloves if you can. Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the

woodland, south Yate, at 10am.

May 14

n SODBURY AND DISTRICT FLOWER ARRANGEMENT SOCIETY practice class, the Old Grammar School Rooms, Chipping Sodbury, 7.30pm. Create a free-flowing design using tulips and wire. Also basket making on May 28, same time and venue. For further information contact Kate Bryant on 0777 353 7148 or email katebryant186@gmail.com.

May 14

n GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY BRISTOL GROUP Meeting, BAWA, Southmead Road, Bristol, 7.30pm. Talk: Yate to Narvik – By Train to the Midnight Sun, presented by Dave Winter. Meeting open to all, no admission charge but a suggested donation of £3 towards expenses.

May 16

n ARTS APPRECIATION GROUP, Greenfield Centre, Park Avenue, Winterbourne, 2pm. Illustrated talk by Richard Box on Flowers in Art. More details from Sally on 07946 508316.

May 25

n TABLE TOP SALE in aid of Project Dragonfly CIC, Doddington Parish Hall, 11am-3pm. Children's competitions for ages 5-16, hanging basket workshop, tombola, raffle, lucky dip bags, plant sale, cakes, refreshments. £10 per table for sellers.

May 31 and June 1

n TMTG TIME-TRAVELLING

CONCERT ‘JOURNEY BACK TO THE FUTURE’, 2.30pm and 7.30pm at Thornbury Methodist Church upstairs hall. Tickets £10 plus booking fee from www.tmtg.org.uk/tickets or Lisa Costa Estate Agent, 53 High Street, Thornbury, from May 1.

June 8th

n CRAFT AND GIFT FAYRE!

Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Saturday 8th June - 10am till 4pm. 35+ stalls of locally Handmade Crafts & Gifts, Cakes, Refreshments and More! Voluntary Entrance fee (20p) to be donated to The Cotswolds Cats & Dogs Home. Email bythewoodsfayres@hotmail. com for more info.

n June 3-22

U3A YATE & SODBURY ART GROUP

Summer Showcase at Yate Library during opening hours. Pictures available for sale. Visit u3asites.org. uk/yate-sodbury/welcome for more details about u3a.

REGULAR EVENTS:

Monday

n YATE & SODBURY ART & CRAFT CLUB meets every Monday, 7-9 pm at Ridgewood Community Centre.

Painting, drawing, collage and many other crafts in a friendly informal setting. £5 per session. More information at yateandsodburyartsociety.weebly. com or call Roz on 07941 946412.

n BRISTOL BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY holds open meetings at Little Stoke Baptist Church, Kingsway, Little Stoke, at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month. More details from Ron Ramplin at ronnie.ramplin@btinternet. com or 07748 740794. Visitors always welcome without commitment or charge.

n GENTLE YOGA-IN WITH NAZAMA Weekly yoga class 9.30am. Easy to follow gentle yoga, ideal for back pain relief and joint issues. A slower-paced, mindful and lighter yoga in Chipping Sodbury with experienced teacher. Beginners Welcomed. Sodbury Masonic Hall, 1 Hatters Lane, Chipping Sodbury. From £6.00. Book online www.yoga-in. co.uk or call 07804598353

n FLOW-IN YOGA WITH NAZAMA Weekly yoga classes 6.15pm & 7.30pm in Chipping Sodbury. Become more flexib le, worry less and sleep better with an easy to follow flowing yoga. Book online www.yoga-in.co.uk or call 07804598353

Tuesday

n YATE POETRY GROUP meets every Tuesday morning. Small, informal and friendly group to share and enjoy poems. For details and to learn more about the venue, contact Tony on 0770 4140682 or email yatepoetrygroup@gmail.com.

n SERENGETI BRASS BAND, small band for improvers, meets every Tuesday from 9.45-11.45am at Yate Methodist Church in Moorland Road. Straightforward pressure-free music making in good company. For more information email SerengetiBrassClass@gmail.com or phone Paul on 07851 239500.

n SUNRIDGE GOLF CROQUET CLUB meets on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in Coalpit Heath and has players at all levels. Learn how to play, club equipment is available to use. To find out more contact croquet@wilko. eclipse.co.uk or call 07977 201440.

n SOUTH COTSWOLD PROBUS GROUP meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Masonic Hall Sodbury, 10am. Contact Pete Chaplin for details. 01454 324956.

n YATE & SODBURY ART & CRAFT CLUB (POTTERY SECTION) meets every Tuesday and Wednesday, 7.309.30 pm at Ridgewood Community Centre. Tuition available. £5 per session. More information at yateand-

sodburyartsociety.weebly.com or call Roz on 07941 946412.

n YATE CHORAL SOCIETY rehearses at St. Nicholas' Church Centre, Chargrove, Yate, 7.30 - 9.30 p.m. For details call 07833 597114

n PUCKLECHURCH FOLK DANCING CLUB, Pucklechurch Community Hall, Abson Road, every other Tuesday from 7.30-10.15pm. All welcome, with a partner or solo. Call Alan on 07812 508396 or Linda on 07843 240414

Wednesday

n CRAFT MORNING, St Mary's Church, Yate, 10am-midday. Bring a project, get help learning something new or just come to sit and chat, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit. Small donation requested to support church heating.

n LINE DANCE CLASSES AT RIDGEWOOD COMMUNITY CENTRE, Wednesdays 9.30am to 12. Cost £5. No partner needed. A fun way to keep fit, reduce stress, improve memory and make new life long friends. Contact Gill 07837 784816, or FB gill.butler.90

n GENTLE YOGA-IN WITH NAZAMA Weekly yoga class 9.30am (term time). Easy to follow gentle yoga, ideal for back pain relief and joint issues. Book online www. yoga-in.co.uk or call 07804598353

n YATE AND CHIPPING SODBURY GOOD AFTERNOON CHOIR, St Mary’s Church, every Wednesday from 2-4pm. New members welcome, especially men, to thriving community choir, with no auditions. First rehearsal free. For more information phone Jody on 01761 472468.

Thursday

n GOLDEN OLDIES SING & SMILE SESSIONS, Cambrian Green Court, Wellington Road, every third Thursday from 10.30-11.30am. Sing along to hits of the 50s onwards, chat and laugh with friends. £3 donation to attend. Call 01761 470006 for more details.

n COELIAC UK LOCAL CAFÉ MEET UP occurs every third Thursday of the month, 10-11.30am, at Iron Acton Garden Centre cafe. Join us to share experiences of living gluten free. For further info contact volunteering@ coeliac.org.uk.

n YOGA-IN WITH NAZAMA Weekly Flow-in Yoga 6.15pm & Back Care Yoga 7.30pm in Chipping Sodbury. Become more flexible, worry less and sleep better with an easy to follow yoga. Beginners Welcomed. Chipping Sodbury Sports Centre. From £6.00. Book online www.yoga-in. co.uk or call 07804598353

NEWS

'Inspirational' Emma praised

School's community Ramadan celebration Future options

DOWNEND School hosted an event for pupils, staff and families to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

METRO Mayor Dan Norris has praised the “inspirational” organisation set up by a Yate woman to care for people with dementia.

Emma Doney, who lost her grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease, set up Adorno Companions five years ago to provide social support, companionship and other assistance to older people across South Gloucestershire – so they can stay independent, and in their homes.

The school teamed up with Bristol Muslim Cultural Society to host its first community Iftar in April.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Iftar is the name of the sunset meal that breaks the fast, and is usually shared with family and friends, or at a mosque with members of the local Muslim community.

After going on a West of England Combined Authority funded-training course, Mrs Doney has now set up a new Adorno Activity Club in Bristol's Windmill Hill City Farm.

Specialist mentor Talal Khan, from the school's inclusion team, said: "This was a chance to acknowledge and celebrate Muslim students, staff and parents, whilst also giving the wider school community an insight into what makes this month so special.

Adorno Companions also runs another dementia centre in Winterbourne, and are based in Chipping Sodbury while operating across places like Yate and the wider region.

SIXTH form students from Downend and Mangotsfield Sixth Form and their families had a chance to find out more about their options for the future at a post-18 careers event.

they do to support dementia patients in and around the West, and, vitally, their families and carers as well.

nice mix of students, staff and parents, with both Muslim and non-Muslim members of the school community coming together in good numbers."

student, was "impeccably observed" by non-Muslim attendees.

The event in March included workshops on applying for university places, student finance and apprenticeships. It included guest speakers from universities and exhibitions from employers including the NHS, Heidelberg Materials and Bristol City Robins Foundation.

The evening started with a presentation from Rizwan Ahmed of Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, who highlighted some facts about Ramadan.

"For the first event of its kind, the uptake was much larger than expected, with around 80 attendees, consisting of a

Mr Norris said: "Bravo to Emma and the rest of the Adorno Companions team for all that

"This new club and the activities – including their art and crafts sessions, animal therapy, and general chit chat with volunteers – they run on site are absolutely vital in terms of helping people to live well with dementia. That’s really important.”

This was followed by a call to prayer by a student, and the breaking of the fast with dates and water. The communal prayer, also led by a Muslim

TURNERS HEARING CARE BLOG

Ear care, fact and fiction

Our ears can be funny things, they come in all shapes & sizes and are usually totally taken for granted - unless we have a pain, ache or hearing difficulty. “How can I safely care for my ears?” I hear you ask.

To start, an ear wax factoid:

Did you know that ear wax can be wet or dry. For most of us it’s often genetically determined, it’s considered to be the wet type in most people of Caucasians or African descent and dry in most people of East Asian descent.

What does safe ear care sound like?

Firstly there is a reason for the oft quoted Ear Doctor saying “don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear”. The delicate structures inside your ear really, really don’t like being poked, scraped or wiped with rolled tissue paper or cotton buds. Such items are definitely not called earbuds despite many people referring to them by this name! These can actually push ear wax or debris further into your ear which can increase the risk of hearing problems.

Turn down the volume

Whilst perhaps a controversial thing to say, particularly in a house like ours with teenages around, regularly being in or around loud noise can be damaging to our ears and hearing. Wearing ear protection around loud noises such as drilling or concerts can reduce the risk of ear damage and hearing loss. When listening to music or the TV consider wearing ‘over the ear’ headphones rather than in ear devices such as ear buds so you place more distance from your eardrum and the mini portable speaker that makes up our headphones.

Keeping your ears dry

Prolonged exposure to water, such as if swimming regularly, can impact on your hearing and ear health if the water sits in your ear canal for too long. This is particularly risky if swimming distances in open water, and the water contains harmful bacteria. Tilting your head to one side then the other after swimming can help excess water drain out of your ears. For regular swimmers swim ear plugs are a good idea, you can even order custom fit ear plugs!

Staying Active

Regular exercise encourages good blood circulation which helps your ears stay in good health. Doing activities you enjoy, whether dancing (just turn the music down a touch eh!), running or walking can help you exercise regularly, which benefits more than just your ears.

Talal added: "Once the prayer was concluded, everyone took their seats in the Sixth Form common room and enjoyed a delicious array of food, very kindly arranged by BMCS.

"Many parents chose to bring in cold food donations in the form of delicious desserts.

"The school looks forward to hosting another community Iftar next year."

Head of sixth form Kate Long said: "We were delighted to have over 100 people attend the event, and take part in workshops and visit our careers fair in our sixth form common room.

"We are always delighted to invite outside experts into school to share information, and we look forward to hosting our event again next year."

If you think you have an ear problem, such as ear wax building up, you can now book an hearing care consultation with me, Debbie. I’m a fully qualified, registered and experienced Audiologist working at Turners Opticians in Fishponds. I’m passionate about people having access to clear effective hearing and being confident to seek further help where it is needed.

Debbie

Debbie Campbell is a qualified and experienced Audiologist, who has joined the clinical team at Turners Opticians in Fishponds having worked for many years in NHS Audiology clinics.

Emma Doney with Dan Norris

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Yate & Sodbury District u3a

AS daylight returns, our art group is abuzz with fresh energy. Welcoming familiar faces and new enthusiasts, our vibrant group continues to be a haven for those eager to delve into the realm of creativity.

If you're yearning to unlock your artistic potential or simply seeking a warm and inclusive space to explore the wonders of art, your search ends here!

Every Tuesday morning at 10am, we meet at Yate Bowls Club. Our venue boasts easy accessibility, a convenient car park, and a spacious environment perfect for artistic collaboration.

We are not in competition with each other, and do not provide formal instruction, but we wholeheartedly embrace the transformative power of collective inspiration.

Occasionally, we're treated to exclusive sessions led by external talents, injecting a delightful array of experiences into our artistic journey.

You can come and enjoy our members' art at Yate Library from June 3 to 22, as the U3A Yate & Sodbury Art Group presents its summer exhibition!

The exhibition includes many pieces produced during our meetings. And, if you like a picture, many of the works are available for purchase.

Please do join us in celebrating the artistic talent within our community.

Annual membership of the u3a is just £8 a year. You can visit any

one of our groups or attend our monthly speaker meeting twice to experience the u3a before joining as a member.

For more exciting u3a groups visit our website at u3asites.org.uk/ yate-sodbury.

Pauline Mullholland and Mike Hayward

Old Sodbury WI

Old Sodbury WI meet on the first Wednesday of the month in Old Sodbury village hall.

It's a lovely hall, with plenty of parking.

At our April meeting we had an interesting talk by Hilary Macklin who gave us an insight about what being a Magistrate entailed. Not only did we learn about how to become a practising magistrate, but she also gave us some case briefs to give our 'verdicts' on!

In May, Old Sodbury WI will be 105 years old! At our birthday meeting we have invited other WIs to celebrate with us.

We will be entertained by ‘Elvis’, have a light supper, and of course, some birthday cake!

We have a book club and a craft group and there are a number of social outings being planned, including visits to the cinema, the theatre, lunches and afternoon teas.

If you would like to know more or to come along to one of our meetings, you would be made very welcome.

For more information give Sue a ring on 01454 315161

Linzie Clark

Charity turns 50

CHARITY Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire has celebrated its 50th birthday.

The charity – which now helps more than 6,000 people per year – was first registered in April 1974 as Northavon Citizens Advice Bureau.

It opened its first office in Thornbury in 1978 and moved into its current premises near Yate Leisure Centre in Yate in 1994, surviving an arson attack nine years later.

The charity is now on the cusp of moving to a new home in Station Road, in order to double the number of clients

Members of the Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire team

it can help each week, as well as providing more accessible facilities.

For more details about the charity visit southgloscab.org. uk

n TURNER'S VISION

Which is the best anti-glare option – polarised or transition?

Choosing the right type of sunglasses for the summer months can be a real headache for those sensitive to bright light. Think scrambling around for your shades when driving only to have to dig out your regular glasses minutes later when the sun’s gone in.

But all is not lost. Fortunately, at Turners Opticians, we offer some great options for keeping the sun’s glare at bay.

Transition lenses – the all-in-one solution

Peter Turner of Turners Opticians

0117 962 2474 0117 965 4434

www.turnersopticians.co.uk

Transition lenses have come a long way since they first emerged on the market with a reputation for taking hours to respond to change in light.

The latest state-of-the-art lenses use super-smart photochromic technology to instantly adapt to changing light, providing optimal eye protection from glare and harmful rays while reducing eye fatigue for maximum comfort.

They’re also a must for prescription glasses wearers - one pair is all you need for any occasion.

Similarly, transition lenses are great for those who don’t necessarily suffer from glare problems but are mildly irritated by bright light. They do all the hard work for you, adjusting to just the right level of light input. We can even add our contrast enhancing lens – ideal if you want that extra bit of performance from your sun darkening lenses and struggle with glare when driving at night, too.

Polarised lenses take the glare away

Polarised lenses were created almost a century ago by Edwin Land, the inventor of instant photography and the founder of the Polaroid Corporation.

They work by blocking certain types of light from reaching the eye. Normally, light blasts at our eyes in vibrating waves that move in every direction. Polarised lenses block out light reflected from horizontal surfaces – for example the glare from the surface of a lake on a sunny day – and only allow vertically polarised light to pass through.

They’re great for drivers, people with cataracts or age-related macular degeneration and for those who have recently had procedures that could cause light sensitivity - such as cataract surgery or laser correction.

So, what’s the verdict?

Both transition and polarised lenses have drawbacks and benefits when compared to the other option. Some people just don’t get on with transition lenses while for others, polarised lenses don’t give them the ease and flexibility they’re looking for.

For those reasons, it’s always worth calling in to see us for your eye care and lens consultation before committing yourself to ensure you get the optimum lens for your individual needs.

Our expert team is ready and waiting to give you the time needed to look after your eye health and vision. Call our Henleaze practice on 0117 962 2474 or our Fishponds practice on 0117 965 4434

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Peter

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club

OUR final tea dance of this season was staged on March 27 in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Again, the hall was full, with 95 guests enjoying dancing, appreciating the music and tucking into home-made cake.

Guests generously donated a total of £298, bringing the grand total to £1,258 for the five tea dances held since November, all of which will go to deserving dementia-related causes.

A huge thank you to all those who have supported these events; we aim to get a new season underway in the autumn.

In the past month the club has made a financial donation to a local student for a school trip to Borneo to undertake conservation work and to help local schoolchildren.

The local Oasis Memory Café has received a further donation to help with the costs of a canal boat trip at Saul Junction for 30 attendees. We also paid for the purchase of some welcome new jigsaws.

On the international front, prompted by a worldwide appeal from Rotary International, the club made a further financial donation to ShelterBox, the international disaster relief charity which provides humanitarian aid to countries suffering from disastrous events.

The club also supported, via Care International UK, an initiative called ‘Lend with Care’, to assist small enterprises in developing countries – previous financial support has been put to good use.

Club members joined several other volunteers in early March to participate in the monthly litter pick sessions organised by the Yate and Sodbury Clean Up Group.

As ever, an incredible amount of litter was collected in the space of one hour, especially in and around Morrison’s car park.

The club continues to support the PhysioNet charity in Berkeley, where surplus medical equipment is currently being prepared for transporting to Lesotho and elsewhere.

Our club annual Charity Golf Day

takes place on May 24 at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club.

More entries are still needed – please contact Ian Joseph at bigjos1953@gmail.com

Stuart

Fraser

Chipping Sodbury Inner Wheel Club

I AM delighted to report that our skittles team played Newent Inner Wheel Club in a challenge match, and won by 25 points!

Chipping Sodbury are now through to the final, where they will meet Gloucester Inner Wheel Club. These matches are obviously played in a very friendly spirit, with lots of chat, but are keenly fought.

At our March meeting we enjoyed an excellent talk from Susan Symons on Queen Victoria as wife and mother, a follow-up from her earlier talk about the young Queen. It was fascinating, well illustrated by slides showing portraits of Victoria, Albert and their children, as well as some of the earliest photographs.

We were delighted to welcome new member Maria, who was ‘badged-up’ by President Liz Lowe and further delighted to welcome a visitor, Carol, who announced that she wishes to join the club.

Visitors are always welcome at our regular meetings, upstairs in the Town Hall on the second Monday of the month, from 2pm.

Liz Pattison

Yate WI

OUR supper club meets on the first Thursday of the month every three months.

The next meeting is on Thursday June 6, at the White Horse in Hambrook, at 6.15pm for drinks 7pm for the meal. Yate WI meet on the second Monday of the month at 7pm for a 7.30pm start, at Poole Court in Yate. For more information email us at yatewiavon@gmail.com, or just come along to our next meeting at Poole Court.

Sharon Bower

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Leap of faith at church

ST John the Baptist Church in Chipping Sodbury needs to raise funds for its upkeep, including at least £30,000 already identified by the church architect for urgent repairs on the church building itself.

To start the ball rolling, on Saturday June 8 the church is holding a sponsored abseil event, from the top of the tower down some 100 feet to the bottom.

To ensure the safety of the participants, the event is being run by Dave Talbot Adventure Events, which has been running similar events for 22 years, using fully qualified abseil instructors.

Not only will the participants experience the thrill of abseiling but, before they jump, they will get an amazing view of the surrounding countryside from the top of the tower.

All are welcome to have a go, from youngsters of 14 and above to sprightly pensioners – bring along friends and family to watch the fun!

Tea, coffee and cake will be served in the church all day and soup and rolls will be available for lunch.

If you'd like to take part you can book their slot now – early registration is encouraged, as numbers are limited.

For more information, contact Anne Vickers on a.e.vickers@talk21. com or download the detailed information and forms from the Sodbury Vale Benefice website at svbcofe.org.uk

Chris Cooper

Chipping Sodbury Morning WI

IN April we had plenty of opportunities to meet up: our regular meeting to learn about driving safely for longer, our coffee morning, lunch club and walk.

Our May meeting on the 21st takes us back to 1090, to learn about Saint Wulfstan (from Hawkesbury) who was the first to ban the slave trade in Bristol.

We have a full year ahead of us with speakers taking us from the Tudors to Jane Austen.

As well as our regular meeting on the third Tuesday of the month at 10am, we aim to meet monthly for lunch, walks and play skittles.

We meet at the Masonic Hall in Hatters Lane, Chipping Sodbury. The building is fully accessible with parking. Meetings last for two hours, including a short coffee break.

We would warmly welcome any ladies who would like to come along and see what a friendly group we are. If you would like more details, please call 07809 534 107

Sue Bird

Upper Frome Friends

OUR Himalyan balsam bashing sessions will be starting soon, and we have already begun a series of river cleans.

The plant is one of two invasive species seen on the river, along with signal crayfish.

South Gloucestershire Council are working on an exciting project called ‘Resilient Frome’ with a number of partners including the Environment Agency and Wessex Water to test and demonstrate nature-based solutions to manage the impact of flooding within the catchment.

Please join the Upper Frome Friends Facebook Group or contact riverfromereconnected@southglos. gov.uk for details of events and how you can join in. You won’t need to enter the river!

We will also be at local events like Yate Rocks on June 22 and 23. Come and say hello!

Jane Davies

St John's church tower. Picture: Anne Vickers

n SPORT

Georgina wins first solo international contest

A PARA athlete from Chipping Sodbury has won her debut individual event representing England at boccia.

Georgina Moore travelled to Ireland at the end of March to take part in her first individual challenger boccia event.

She said: "There were top seeded players from all UK and Ireland nations.

"I beat all players ranked higher than me, including a GB player. As it’s only my second full season as a Boccia player, this result was exceptional."

Boccia is related to bowls and pétanque, and involves aiming balls at a jack. The ball can be moved with hands, feet or an assistive device, making it ideal for people with physical disabilities.

Georgina, who has a severe physical disability, founded the GEM Boccia Club in Yate and won the BBC South West Unsung Hero Award for her work with the accessible sports club in 2019.

Her aim is to qualify to represent Great Britain at the 2028 Paralympics.

Georgina made her international debut in the Boccia UK teams and pairs open competition last year, when she also won a gold medal.

She has been fundraising to support the cost of competing in the tournaments she needs to contest in her bid to qualify, with an online donations page at www.gofundme.com/ georgiesbocciajourney.

Georgina said: "I’m grateful

Moore after her win

to everyone who’s donated to my Boccia fund so far, as the trip to Northern Ireland cost me over

£1,000, and I wouldn’t have been able to attend without the kindness of many people.

"I’ve been invited to attend my first European competition in November in the Czech Republic.

"Hopefully I can raise enough money to attend that and continue pushing towards my dream of the Paralympics 2028."

Qualifying for this year's Paralympics in Paris started two years ago, before Georgina started competing with a ramp, so her chance to compete on the world stage will be at Los Angeles in 2028.

She said: "I need to compete as much as I can to boost my rankings, which will hopefully get me selected into the GB squad."

League winners honoured

St Nicholas FC annual tournament

ST Nicholas FC holds its annual tournament over the weekend of May 11 and 12 at The Ridings, Chipping Sodbury.

Once again this promises to be a super weekend of football for all ages from Under-7 to U15, both boys and girls, with over 2,000 participants across 16 pitches.

Planning has been in place for a number of months and final preparations are being sorted.

Our end of season presentation and fun day is being held at Chipping

Sodbury Town FC on June 8, starting from 11am and running throughout the day, including inflatables, face painting, karaoke, drinks and refreshments and even talk of a ‘soak the manager’ stall!

The club is planning a 45th anniversary celebration dinner at Grittleton House in Chippenham on November 2, which will be open to current and past members – more details to follow.

Andy Paget

YATE Bowls Club held a presentation for the team who won last year's NE Bristol League 2, ahead of the difficult challenge of playing in Division 1 this season.

Pictured are Eric Robbins (Vice Captain), Dave Tubey, Chris Furmston, Marilyn Mayhead, Maurice Hawkins, Linda Hawkins, Dave Jones (Captain), John Mayhead, Faye Allen, Keith Watson, BJ Smith, John King and Mike Blake.

We are always looking for new members to join the club, of any age or experience level.

Open days are being held on

May 5 and 27, between noon and 8pm, when you can have a chat and a bowl, with experienced bowlers who will give you advice and encouragement.

You can also ‘turn up and try’ at our Monday Club Nights, from 6pm to 8pm from May onwards, to see if you think you might like to take up the game, with no pressure to join the club.

Visit the Pavilion at Sunnyside Playing Fields, Moreland Road, or email secretary.yatebowls@gmail. com for more details.

Chris Furmston

Camp for girls who love rugby

YATE Rugby Academy will host a series of activities to get girls aged 9-18 involved with the game over summer.

Love Rugby camps are part of the RFU’s new Love Rugby campaign, designed to promote and support girls' rugby, with the aim of increasing the number of women and girls participating from 40,000 to 100,000.

The Yate academy is part of Bristol Bears Club Connexion scheme, and will run a Love Rugby camp on Saturday May 18, followed by four weekly

summer rugby sessions later in the summer.

Love Rugby camps are a fun way for girls to play rugby over summer.

They are suitable for complete newbies to rugby or more experienced players.

Rugby is so beneficial to mental and physical health, and I would strongly encourage girls to give it a go and join us this summer.

For more information visit findrugby.com or yaterugby.com online.

Matt Hill

Georgina

Free Legal Stock Take meeting

Nowadays we all have so much life admin to sort out – it is easy for things to get out of date.

A FREE review meeting with our local, friendly team at Simpson Solicitors is like a Free Legal Stock Take meeting. Being a fully regulated law firm there is no pushy follow up as there is no obligation to instruct them. Just the peace of mind that you have received proper legal advice.

The Free Legal Stock Take meeting focusses on making sure your legal affairs are in order and if needed they can help you with a new Will or Lasting Powers of Attorney. It is all about making life as easy as possible for those that you care about - if you were to become seriously ill or die unexpectedly.

√ Checking any existing documents are legally valid: Checking your Will or Powers of Attorney are signed in accordance with the complex rules that apply, with advice to make sure they still reflect your current family arrangements.

√ Property ownership: Advice to make sure it’s owned in the best way to prevent problems. There is a £3 charge from HM Land Registry.

√ Reviewing what you own: Making sure those you trust can find and are legally able to access your bank accounts, investments, and life insurance if you were seriously ill or had died.

√ Inheritance Tax and Care Home Fees: Applying the current rules to your situation with advice so your family don’t receive an avoidable bill for tax or care home fees.

√ Free secure storage service: Offered for your legal documents and the information you might want your family to be able to access.

To arrange your Free Review meeting you can pop in to their Chipping Sodbury Office or email message@simpsonslawuk. com or call 01454 322 722. Remember, they offer a FREE home meeting service if you find it difficult getting to their offices.

Free Will Review

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“You

Town just miss out on play-offs

AN excellent run of results over the Easter period meant Yate town went into their last home game of the season still in the hunt for a play-off place.

A 2-0 away win over Westbury, followed by consecutive 3-0 home wins against Paulton Rovers and Willand Rovers, were followed by a 2-2 draw at Larkhall Athletic.

The final home fixture, against Cribbs on April 20, was played in front of a season’s-best crowd of 528.

But the 3-3 draw, and other results that day, meant the Bluebells' play-off hopes were dashed.

Yate appeared to be cruising to a win thanks to a goal from Calum English-Brown and two from Nick McCootie, but two stoppage-time goals for the visitors stunned both the home side and crowd.

Nevertheless, tremendous strides have been made since the appointment of Darren Mullings as manager last September, and

ahead of the final game of the season at Tavistock on April 27, there are positive feelings about next season.

At the Cribbs game there was a minute’s applause for former Yate Town secretary Iain Prior, who sadly passed away at the end of March.

Also at the Cribbs game, the club held a bucket collection for their charity of the season, the

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.

Another fund raiser for GWAAC will be a skydive by supporter Guy Lomas, who will be jumping from a plane on June 27.

Half the money raised via sponsorship will be donated to the charity and the other half will go to the Bluebells Budget Booster to support Darren

Mullings' team-building for next season.

An online Gofundme page for donations is now live at tinyurl. com/mvfv24zv.

There was also a recent weekend of work, undertaken by club officials and volunteers, to improve the facilities in the ground and in the car park.

The end-of-season Player Presentation Evening is taking place in the clubhouse on May 3 from 6.30pm, and the club are hoping that this will be well supported.

Tickets are available at £12 which includes a buffet. Anyone interested can email the club at yatetownfootballclub@outlook. com.

The Supporters' Player of the Season award was voted for by fans at the home game against Willand Rovers, and it was announced at the Cribbs game that this had been won by young Yate Town midfield player Oli Jenkins.

Bob Chester

Baps end hockey season on a high

BADMINTON & Pucklechurch

Ladies Hockey Club started their run-in to the end of the season with a derby game against Yate.

Yate scored first with a wellworked short corner, but was soon answered by a short corner goal for the girls in teal, from Nicki Trueman.

What is always a very closely contested match followed tradition, with Yate again taking the lead in the second half before the Baps made it 2-2 from another short corner set-piece, touched in by Anna Williams after a beautifully placed pass from Kirsty Chaney.

A tough away game against a well-organised, quick and skilful Wotton-under-Edge followed, with Baps on the wrong end of a 6-0 scoreline.

The team came storming back with a 4-1 home win against 3rd-placed Redland. Straight from the off, the Baps took control and it wasn't long before the goals started flowing.

The first came from a short-corner set piece from

centre midfield Kirsty Chaney, followed one from fellow centre midfielder Anna Williams.

Passion, teamwork and communication were on point, and skilful work moving the ball around the Redland ladies led to a third goal from forward striker Michelle Gapper.

The fourth was scored by Anna Williams in another short corner set-piece, before battling

Redland got themselves a consolation goal.

A 5-0 away win over Hanham followed, with an early penalty stroke from Anna Williams followed by goals from 'multipositional' player Lisa Bailey, forward Charlie McCafferty and two more from Williams, who bagged her hat-trick with a cheeky last touch of the ball. Hanham had a few shots

themselves but nothing was going to get past goalie Vanessa Hall.

Baps finished their season with a home game against Westberries at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex.

A close, well fought, even battle from the off saw the Baps ladies work hard before breaking the deadlock.

With some lovely triangle passes up from defence, Anna Williams took a run down the sideline and crossed in the ball to a waiting Heidi Gardner who swept the ball in for a screamer of a goal.

Many chances were denied and saved off the line by a strong defence. Westberries pulled one back in the second half but the persistent and adamant BAPS team were determined to finish on a high, and a final touch from Nicki Trueman secured a 2-1 victory.

We now look forward to the summer league, which is due to commence in May.

Lisa Rigby

Oli Jenkins breaks clear against Cribbs

Oli Jenkins breaks clear against Cribbs