Yate & Sodbury Voice February 2025

Aaron Phoenix shares his Yate home with more than 1,500 spiders, scorpions, centipedes, mantids and millipedes.

Full story: Page 7

'Our lives have been destroyed'

A DRINK-driver who left a Yate mum to die in the road after knocking her down has been jailed for nine years.

Ashley Billing was banned from driving for a previous offence when he hit 49-year-old pedestrian Rebecca Ashmead in

Kennedy Way, Yate, in March 2023.

Billing, aged 39, drove off, leaving Rebecca, also known as Bex, on the road with multiple injuries.

It took until late last year before he finally admitted

causing her death.

After he was sentenced in January, relatives of the much-loved lollipop lady and mother-of-four said their lives had been "utterly destroyed by his actions".

Turn to page 3

School praised

INSPECTORS have praised the ambition, curriculum and sense of belonging being created at Yate's Brimsham Green School.

PAGE 5

Homes for factory?

A BLUEPRINT for new homes and business development includes provision for 150 homes at Yate's former tumble dryer factory.

PAGE 17

Solar farm opposed

MORE than 900 people have signed a petition opposing plans to build a solar farm on fields south of Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

PAGE 6

Aldi split

PLANS for a new Aldi supermarket in Yate have divided opinions.

PAGE 4

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241 drivers arrested

POLICE arrested 241 motorists for drink or drug driving during a festive road safety campaign.

The arrests across the Avon and Somerset force area were part of Operation Limit, a national police drive to reduce fatal and serious road collisions during December.

Most were made at roadside check sites, during proactive traffic patrols and using intelligence reported by members of the public.

Police say drink-driving accounted for 62% of arrests, with drugdriving making up 38%.

Drivers aged from 25 to 34 made up 32% of arrests, 35 to 44-yearolds accounted for 24% and under-25s 20%, with 88.4% of those arrested were male.

In South Gloucestershire 46 drivers were arrested, with 66 in Bristol, 14 in B&NES, 36 in North Somerset and 80 in Somerset.

Chief Inspector Robert Cheeseman, Head of Roads Policing and Road Safety for Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Choosing to drive while impaired is not just illegal—it’s a deeply irresponsible act that can shatter lives in an instant. Every collision caused by drink or drug driving leaves behind a ripple effect of pain and heartbreak for families and communities.

"We’re grateful to everyone who shared information with us during this campaign. Every report helps us take decisive action and sends a strong message: drink and drug driving will not be tolerated on our roads."

People can report someone they know to be a drink-driver at any time by calling 101 or online at tinyurl.com/3nw678fy.

Tip-offs can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Reports of anyone currently out on the road under the influence of drink or drugs should always be made immediately, by calling 999.

Burglary arrest

A MAN has been arrested in Westerleigh after a series of aggravated burglaries across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Detectives are investigating three incidents, of break-ins involving weapons or violence to householders, in Stapleton, Thornbury and Bradley Stoke on January 22 and 23.

Police say the victim of the Bradley Stoke incident suffered a serious facial injury which needed hospital treatment, while the other two victims were left "shaken".

They say two men, aged 28 and 32, were arrested in Westerleigh and Downend on January 25.

The 28-year-old was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent and the 32-year-old on suspicion of aggravated burglary. They have been released on conditional bail.

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.

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A third man, aged 23, was later arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

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Drink-driver left 'beloved' Bex to die

From page 1

Avon & Somerset police said a large amount of debris from the Ford Focus car Billing had been driving, including its front bumper and registration plate, were left behind after he fled.

A police spokesperson said: "Paramedics attended and first aid was provided but, despite their efforts, Rebecca sadly died at the scene.

"The Ford Focus had failed to stop at the scene, however officers were able to track down the vehicle owner and it was established that Ashley Billing had been the driver.

"He was arrested a short time later and it was established he had been driving while under the influence of alcohol."

Billing, formerly of Yate but living in Patchway before he was jailed, initially denied charges of causing Rebecca's death by driving without due care and attention while over the drinkdrive limit, by driving while disqualified and by driving while uninsured or licensed.

However, after a legal bid to dismiss the case against him failed last November, he changed his pleas to guilty to all three charges.

At Bristol Crown Court in January he was sentenced to nine years in prison: his change of plea meant the sentence was reduced from 12.

Billing has also been banned from driving for 10 years.

At the time of the incident he was already subject to a 40-month driving ban, imposed in April 2021, after driving while drunk on the Avon Ring Road

and M32 from Frenchay into Bristol city centre, in a van which only had three tyres.

He had been jailed for eight months for that offence – his third drink-driving conviction –and branded a "serial drinkdriver" by a judge.

After her death Rebecca's family described the motherof-four, known as Bex, as the "matriarch of an incredibly close family" and "the best big sister".

Speaking after Billing was sentenced, they said: "As a family, we are relieved the person responsible for taking our beloved mum and sister from us has finally been sentenced.

"While no amount of time in prison will ever change the fact that our lives have been utterly destroyed by his actions, we are grateful to have some semblance of closure.

"Bex was the most selfless, caring, fun, hard-working and supportive person, and her loss has devastated all her family, friends and the wider community.

"We thank the police and CPS for their work on her case, and

to everyone around us who has given support and kind words, while continuing to respect our much-needed privacy.

"We hope that this traumatic event may cause people to be aware of the potential impact of their own driving and consider taking a more active approach in preventing others from driving in situations where they may be impaired."

The police officer who led the investigation, Designated Collision Investigation Officer

Tony Hall, said: "The strength displayed by Bex’s family throughout this lengthy investigation has been astounding, and I would like to once again express my sincere condolences for their loss.

"Anyone who chooses to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence of drink or drugs is putting themselves, other road users and pedestrians who are going about their day, at risk.

"Billing's selfish actions that day took away a mother from her children, and that is unforgivable.

"I hope this sentence will serve as a reminder to people to think twice before getting behind the wheel, and will give Bex’s family some closure as they continue to come to terms with their loss."

Rebecca Ashmead was a lollipop lady at St Paul's Catholic Primary School, and had taken part in a caAmpaign to recruit more crossing supervisors

Ashley Billing

New Aldi plans split opinion

SUPERMARKET chain Aldi has submitted formal plans to turn Yate's former Cineworld cinema into its latest branch.

The German retailer says that, if approved, the new store at the Riverside Retail Park will create up to 40 "full-time equivalent" jobs.

The application, published in January, has split opinion, with more than 350 people writing in to comment on South Gloucestershire Council's planning website as the Voice went to print.

A majority of those writing in – 195 – were in favour, with 145 objecting and the other 10 classed as neutral by the council.

do our shopping.

"We had a cinema, it wasn't used enough, mostly because of cost. I think the same thing would happen with another leisure facility."

Another supporter said the store would stop Lidl, which has been in the town since 1995, having a "monopoly" of the discount market.

However those opposing the plans say Yate already has enough supermarkets, and argue that another one could affect users of the other businesses on the retail park, and a car park that is already "rammed" at weekends.

One objector wrote: "This is the wrong location for another supermarket. We live close to the shopping centre and we have noticed that traffic around the shopping centre has got worse in the last few years.

"As someone who used the cinema every week, I really miss it.

Another said: "Parking will be a huge issue, especially for the gym goers who won't be able to get close to the gym, let alone the restaurants."

In a design statement on behalf of the retailer, consultants Kendall Kingscott said the store "will bring new life to the presently unoccupied unit", provide employment, enhance consumer choice and benefit neighbouring businesses by bringing in more shoppers.

delighted with the response we have received so far and are committed to continued engagement with the local community.

"The plans do not involve any substantial changes to the building itself: the main alterations will be some minor changes to the car park, a new entrance/exit lobby and the creation of a new delivery bay in the rear service yard."

One supporter said: "It would save me and other Aldi lovers making a 20-mile round trip to

"I would prefer the building to remain as a family entertainment centre. If it was multi-purpose it would attract a greater number of users."

The statement says the site is "ideally located for access by both pedestrians and cyclists".

Aldi real estate director Rob Jones said: "We are

The plans can be viewed on the planning section of the council's website, by searching for application P25/00028/F, with a February 5 deadline for comments.

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How Aldi says the store would look

'Ambitious' school is praised

INSPECTORS have praised the ambition, curriculum and sense of belonging being created at Yate's Brimsham Green School.

Ofsted visited the school, which has 1,057 pupils aged 11 to 19 on its roll, in November – its first inspection for more than five years.

The regulator no longer routinely grades state schools, but said Brimsham Green maintains the standards from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated 'good' in all areas.

However, more work needs to be done to improve attendance.

The inspectors said: "Staff are highly ambitious for all pupils at Brimsham Green School.

"The school’s recent deliberate focus on creating a sense of ‘belonging’ is having an impact. Most of the time, the school is calm, and pupils are respectful towards one another."

The report praised the "breadth" of the curriculum, which is welldesigned and delivered.

It said pupils value the wide range of subjects, including the arts, sports and vocational courses. An increasing number study the full range of 'English Baccalaureate' GCSE subjects – English language and literature, maths, sciences, geography or history and a language. "Carefully considered" changes to the curriculum meant more pupils choose a modern foreign language GCSE.

The inspectors said: "Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Teachers explain concepts clearly and use high quality resources to enhance learning."

Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities are accurately identified and well supported, and "support for struggling readers is also a strength".

The inspectors said the majority of pupils achieve and behave well, and their leadership is another strength of the school.

The report also said the school had listened to and was acting on concerns among some pupils that "unkind language" is not consistently dealt with.

To improve further, Ofsted said the school needed to ensure parents "share the school’s high expectations" on attendance.

The inspectors said: "The school’s work to tackle poor attendance has not yet had a positive impact on all groups of pupils. Too many pupils are severely or persistently absent."

Head teacher Kim Garland said: "We are delighted that Ofsted have recognised the ambition and care that staff have for all of our students.

"Moreover, we are proud to be judged by how we support our most vulnerable learners, and indeed this is a marker of the ethicalleadership approach we take; fostering relationships, creating a sense of belonging, promoting student leadership – all of these matter to us.

"Students’ strong academic outcomes have been celebrated, and this reflects the skilful teaching at Brimsham.

"There has been much to celebrate this year, with our best ever GCSE results and an Ofsted inspection that reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff and students.

"As the report makes clear, students must attend regularly in order not to miss out on our high-quality curriculum, and although attendance rates reflect the national trends, we know that there is more we need to do, post-COVID, to sustain the expectation with all families that attending school every day should be the norm.”

Head teacher Kim Garland with Brimsham Green students

Hundreds oppose solar farm plans

MORE than 900 people have signed a petition opposing plans to build a solar farm on fields south of Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

A planning application by renewable energy firm RWE for its Mousewell Solar Farm project has received more than 240 written objections on South Gloucestershire Council's planning website, with 11 people writing in support as the Voice went to print.

The twin-site development is split between Mousewell Farm, off Sodbury Lane, and fields between Westerleigh and Wapley Bushes, by Besom Lane and the railway. The two sites would be connected by an underground cable and include battery storage.

RWE says the solar panels would have the capacity to produce around 22 megawatts of energy, enough to supply 10,000 homes, and wants it to be operational by next year, with an operational lifespan of 40 years.

It says: ""It is hoped that the Mousewell Solar Farm will play a significant role in contributing towards South Gloucestershire Council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030."

The petition on the change.org website has been posted under the name Concerned Residents, and says the plans will "change the landscape for current and future generations".

The petition says: "Residents will not benefit and neither will nature.

"When you cover fields with glass it's impossible not to negatively affect nature! Our rural landscape and the diverse wildlife and ecology that exists within it will suffer."

The authors of the petition say the development will also cause a year of disruption from construction, and say fitting solar panels on roofs of existing buildings should be prioritised.

Opponents writing on the council website say it will also affect the owners of around 50 horses currently kept in stables at the site, with one describing it as "a massive blot on the landscape".

Among those writing in opposition is Paul Hulbert, a Dodington parish councillor and member of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, who raised a number of concerns about the effect on wildlife, including four protected species of bat, deer, damselflies, dragonflies and songbirds.

Objections on behalf of Westerleigh & Coalpit Heath Parish Council and Sodbury Town Council have also been published on the planning website, citing the "negative impact" on the Green Belt, appearance of the area, loss of agricultural land and increased traffic during the development.

RWE says the solar farm would be built on agricultural land that is not classified as "best and most versatile".

It will include acoustic fencing to muffle noise from electrical equipment, along with "1,200m of new hedgerow with trees and almost 2,600m of species rich hedgerow".

RWE says that, in response to an initial consultation last year it has added a designated ‘no development area’ and a biodiverse community area near Wapley Bushes Nature Reserve to the plans.

RWE development manager Ben Kwok said: "We’re continuing to have conversations with the local community to best understand their aspirations for the area and answer any questions.”

The plans can be viewed by searching for application P24/03001/F on the council's planning website.

The petition can be found at tinyurl.com/4stryn4k.

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n NEWS

Spider man insists: There's nothing to fear

A YATE man whose childhood fascination with tarantulas developed into a passion for all things creepy-crawly now lives alongside more than 1,500 minibeasts from around the world.

Aaron Phoenix, whose day job is a house removal specialist, runs a social media channel called House of 1,000 Inverts, which has thousands of followers on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.

He shares videos with information and care tips for people interested in invertebrates and channel and also helps people who are afraid of spiders, hosting educational talks, participating in birthday parties and other events.

Aaron said: “Arachnophobia is one of the most common fears, yet these creatures are truly amazing, and there’s really nothing to fear. So far, I’ve assisted around 60 people in overcoming their fear of spiders.”

Aaron first kept spiders as a teenager, having been fascinated with tarantulas as a child.

He said: "It truly flourished about five years ago, after receiving a bipolar diagnosis.”

Aaron's doctor recommended he find a hobby to focus on and he decided to revisit his interest in spiders, buying a juvenile

Aaron and his partner share their home with more than 1,500 creepy-crawlies

Mexican red knee tarantula he named Alissa after the lead singer of one of his favourite bands, Swedish death metal group Arch Enemy.

He said: "I quickly grew attached to her, documenting her life through photos and discovering a deep enjoyment in this new pursuit that surpassed any previous hobbies.

"This passion led me to create an Instagram page to share my photos. The joy I found in this endeavour motivated me to start a YouTube channel, where I could share

my knowledge and create care videos on various tarantula species.”

Aaron then began breeding tarantulas, and sells them to fellow enthusiasts.

Today, he has around 1,500 ‘creatures’ from around the world, including spiders, centipedes, mantids, millipedes and scorpions. The largest have leg spans reaching 11 to 12 inches (30cm).

Aaron said: "While this may seem like a lot, breeding can yield egg sacs containing anywhere from 20 to a few hundred, sometimes even over a thousand, depending on the species."

Aaron says his partner doesn't like spiders but "lets me crack on" with the hobby.

He says he has never lost a tarantula, adding: "I’ve had a few make a dash up my arm! I always keep a catch cup handy for such moments."

Aaron has rescued over 200 tarantulas from people who no longer want them, or which have been abandoned.

He hopes to continue "to educate and inspire others about these incredible creatures," adding: "I plan to keep expanding my website and YouTube channel and keep sharing my passion, and maybe one day open up a shop."

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n LOCAL MP for Yate

A gateway to real change in our region

I'VE recently been elected as vice-chair of the Western Gateway All-Party Parliamentary Group, which focuses on supporting the organisation’s work and lobbying for additional support from the government.

The Western Gateway Partnership stretches from St Davids in Wales to Swindon, and brings together business, local leaders and academia to form the country’s only pan-national partnership aimed at building a greener, more prosperous future for the area.

Before becoming an MP, I served on the board of the Western Gateway Partnership as leader of South Gloucestershire Council and in my new role, I intend to be a champion for the project, which has the power to deliver real change for local communities.

The Western Gateway Partnership has the ability to unlock investment and opportunities by bringing people together around shared goals.

For example, the partnership is soon set to report on the potential for tidal power generation from the Severn. This could deliver jobs for local people, as well as help cut our carbon emissions through new home-grown renewable energy.

Those with long memories will remember schemes before that never came to fruition. One of Western Gateway’s missions is to navigate the complexities, balance environmental concerns, and unlock sustainable opportunities.

The Western Gateway is also engaged in what it terms the

Monday 21st April 10am to 12pm Easter Egg Extravaganza in Kingsgate Park

Saturday 26th April 10am to 4pm St George’s Day Celebrations at Yate Heritage Centre

Thursday 8th May from 6 30pm VE Day 80th Anniversary Beacon Lighting at Tyler’s Field

Saturday 21st June 12pm to 8pm Yate Rocks! in the park

Sunday 22nd June 10 30am to 11 30pm 12pm to 4pm Yate Rocks! in the park Praise in the Park The Great Choir Showcase

Wednesday 16th July 11am to 3pm Yate Ageing Better Festival at Yate Shopping Centre

Saturday 20th September 10 30am to 4 30pm Yate International Festival at Yate Heritage Centre

Severn Edge project.

It is looking to create a low carbon energy park at the old nuclear power station site at Oldbury, as well as the one up the river at Berkeley.

Focusing on renewable energy, hydrogen and nuclear power, it has already brought in over £100m of investment from the UK government and the private sector.

The Western Gateway is also very well placed to have a say in local rail services.

Its 2050 Rail Vision promotes increasing capacity to allow up to four trains per hour between

Yate Town Council 2024 Grants

Bristol and Cardiff, reducing journey times between the cities from 50 to 30 minutes.

It also suggests that journey times between Swansea and Bristol could be dramatically reduced from one and a half hours, once an hour, to 60 minutes with three trains an hour, through proposed improvements to the South Wales Main Line and upgrading the Severn crossing.

It’s disappointing that the partnership has been overlooked by the government, who have refused to guarantee its funding moving forward, leaving the entire endeavour in doubt.

Hopefully it will understand that the Western Gateway is excellent value for money.

As the vice-chair of the Western Gateway group in Parliament, I will be doing all I can to put pressure on ministers to commit to supporting its work and using it to deliver positive results for our communities.

Yate Town Council is passionate about fostering a vibrant and active community! Each year, we're delighted to support local non-profit organisations through our grants program. These fantastic groups work tirelessly to enhance the lives of Yate residents, offering a diverse range of services and activities. This year, we were thrilled to award a total of £11,258.53 to several deserving community groups. Their efforts are invaluable in making Yate an even better place to live and thrive! Tuesday 15th April 2025 from 7pm Annual Town Council Meeting Sunday 10th November from 9 15am Yate Remembrance Parade and Service

Claire Young MP with members of the Western Gateway All-Party Parliamentary Group.

New head for Chipping Sodbury School

CHIPPING Sodbury School has a new head teacher, after long-standing leader Katherine Turner retired.

Rob Skipp took over at the school in Bowling Road in January, moving from a role as acting head teacher at Sir William Romney School in Tetbury, another member of the Athelstan Trust.

Mr Skipp said: "I am delighted to have taken on the role of head teacher at this fantastic school.

"I have been employed by the Athelstan Trust for a number of years, and have been lucky enough to work closely with the staff here at Chipping Sodbury School and see their commitment to providing the very best learning experiences for our young people.

"I’ve also been incredibly impressed by the attitudes and aspiration of our students.

"The first few weeks of term have been amazing, and I am really excited about this next chapter for the school.

"Working closely with parents, carers and the wider community, we will continue to build on what makes the school great, as we support and encourage our young people to aim for excellence in all they do."

Chair of governors Robert Owen said

Mr Skipp is a "well-established leader", whose appointment followed a "rigorous recruitment process".

He said: "Rob passionately shares the values of our school, and I am very confident that he will continue our school improvement journey, whilst maintaining the school at the core of our community."

Previous head Katherine Turner joined the school in 1998 as an assistant head teacher, after leading the technology faculty at Bristol's Withywood Community School for five years.

She was deputy head for a number of years before being appointed acting head teacher in 2017 and taking on the role permanently in 2018.

Ms Turner's tenure as head saw the school convert to an academy in 2021 and achieve its first 'good' rating in 15 years from Ofsted in an inspection the following year, after three previous inspections where the school was told it required improvement.

Mr Owen said: "Katherine has made a huge contribution to the education and lives of countless children in South Gloucestershire and has been a deeply ethical and compassionate school leader.

"During her time as head teacher, Katherine led the school through a significant programme of school improvement, resulting in an Ofsted 'good' inspection in 2022.

"We all wish Katherine a long and happy retirement."

Katherine Turner

Rob Skipp with Chipping Sodbury School pupils

Trains are on the up

THE number of passengers using Yate station rose by nearly a quarter last year.

But the overall total is still well below the level it was before the pandemic.

Figures from the Office of Road and Rail show that in the year to last March, 294,414 people entered or left the station.

The main destination was Bristol Temple Meads, with 91,362 journeys made between the two over the 12-month period.

The figure was 23.6% up on the previous year, when 238,106 people used Yate station, and reflects an increase in services from hourly to half-hourly between the Yate and Temple Meads.

However it is 25.1% below the figure for 2016-17, when 392,910 people used the station.

The figure plunged during lockdown, with only 68,562 visits to the station in 2020-21, and 177,122 the following year.

Temple Meads had 10.2m entries last year.

Petrol station can't open early

A PETROL station in Yate has been refused planning permission to open at 6am every day.

Councillors said plans to open earlier would lead to noisy vehicles and bright headlights that could wake up neighbours trying to sleep in nearby homes.

Motor Fuel Group operates the petrol station at the Morrisons supermarket, off Station Road.

It currently opens at 7am on most days, and 8am on Sundays.

The firm applied for planning permission from South Gloucestershire Council to open at 6am instead. It said the earlier opening

hours would benefit healthcare workers, delivery drivers, agricultural workers and service industry employees.

But councillors on the development management committee voted to refuse the plans in December.

Yate North ward councillor Chris Willmore, who is also a Liberal Democrat cabinet member, said: "The access to this garage isn’t from a main road.

"In order to get access to it, you have to go into Poole Court Drive, which is a small and narrow road immediately behind residential properties, and which at six o’clock in the morning is quiet.

"You’re introducing vehicle movements into a road that is immediately behind residential properties, at 6am.

"In Yate we have four petrol stations. Two of them are on the main road through town and they have 24-hour opening. They’re well-screened from residential properties

and it’s perfectly reasonable that they’re open for 24 hours.

"We have one other petrol station that’s in a residential area, although its access is from the Westerleigh Road.

"But it has limits on its hours that are six o’clock in the morning on weekdays, seven o’clock on Saturdays and eight o’clock on a Sunday.

"This application site is far more intrusive into the amenity of those houses on its access route, yet it’s asking for 6am."

A noise assessment found that the petrol station would not cause annoyance to nearby residents. But this focused on sound in the petrol station, rather than vehicles driving past the houses.

A council officer at the meeting said: "Houses are next to roads, it’s quite a common arrangement.

"Cars could go down there at any time of day or night."

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

MP calls debate on bridge closure

AN MP has called a debate in the House of Commons to pressure the government to speed up the reopening of the Badminton Road bridge over the M4.

Claire Young secured the adjournment debate on January 29 to raise the plight of the Frome Valley's overloaded country roads and businesses affected by the closure.

National Highways, which is responsible for the bridge, closed it in July 2023 after engineers found "accelerated deterioration and cracking" in the concrete –severing the main road between Bristol and Yate.

The government agency plans to remove it in late March, with a replacement due to open early next year.

Thornbury & Yate MP Ms Young said: "The official diversion is long, with many of the 16,000 vehicles a day ending up instead on local country lanes like Henfield Road, Ram Hill and Down Road.

"These roads were never

designed to take such heavy traffic and it’s making them unsafe, damaging road surfaces, causing long delays, and, in the case of Henfield Road, exacerbating flooding."

She called on the government to commit to funding South Gloucestershire Council to repair the damage to local roads.

Ms Young also called for "viable businesses" affected by the loss of passing trade to be offered funding similar to covid payments, "to ensure they survive this closure".

And she called on the government to work with

Aerial view of the Badminton Road bridge.

National Highways to bring forward the reopening of the road, recognising the "high level of disruption and the dismay locally at the length of time the work is taking".

The MP also raised questions about wider issues including the safety of post-tensioned concrete bridges, similar to the condemned Badminton Road bridge.

Roads minister Simon Lightwood, who attended the debate for the government, is expected to provide a written response to the issues raised.

Shop arrests

POLICE arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of assault after a series of complaints about antisocial behaviour at Yate Shopping Centre.

The Yate Neighbourhood Policing Team said officers made the arrest on January 23 after "a report of a teenage boy causing issues at Yate Shopping Centre".

The police added: "Following an increase in anti-social behaviour, officers and PCSOs from the Yate Neighbourhood Policing Team have been conducting additional patrols, alongside our specialist colleagues from the Tactical Support Team."

Four days earlier the Yate Neighbourhood Team said they had arrested and charged a male and a female suspect for seven shoplifting offences from businesses in the area. They are due to appear in court later this month.

Officers encouraged anyone who sees antisocial behaviour to call 999 if it is in progress, or to call 101 or report it online if it has already happened.

I am Labour’s candidate for the West of England Mayor in May 2025.

This area is my home. I grew up on the outskirts of Bristol, my family live across the West Country and I’m now raising my three children here.

Our region is a great place to live but I know there are challenges too. I will work every day to put our region on the map and deliver good well-paid jobs, reliable public transport and more affordable homes.

Get in touch and let me know what your priorities are for the West of England.

Bristol-based The Window Hub progresses on green goals

Bristol-based home improvement company, The Window Hub, is aiming to plant 3,000 trees over the next three years as part of its commitment to being a climate conscious business.

The trees will be planted at Boyd Valley Lake, which is located in Bitton. This is in addition to continuing its policy of recycling all old frames so they don’t end up in landfill.

The window installation company was launched during lockdown in 2020 by seasoned industry professional Danny, who wanted to create a business that was “built on quality rather than greed”.

From humble beginnings, The Window Hub now operates from a head office and showroom in Staple Hill in Bristol with offices, showrooms and installation depots across the South West.

In fact, a new showroom is scheduled to open this month.

Danny launched The Window Hub because he wanted to be much more than just a double glazing company.

“We know that choosing new windows and inviting someone

into your home can be stressful, so we have introduced as many initiatives as possible to be fair and reasonable in our approach to give our customers the best experience possible,” he said.

“Sales begin and end with treating customers properly. And

you know what? It is so easy to be amazing if you don’t cut corners.”

And the Window Hub has the customer reviews to prove it –90% of reviews for The Window Hub on Trustpilot are for five stars, with customers celebrating the company’s professionalism, friendliness, tidiness, and attention to detail.

The hard work of Danny and his company was also recently recognised and commended, with The Window Hub being named the ‘Best in the South West’ at the G24 Awards last year.

In 2025, The Window Hub will grow to cover domestic homes between Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and Lands End in Cornwall.

For more information, please visit TheWindowHub.co.uk.

THE Liberal Democrats have chosen a councillor from Bath to be their challenger for the role of Metro Mayor.

Oli Henman has represented the Walcot ward on Bath & North East Somerset Council since 2023.

He works as a coordinator aiding community organisations with sustainability, and last year addressed the UN General Assembly for its 'Summit of the Future' action days.

Cllr Henman will be aiming to better the result of former Bristol West MP Stephen Williams, the party's candidate in the 2021 election, who came fourth out of four.

He says he wants to use his experience to engage and involve local communities in the work the West of England Combined Authority does if he is elected Metro Mayor on May 1.

Cllr Henman said: "I’m committed to cutting waste and red tape in the Mayor’s office and putting power back where it belongs: in the hands of local communities.

"The West of England

Lib Dems unveil Metro Mayor pick as Greens switch

Oli Henman Mary Page

Mayor has a key role to play in delivering affordable and accessible transport, sustainable housing and the jobs of the future.

"We have seen that funds for bus service improvement have been wasted on unnecessary gimmicks like the ‘birthday bus’ scheme.

"I want to ensure our communities are at the heart of decision making and that the region becomes more accessible

for everyone."

The Green Party has changed its mayoral candidate.

After unveiling city council deputy leader Heather Mack as its candidate in November, the party announced in January that Cllr Mack had stood down "to allow her to focus on her council role".

In her place the Greens have named Mary Page, their candidate in the Bristol North West constituency at the last general election, who was runner-up to Labour's Darren Jones.

A media and marketing specialist, Ms Page was previously a member of the Liberal Democrats and was selected in 2019 as the Lib Dem candidate for Bristol Mayor, on a platform of abolishing the post.

She later stood down from

the candidacy for personal reasons, but then led the 'It’s Our City Bristol – Scrap the Mayor' campaign in 2022, which won a referendum to abolish the role then held by Labour's Marvin Rees.

Labour and the Conservatives have both selected former Bristol city councillors, Helen Godwin and Steve Smith respectively, for the election.

Current Metro Mayor Dan Norris was elected as the MP for North East Somerset & Hanham and cannot stand for re-election because of a Labour Party ban on MPs having second jobs.

Reform UK had yet to announce a candidate as the Voice went to print.

Includes reporting by John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

n RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Not just for Valentine’s

AS you will know if you follow my recipes, I don’t very often do desserts or cakes: not because I don’t like them, but because I try to keep these for special occasions.

And of course, Valentine’s Day is special for a lot of people. But I like to think that this recipe can be enjoyed for any special celebration.

Nothing says celebration to me like chocolate, but this cake comes with a twist!

The surprising inclusion of beetroot subtly changes the flavour, making it lightly less sweet and totally delicious, especially with accompanying fruit.

And the magic is that you can’t taste the flavour of beetroot, but you know that there is something tantalisingly different.

Give it a try – you won’t be disappointed!

Magic chocolate fudge cake

Makes about 12 cupcakes or 1 round cake, using an 18cm (7in) diameter loose-bottomed cake tin.

This will give you a cake 2in deep.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

250g good-quality chocolate- 70%

cocoa solids

Eggs – 3 medium, free range

Light muscovado sugar-150g

Agave nectar – 4 tbsps (you can use runny honey or maple syrup if you prefer)

Plain flour – 40g

Self-raising flour – 40g

Bicarbonate of soda – ¼ tsp

Good pinch of salt

Cocoa powder – 25g

Ground almonds – 50g

Cooked beetroot, NOT cooked in vinegar – 250g – finely grated

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.

For serving:

Either a dusting of icing sugar or a drizzle of pouring cream and blueberries, strawberries or raspberries when in season.

Method for the cake:

Preheat oven to (160°C/Gas Mark 3 or 140°C fan-oven).

If making the round cake, grease the tin and line the base with non-stick paper. If making small cakes, line two 12-hole standard muffin pans with 12 paper cases. For Valentine’s Day if you feel creative, make a large cake and cut out heart shaped (see picture). Leftover cake can be served with cream and berries.

Melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until it’s all melted. Do not let the bowl touch the water, or the chocolate will seize and be ruined! Put aside to cool, not in the fridge.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs with the sugar and the agave nectar, honey or maple syrup until thick and creamy. This will take about 3 minutes with a hand-held electric mixer, or in a food processor or larger mixer.

Gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients (not the beetroot) until well mixed together.

Spread the grated beetroot out onto double thickness of kitchen paper. Remove some of the excess moisture by blotting with another piece of kitchen paper.

Fold in the beetroot, coffee, warm water, oil and lastly the

cooled chocolate, using a spatula. At this point the mixture will look a bit gloopy. Don’t worry, that’s normal. Just continue to fold gently until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin or cupcake cases, filling each case about two thirds full.

Bake in the pre- heated oven for 15- 20 minutes for the cupcakes. Leave in their cases for a couple of mins. Then test to see if they are ready. See below for the test. For the round cake – bake for 45 mins. Then turn off the oven and leave the cake in there for a further 10 mins.

Test to see if your bakes are ready by placing a forefinger on top of cake/cakes which should feel spongy and spring back. The consistency of the cake/cakes will be very moist.

For the cupcakes – once cooked, tip out onto a wire cooling rack. For the large cake – take out of the oven and leave in the tin on the cooling rack for 5 mins before turning out.

Leave cake/cakes to cool. Serve warm with pouring cream and seasonal fruits.

Cook’s Tips:

Agave nectar is a healthier sweetener from the agave bush. You can find it along with sugar in the supermarket or in health food shops. Otherwise, you can use maple syrup or honey.

These cakes will become even more squidgy if left for a couple of days. Otherwise, they will freeze beautifully.

Strong black coffee – 50ml, plus 50ml warm water Sunflower oil- 30ml

Blueprint includes 150 homes for former factory

A BLUEPRINT for planning new homes and business development in South Gloucestershire has been updated – and includes provision for 150 homes at Yate's former tumble dryer factory.

Beko Europe closed its plant at the end of December, with the loss of 142 jobs, ending more than a century of manufacturing there.

The factory site was bought from Whirlpool by South Gloucestershire Council in 2021 for just under £10 million, and leased back to the manufacturer, whose European operation merged with Beko earlier last year.

When the closure decision was announced, a council spokesperson said the authority was keen to ensure the land would be used "for the benefit of the whole community, reflective of the site’s history and having regard to the aims and objectives of the Yate Masterplan", published in 2023.

The future of the site was described as "of strategic importance for the town of Yate and South Gloucestershire".

The latest version of the plan also says that another 200 homes can be accommodated in Yate Town Centre, with space for another 140 at Ladden Garden Village and 162 to the north of the new estate, and 10 at Cranleigh Court.

How the factory site and neighbouring Cranleigh Court appear on the latest Local Plan map

The updated version of the new Local Plan has been sent to the next meeting of the authority's cabinet, which takes place in early February, and will also be discussed by a full meeting of the council before a final stage of public consultation, which is due to begin at the end of February.

All local authorities are required to have an up-to-date Local Plan and, over the past few years, the council has been working

on a plan to guide development and shape planning decisions between now and 2040.

The government announced in December that the council would need to find space for nearly 6,000 extra homes, on top of sites in its latest Local Plan, to meet new mandatory government targets.

South Gloucestershire's updated Local Plan allocates sites for 22,573 new homes, a small increase on previous draft versions that have undergone various rounds of consultation over the past few years.

But campaigners from TRAPP'D –Thornbury Residents Against Poorly Planned Development – say the council will actually need to find 25,528 homes to hit the government target.

Council cabinet member for planning Chris Willmore said: "The changes made to the planning system by the new Government have undoubtedly presented us with challenges, in terms of the mandatory housing targets and the opening up to potential development of Green Belt land.

"The proposals in this draft Plan positively respond to those challenges, however, and will allow us to retain control of our planning system and make improvements to our local area over the next 15 years."

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

A new history of South Yate

BETWEEN the early 1960s and early 1970s, a new housing estate was built in the south of Yate parish and Dodington.

The new estate, christened Stanshawes, became one of the largest private housing estates in Western Europe at the time.

This dramatic growth to the south of the new Yate Shopping Centre, saw the development of a new community, which in many ways was very distinct from the existing population.

Young families, often from the Bristol area, headed for Yate looking for a new life, attracted by low-cost private housing opportunities.

Over the subsequent years, much has been written about the South Yate area and in our latest community project, Yate Heritage Centre aims to offer a new perspective on this community, told by the community itself.

In some quarters, South Yate laboured under a reputation of being a soulless sprawl, with few amenities.

The new community was built upon the Radburn housing designs, with abundant green spaces to the front of homes and driveways to the rear.

It was hoped this “back to front” design would enable a positive community spirit. Certainly, many longstanding and former residents speak fondly of bringing up children in this relatively safe environment.

Amenities were slow coming,

but come they did.

Much of the community spirit revolved around the new schools, like Rodford Primary and Stanshawes Court.

King Edmund’s became a community secondary school in the 1970s.

It was the era of the evening class, where many within the local community could benefit from classes and training within the school, in the daytime and evening.

South Yate also acquired its own Anglican church and youth club, a unique facility that remains a community hub today.

The early South Yate community initially had a mixed reputation, but a community clearly did emerge and evolve in the years that followed.

Its greatest expression was the 1977 Queen’s Silver Jubilee. There were numerous street closures in South Yate to stage street parties.

Some streets, like Highworth, hosted two parties.

The Radburn system leant itself perfectly to street events. The green spaces amidst the housing offered safe areas for outdoor parties and games to thrive.

In many ways, we have just scratched the surface for the history of the South Yate community.

We also hope to tell the story of the experiences of those from different backgrounds and cultures who have settled and passed through the South Yate area over the decades.

Our South Yate project will continue to welcome background information on the community and any photographs and artefacts linked to the history of the area.

An exhibition is planned from April 1 to May 6, on the life of the South Yate community from the 1960s to the present.

People can get involved in this project and offer general information on the history of South Yate by contacting info@ yateheritage.co.uk or 01454 862200.

Yate Heritage Centre is part of Yate Town Council.

Diary dates

February 4-27: U3A art exhibition.

February 17, 2pm: Indian Clay Objects Workshops

February 25, 7.30pm: Yate Lecture Series – White City Riots

March 8, 11am-2pm: Archaeological Finds Day

For You:

Accident and Injury | Cohabitation | Conveyancing

Court of Protection | Crime | Disputes

Employee Relocation | Employment

Family Law and Divorce | Medical Negligence

New Homes | Notary Public | Probate

Probate Disputes | Wills and Mental Capacity

For Your Business:

Business Disputes | Business Employment

Business Relocation | Commercial Property

Commercial Services | Crime | Debt Recovery

New Homes Developers | Notary Public

David Hardill

St Nicholas Youth Centre, around 1980.

Easter bonnet parade, around 1980.

WILL & PROBATE ADVICE

25% OFF during Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) Month

February 2025 is LPA month at local experts Simpson Solicitors. Call their friendly Kingswood Team on 0117 960 8594 and quote LPA25 and our readers get a fantastic 25% off their full cost.

A Will covers your wishes when you die. An LPA is how you make sure your wishes are followed when you are alive. It is how you appoint those you trust with your finances and decisions about your health and treatment.

• Peace of mind: With Simpsons there are no long forms for you to complete. Their Complete Service covers so much more than paperwork. It includes Certifying your mental capacity and registering them with the court

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Powers of Attorney are so important. Arguably even more important than Wills. Go quickly. I don't care how old you are. I got mine at 35. It's always best to go through solicitors

Money Expert MARTIN LEWIS on ITV’s THIS MORNING

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make it easy for you and those you appoint. For example your Attorney is likely to need a copy of your LPA certified by a solicitor. Being a firm of solicitors this is not extra hassle for them - we can just provide it when needed.”

LPAs are essential protection in case you need help paying bills, managing money or deciding on treatment options. It is not just about dementia but - perhaps due to severe stroke, illness, injury, an operation going wrong or just old age.

So contact Simpson Solicitors today. They are opposite Costa Coffee in the Kings Chase shopping centre. Quote LPA25 for 25% off the full cost!

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“We were made to feel

New home secured

A SOUTH Gloucestershire charity has sealed the deal to buy its first home, giving it the capacity to increase the number of people it helps face-to-face.

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire has completed the purchase of new offices in Station Road, Yate, after its current premises in Kennedy Way, next to Yate Leisure Centre, were unable to cope with demand.

The charity aims to have moved all its services over to the new home by the end of the spring.

Citizens Advice helped 7,280 people with 25,827 issues in 2023/24 – up 23% on the previous year.

Anyone living in South Gloucestershire is able to get free, independent and confidential advice from Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, on

issues including benefits, debt, energy, food & fuel support, employment, housing and relationship breakdown.

It is seeing more and more people with problems related to the cost-of-living crisis, and helps around ten times as many people access food bank support as it did before the pandemic.

A spokesperson said: "The waiting room at our current home at Kennedy Way is small

Loft Boarding & Insulation

services."

The new offices in Badminton Court, next to Yate Railway Station, have space to build up to seven interview rooms, providing space to see twice as many people.

There will also be improved facilities including a disabled toilet, training room and enough office space for the whole volunteer and staff team to work from the building.

Work to convert the office space is about to get underway, with volunteers helping with painting and decorating.

and frequently full during opendoor sessions, with attendees sometimes having to wait outside.

"In addition, there are only four interview rooms – limiting the number of people who can be helped at one time. Furthermore there is only a small office area for staff and volunteers which is not big enough to host the growing number of staff and volunteers needed to deliver

Chief executive Officer Chantal Watts said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have completed our purchase of our new office at Station Road.

“This has been needed for a long time as we have long since outgrown our current home at Kennedy Way due to the rising demand for our services.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has supported the charity’s premises appeal which will go towards our renovation costs and help us get the office ready for the community."

Meet with a local professional and receive full guidance and support.

Family & Property Trusts

Ensure your loved ones receive the maximum benefit by protecting your estate with trusts.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Probate Services

Our specialists help make a difficult time as stress-free and straightforward as possible. Give someone the power to make decisions on your behalf, no matter what happens. Will Writing

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire team photo at recent teambuilding event in Chipping Sodbury. Picture: Simon Mugglestone.

South Glos Parent Carers

SOUTH Glos Parent Carers are celebrating our 15th year of supporting parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in South

Gloucestershire.

From our humble beginnings in 2009, when our parent carer forum was set up by me and two other mums, we’ve grown into a robust team of 22, supporting a vibrant parent carer community of more than 3,400 members.

The last 15 years have seen a lot of changes in our organisation but its heart and purpose have

remained the same: to grow a well-informed, empowered, supportive community of SEND families, and to represent the collective voice of our community, working with service providers to achieve positive change.

To mark the milestone, we've set ourselves an ambitious fundraising target of raising

£15,000 to help us achieve our dream of reaching all families across South Glos who have a child or young person with an additional need or disability.

We would really appreciate any donations to help us reach our goal. Anything you give will help us greatly – every penny helps us to run our support groups, workshops and open our Community Base.

If you are interested in getting involved, you can email SGPC15@sglospc.org.uk, donate at tinyurl.com/y39prkpk or find out more at www.sgpc.org.uk

Roofs

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New trees remember loved ones

MORE than 100 new trees are being planted this winter at Bristol Memorial Woodlands, near Thornbury.

The new trees are being planted for people laid to rest at the site between October 2023 and September last year, creating woodland where relatives and friends can remember them.

This year’s planting will include wild cherry, English oak, hazel, silver birch, hornbeam, field maple and holly.

They will be in the Earthcott burial grounds and the Earthcott field, where ashes are interred.

A cedar of Lebanon has been planted in a newly opened field for interments.

Although not a native tree, cedar of Lebanon have thrived in the UK since the 1600s and are a feature of other burial sites, including Highgate Cemetery in London.

Bristol Memorial Woodlands will eventually be a permanent 100-acre natural woodland, managed by a charitable trust. Freya Widdicombe, who leads the Bristol Memorial Woodlands planting team, said: "We have slowed the planting of Rowans and Holm Oaks in the new fields as they have not been establishing themselves well, so this year’s mix is slightly different to previous areas planted."

A tree is planted for every four burials at Bristol Memorial Woodlands, which are open daily for people to walk in.

For more information visit www.memorialoodlands.com.

Infected sore throat?

Walk-In NHS Treatment offer at Abbotswood Pharmacy's can Help.

A sore throat can be most unpleasant; the pain and discomfort makes eating, drinking, or speaking hard. Most cases are harmless, but the NHS-funded assessment and treatment offered at Abbotswood Pharmacy enables children from 5 years and adults to access appropriate therapies, including antibiotics.

What causes Sore Throats? A sore throat is a symptom usually caused by an upper respiratory tract infection. Viruses, including cold and flu viruses, cause four in five sore throats. Sore throats are

common. Around half of us will have at least one sore throat a year. Most will usually get better without treatment within one to two weeks.

If the sore throat hurts so much, it must be tonsilitis, right? Tonsillitis is a precise clinical diagnosis denoting inflammation of the tonsils. It occurs when the clumps of tissue on either side of the back of your throat (tonsils) become painful and swollen. Patches of creamy pus can appear on the tonsils. It may cause fever, and usually, there is no cough. Sore throats can turn into tonsillitis.

The NHS service available at Abbotswood Pharmacy offers a physical examination of your throat alongside a comprehensive review of your medical history.

Many people require support to adopt effective, evidencebacked self-care to recover; sometimes, a shared decision to offer antibiotics will be appropriate. However, we are also looking out for worrying

D S F E E L I N G U N W E L L ?

symptoms or patient groups like immunosuppressed patients, where more urgent care is required.

Cool drinks, cool, soft food, and ice lollies can ease the pain of sore throats. Adults can suck ice cubes or hard sweets and gargle with warm, salty water.

Taking paracetamol and ibuprofen can help reduce symptoms of sore throats, as well as temperature and headaches.

Lozenges, gargles and sprays are also available in the pharmacy, medicines that will numb the pain.

Come into Abbotswood Pharmacy for help; no appointment is required. We will use our clinical expertise to help guide you to the best decisions for you or your child.

The NHS-funded assessment and treatment offered at Abbotswood Pharmacy is designed to enable children from 5 years and adults to access timely appropriate assessment, treatment and advice, including antibiotics where necessary.

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(5 YEARS & ABOVE)

IMPETIGO (1 YEAR & ABOVE)

BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS (CHILDREN AGED 30 DAYS TO 2 YEARS)

New head for SGS

A COLLEGE with 8,800 students has announced its next head.

David Withey will be the new chief executive and principal of SGS college from the end of March.

David Withey

He is joining from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, where he is currently the chief executive, and takes over from Kevin Hamblin, who has been in charge of SGS since 2001.

A college statement said: "David brings with him a wealth of experience and public service leadership gained in both the UK and Australia, whilst having a strong understanding of the further education sector."

Mr Withey said: "I‘ve been fortunate to meet some of the brilliant learners, staff and external stakeholders over the past few weeks and I cannot wait to meet more of them once in post."

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Chipping Sodbury Lions Club

LIONS are people from all walks of life who enjoy getting together, fundraising, supporting community organisations and events, helping those in need and protecting the environment.

We enjoy friendship and fun while doing so, and are part of the largest service clubs organisation in the world.

We are collecting spectacles (and sunglasses) that are no longer needed, to be recycled and used to improve the sight of children and adults in other countries, including India and Africa.

More than 14,000 glasses have been collected locally.

You can donate glasses at Boots Opticians in Yate or Blue Cross shops in Chipping Sodbury and Yate. Thank you to all involved.

To find out more about volunteering or membership, please email chris.dodd47@ hotmail or call 01454 882655.

Meetings are on the second Thursday of the month, at 7.30pm in the Cross Hands Pub, Old Sodbury.

Kate Saunders

Sodbury and Yate Sewcial Club

A member's quilt

SO, how many failed New Year's resolutions do you have?

Let us help with the following ones: meet new friends, learn a new skill, take up an old hobby that you did years ago and get out of the house more.

Sodbury and Yate Sewcial Club meet for weekly sewing and

needlecraft sessions.

You could be experienced, intermediate or a beginner.

We have members of all ages who knit, crochet, felt, embroider, cross stitch and sew quilts, as well as dressmaking.

We are a non-profit making group, our fee of £5 includes drinks and biscuits, and club supplies to share such as cutting mats, haberdashery, irons and ironing boards – bring your project and a machine/equipment.

We also arrange regular Sewing Saturdays throughout the year, to immerse ourselves in being creative whilst we chat!

We meet every Thursday night in the Chestnut Room at the Ridgewood Community Centre, from 7-10pm.

Jeanette Oakley

Yate & Sodbury u3a

OUR Science and Technology group arranges varied outings for its members.

Recently we visited Gloucester Cathedral, enjoying a fascinating guided tour in the morning and a guided climb of the tower in the afternoon.

We heard how William the Conqueror instructed a Norman monk to knock down and replace the previous monastery with an entirely new church. The massive pillars in the nave date from this time, giving an idea of the enormous scale and ambition of the project.

We then visited LettUs Grow, which provides equipment to the indoor farming industry, delivering a nutrient-rich puff of moisture in an ultrasonically assisted cloud every four minutes.

They develop rolling benches so that the product, most often herbs and salads, can start as a seedling, then move down the bench until it is ready to eat.

Is this the future of farming in the UK?

For more information on all our u3a courses see u3asites.org.uk/ yate-sodbury/welcome.

Jenny Smith

n WHAT'S ON

February 8

n GAMBIAN SUPPER at Rangeworthy Village Hall, 7pm. Rice, meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes, organised by the Yate-Genieri Link supporting the village of Genieri in The Gambia. Bring your own drinks and glasses. Tickets £15 from 07837 588362, visit www.yategenierilink.org.uk or pay at the door.

February 11

n CHIPPING SODBURY MUSIC SOCIETY presents Ensemble 360 string quartet at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, February 11, 7.30pm. Tickets £18 on the door. School aged children free.

February 11

n SODBURY & DISTRICT FLOWER ARRANGEMENT SOCIETY practice class, Old Grammar School Rooms, Chipping Sodbury, 7.30pm. Create a vertical arrangement, 'Winter's Icy Grip'. Also on February 25, demonstration with Jenny York: 'Out of Africa'. Non-members welcome, £5. Contact katebryant186@gmail.com for more information.

February 20

n ARTS APPRECIATION GROUP at the Greenfield Centre, Park Avenue, Winterbourne, 2pm. Illustrated talk by Liz Davenport: Woodchester Mansion, a Victorian Masterpiece. More details from Sally on 07946 508316.

February 20-22

n THORNBURY MUSICAL THEATRE GROUP presents Jack and the Beanstalk at WADCA, Watleys End Road, Winterbourne. Evening performances 7pm daily, plus 2pm on Friday and Saturday, 10am Saturday. Tickets from www.tmtg.org.uk/tickets or 07516 270140.

March 1

n SODBURY VALE MRC 38th Annual Model Railway Exhibition, Yate Parish, YMCA and Community halls, Station Road, Yate, 10am-4.30pm. Adults £7, accompanied under-16's free.

March 15

n COME AND SING WITH YATE CHORAL SOCIETY at St Paul's Church, Sundridge Park, 10am-4pm. Workshop open to all singers led by conductor, with music including Bizet and Schubert. More details and bookings from yatechoralsociety@gmail. com or call 07833 597114.

March 22

n CRAFT & GIFT FAYRE!

Chipping Sodbury Town Hall Saturday 22nd March 10 am to 4 pm We will have 35+ Stalls of beautiful, Locally Handmade Crafts & Gifts, amazing cakes, refreshments & More!

Voluntary Entrance fee (20p) to be donated to The Cotswolds Cats & Dogs Home Email bythewoodsfayres@hotmail. com for more info

REGULAR EVENTS:

Monday

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 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

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 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

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 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 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.

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, en-

joy 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

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

n YATE COMMUNITY CHOIR, Ridgewood Community Centre, Station Road, 7.30-9pm. More details from nicelizmartin@yahoo.co.uk.

n CHIPPING SODBURY LIONS CLUB meets 2nd Thursday of the month at the Cross Hands, Old Sodbury, 7.30pm. For more information on volunteering/membership email chris.dodd47@hotmail or call 01454 882655.

Friday

n CHIPPING SODBURY COMMUNITY CHOIR, 10-11.30am, Old Grammar School, Chipping Sodbury High Street. More details from nicelizmartin@yahoo.co.uk.

TURNER'S VISION

Correcting short sight

Why MiYOSMART glasses are a game changer for myopia management in children

WHEN you’re looking for the best way to manage your child’s myopia, it can feel like there’s an unbearable amount of pressure on you to make the right decisions on their behalf.

While their comfort is paramount, you also want to do everything you can to slow down the myopia change and minimise its impact on your child’s life.

Ginny Allwood of Turners Opticians 0117 962 2474 0117 965 4434

www.turnersopticians.co.uk

For me, MiYOSMART glasses tick every box for the anxious parent. They are an incredible product that is specially developed for children with myopia. They provide a non-invasive, safe solution and are ideal for daily wear, whether your child is studying inside or mucking about outdoors.

How do I know if my child has myopia?

First of all, it’s important to recognise the signs and symptoms of myopia, also known as near-sightedness and short-sightedness, in your child.

For myopia sufferers, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. If your child is struggling to see distant objects, squinting frequently or holding books up close, then myopia is a likely cause. Other symptoms include headaches and eye strain.

Unlike traditional glasses which simply correct blurry vision, MiYOSMART lenses work on a deeper level. They address the root cause of myopia progression by slowing down the abnormal growth of the eye. But this proactive approach does more than protect your child today – it significantly lowers your child’s chances of developing potential vision-threatening conditions later in life, such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachments.

What makes MiYOSMART glasses so special?

MiYOSMART glasses are the result of groundbreaking research by HOYA and the use of patented Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) technology. They feature a central optical zone for clear vision and surrounding defocus segments that reduce eye elongation, the primary cause of worsening myopia.

The optical effect – called peripheral defocus – changes the focus at the peripheral part of the retina, which can gently slow the growth of the eyeball itself. This delaying process halts the progression of myopia.

The results speak for themselves. A two-year clinical study by Hong Kong Polytechnic University found that MiYOSMART lenses can slow myopia progression by an incredible 60% - a fantastic result in the world of vision care.

But the benefits don’t stop there. MiYOSMART glasses come with an anti-reflective finish, UV protection, and robust durability, so they can handle everything from classroom concentration to weekend adventures. They’re also a brilliant alternative for children who aren’t keen on contact lenses. How to get your child the latest help for their myopia

At Turners Opticians, we’re passionate about giving families in Bristol access to the very best in myopia management. We’re proud to be a leading supplier of MiYOSMART glasses, and we offer flexible eye care plans to make budgeting easier.

We also offer MiSight 1 Day contact lenses, Ortho-K lenses and atropine eye drops, all proven to slow myopia progression - so whatever your child’s lifestyle, we have an option to suit them.

And for this February and March, we’ve an amazing lens offer for you; a free second pair of tinted or transition lenses with every purchase of MiYOSMART lenses - the perfect way to protect your child’s vision indoors and outdoors, all year round.

To book an appointment, give us a call at our Henleaze branch on 0117 962 2474 or our Fishponds branch on 0117 965 4434. You can also book online at www.turnersopticians.co.uk.

Ginny

Ginny Allwood MCOptom Prof Cert Med Ret, is an Associate Specialist Optometrist and Qualified Dispensing Optician, at Turners Opticians in Bristol.

Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club

WE ended 2024 with a very enjoyable club Christmas dinner party at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club, with 60 members and guests present.

The club’s final financial donation of the year was to the Caring in Bristol charity’s Big Give Christmas Appeal, which helped to raise over £40,000 for projects helping young people.

In January the club made a financial donation to the Blonde Angel Street Team to help support rough sleepers during the bitterly

cold weather.

Over 70 guests attended our third and final tea dance of 2024 in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. With the support of Chipping Sodbury Inner Wheel club and staff from the Alzheimer’s Society, the afternoon of musical entertainment and dancing raised £263.

This was Sharon Wilshire’s final tea dance providing the music, and singing. We marked the occasion with a presentation to Sharon. She will be missed.

Our next tea dance is on February 26 in the town hall, from 2pm – all are welcome.

As the year progresses the club

will support the fortnightly Oasis Memory Café at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, the Berkeley-based PhysioNet charity, providing surplus medical equipment to countries in need, and litter picking with the Yate and Sodbury Clean Up Group.

Stuart Fraser

Upper Frome Friends

OUR monthly clean-up sessions continued on the first weekend of January.

We were lucky with the timing, as a day later the fields and pathway next to the clean-up site were flooded!

Volunteers moved a huge quantity of rubbish which had already been taken out of the river, ready for collection by the council.

Thanks to our friends Sodbury and Yate Clean Up, who joined us.

The February session has attracted interest from new volunteers, which is lovely to see, especially as there is a great deal of rubbish to be moved.

If you'd enjoy being outside and helping the environment, then

come and join us! River cleans are very satisfying, and usually happen on the first weekend of each month.

You can find updates on the Upper Frome Friends Facebook page or contact riverfromereconnected@southglos. gov.uk. Jane Davies

Yate-Genieri Link

THE Yate-Genieri Link Committee is bringing the Taste of The Gambia back to Rangeworthy, by popular demand!

The Gambian supper, with delicious rice, meat vegetarian and vegan dishes, Gambian-style baked beans and desserts takes place at Rangeworthy Village Hall on Saturday February 2025 8 at 7pm.

There will be a raffle, and an exciting project update on our work in the village of Genieri.

Please bring your own drinks and glasses.

Book your place by calling 07837 588362, emailing genierilink@gmail.com paying online at www.yategenierilink.org. uk or on the door.

Marian J Gilpin

The Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club December tea dance

Project Dragonfly & SEND CIC

PROJECT

Dragonfly & SEND CIC are pleased to have collected, with the help of Tesco store champion Sam Pearson and shoppers, enough food and gifts to provide hampers for 35 elderly people.

These were distributed by AGE UK South Gloucestershire.

It's always heart-warming to see communities coming together to support those in need.

The generosity of Tesco shoppers and the wider community has been amazing. Special thanks to Chipping Sodbury School well-being group for their donation towards the appeal.

Julie Oakley

Town and Country Ladies

FOR 40 years we have been together as Yate & District Townswomen’s Guild.

Due to the high rising cost of belonging to the nationwide group, we have made the big

decision to become independent.

We are a friendly and very welcoming group, enjoying the company of like-minded ladies.

Our aim is, as always, to make our times together full of fun, friendship and good company.

We meet every second Wednesday of each month from 9.45am to noon, at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

We have wonderful speakers and fun meetings.

Coming speakers include a talk from Carol Darling called Spitfire Girl in February, a games and quiz morning in March, a Tai Chi demonstration in April, when we will also have a fun Easter bonnet competition.

We always give a very warm welcome to new members – we look forward to meeting you.

Christina Shinton

Chipping Sodbury Morning WI

AT our February meeting our speaker will enlighten us about a day in the life of a tour guide. I expect most of us have witnessed the skills required to look after a diverse group of strangers. We are currently pulling together our annual meeting programme.

We also have regular visits planned to nearby locations we hope will improve our knowledge of our surroundings and history, starting with a visit to Yate Heritage Centre to see the display about the Parnall/Jackson Factory on Station

Road.

We meet on the third Tuesday of the month at 10am in the Masonic Hall, Hatters Lane.

Meetings last for two hours, with a coffee break to chat to existing friends or meet new ones.

Why not come along and meet us? We would love to welcome you.

For more information please call 07809 534 107.

Sue Bird

Chipping Sodbury Inner Wheel

MEMBERS of Chipping Sodbury Inner Wheel Club will be sharpening up their skittling skills once again as they take to the alley to defend last year’s championship win.

The first match is a friendly with mixed teams from different clubs, closely followed by a competitive match against Dursley Club, when the friendliness will be mixed with a determination to win through to the next round!

Our first meeting of the New Year was a short business meeting followed by tea, cake and a sociable catch-up.

Members also discussed suggestions for social activities for the next few months.

Our meetings take place on the second Monday of the month, upstairs in the Town Hall from 2pm.

Interested visitors are always welcome.

Liz Pattison

Library news

YATE Library is hosting half-term children’s activities, with free craft bags available during the holiday.

Big Top Crafts drop-in event takes place on February 18 from 10.30am-noon.

Lego Challenge Jungle Circus for ages 4+ is on February 20 from 10.3011.30am. Limited spaces – booking required.

Family theatre show Soft or Spikey is on February 13 at 10.30am or 1.30pm. Tickets £5.

An Afternoon with author Mark Seaman takes place on February 8 at 2pm. Tickets £5, including refreshments.

Book by email yate.library@southglos.gov.uk.

Storybuilders family friendly story and Duplo session for pre-school children is on Tuesday mornings at 10.30am.

Stay & play Duplo and trains is on Thursday mornings at 10.30am, term time only.

Wriggle & Rhyme: Rhymes and songs for parents and babies/toddlers, is on Friday from 10.30am.

Lego Club is on February 8, 10.30-11.30am and February 14 & 28, 4-4.45pm and. Drop-in sessions. Suitable for 4-10 years, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Reading group ‘Have You Read’ takes place on February 28, from 10.3011.30am.

Craft Group meets on February 8 & 22 from 10am-noon, for knitting, sewing or crochet projects.

Computer support with digital champion volunteers is on Saturdays & Tuesdays from 10am-noon – book in advance.

Vision West of England information, advice and support drop-in every second Thursday, 10am-noon.

Legal advice with Wards Solicitors: February 6, 10am-noon; Bevan Evemy, Saturdays by appointment.

Staffed times are 10am-5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9am-12.30pm on Saturday.

Open Access, at times when the library is unstaffed, remains unchanged between 8am and 7.30pm, every day except Christmas Day.

For more information on any event call 01454 868006, enquire at the library, email yate.library@southglos.gov.uk or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries.

Positive momentum for Yate Rugby

YATE Rugby Club is thriving, with every team at the club making waves and bringing home victories.

From the ladies' side growing in confidence to strong performances from the men's teams and a youth section, there is positive momentum at the club.

The ladies' team recently put on a show of attacking rugby, beating Kingswood Ladies in a stunning 73-7 victory. The result underscores their rapid development.

The men’s 1st Team is also in electric form, notching up their fifth consecutive win.

Their latest triumph, a convincing 43-12 away victory over Smiths, showcased their strength and consistency.

Meanwhile, the men's 2nd Team delivered yet another strong performance on home turf, battling their way to a hard-fought 14-5 win over Bristol Harlequins 2s.

The success doesn’t stop

there. Yate Rugby’s youth section, the Yate Rugby Academy, continues to impress.

With positive performances and promising results week after week, the academy is shaping up nicely, with numbers consistently growing, accessing free rugby.

One of Yate Rugby’s standout qualities is its commitment to making rugby accessible to everyone. All sessions are

completely free, ensuring that players of all ages and abilities can get involved.

The weekly schedule starts with tag rugby on Mondays from 7-8pm, with men’s training on Tuesdays from 7-8pm.

On Wednesdays secondary school boys and girls train from 6-7pm, with ladies' training from 7-8pm.

On Thursdays men's training

takes place again, from 7-8pm. Saturdays are men’s match days, with women's match days on Sundays.

Boys' and girls' training for ages two to 15 years is on Sunday mornings, from 10-11am.

In addition to these sessions, Yate Rugby is excited to announce the arrival of walking rugby in late March.

This slower-paced version of the game offers a fantastic way to stay active, while enjoying the camaraderie rugby brings.

With free sessions, a thriving youth academy, and teams performing at their best, there’s s never been a better time to get involved with Yate Rugby.

Whether you’re re an experienced player, a curious newcomer or just looking for a way to stay active and make new friends, Yate Rugby has something for everyone.

Be part of the story and join Yate Rugby today!

Stewart Stacey

The Yate men's 1st team

Bluebells are still leading the pack

YATE Town continue to set the pace at the top of the Southern League Division One South table.

The festive period was a good time for the club, starting with a 2-0 home win against Helston Athletic the weekend before Christmas.

Ross Stearn, the club's player of the month for December, scored twice.

A 1-1 draw at home to Bristol Manor Farm, watched by a Boxing Day crowd of just under 800 people, was followed by an excellent 2-1 win at Bishops Cleeve to round off the year, with Joe Guest and James Taylor getting the goals.

A 3-1 home win against Bashley got 2025 off to a good start, with goals from Guest, Ross Stearn and Ollie Dewsbury.

The next game, at home to Willand Rovers, was called off due to a frozen pitch.

A 2-0 win at Larkhall, with goals from new signing King

Baidoo and Stearn was then followed with a surprise 3-0 defeat at home to Malvern Town, but the Bluebells still led the table by five points, with a game in hand on nearest rivals Exmouth, as the Voice went to print.

With around three months to go before the end of the season, manager Darren Mullings has

Harvey’s Waste & Garden Services

Services include:

From household clearances to single items Garages and sheds cleared as well as commercial waste PLUS

King Baidoo, who scored on his debut at Larkhall Athletic.

Picture: Aaron Norman

strengthened his squad with the signing of Ghanaian forward Baidoo, who was previously at Gloucester City and Hartpury University, and midfield player Martin Lenihan from Paulton Rovers.

Also joining is 20-yearold goalkeeper Joe Thomas, who has signed on loan from Championship side Cardiff City until the end of the season, replacing previous ever-present goalkeeper Aaron Sainsbury, who needed a hip operation.

on the club website.

The club is still promoting schools tickets, which allow adults accompanying children to enter at half price, with free entry for children. Schools and youth football clubs can find out more at accounts@yatetownfc. co.uk

Joe Thomas is on loan from Cardiff City

There will be a bucket collection for the club’s charity of the season, St Peter’s Hospice, at the home game against Falmouth on February 8.

The Under 18 teams continue to make good progress and the Western Counties Floodlit League team would appreciate as much support from local fans as possible for their Tuesday night home games.

For more information about what is happening at Yate Town, visit the club website at www.yatetownfc.co.uk.

Bob Chester

Upcoming fixtures:

Tree trimming, fencing supplied & fitted, and hedge and grass cutting

NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL

Call 07956 548756 or email harveyswgs@outlook.com any time to book We load and clear all your unwanted waste ... cheap and fast

Ross Staley will be unavailable for a few weeks and Ryan Hillier has gone out on dual registration to Westfields FC.

Club officials are hoping that all the home games will draw large crowds to cheer the Bluebells on towards promotion to the Southern League Premier Division South.

Most games are sponsored and mascots are also in attendance for many games. More details about both opportunities can be found

February 4: Bideford (Home, 7.45pm)

February 8: Falmouth Town (H, 3pm)

February 15: Thatcham Town (Away, 3pm)

February 22: Westbury (A, 3pm)

March 1: Shaftesbury (H, 3pm)

March 4: Willand Rovers (H, 7.45pm)

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Old Sodbury WI

THERE was a warm welcome for our members at our first meeting of the year in January, albeit with snow on the ground.

We were joined by Claire Callaghan, with some wonderful insights into the world of physical health and well-being for women. Claire, a chartered physiotherapist, gave a fascinating

talk on how low oestrogen levels after menopause have an effect on bone health, muscle strength, pelvic floor muscles, balance, and co-ordination.

These effects can be mitigated by exercises and attention to diet and supplements.

To reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, we are also advised to follow the chief medical officer's recommendations –

basically to keep moving!

Our monthly competition was an exercise aid, where our members shared boxing kits, exercise rings, spinners and squeezy balls.

Our wonderful book club is reading Six Years by Harlan Coben and will meet later to discuss.

After attending a ceramic workshop in January, our members have a race night in February, a

LOCAL SERVICES

tabletop sale in March and many more trips and activities booked for the year.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday February 5 at Old Sodbury Village Hall.

If you would like to know more or attend a meeting, do get in touch on 07534 930 630.

You would be most welcome to attend any of our meetings.

Sam Newick