Filtonvoice July 2023

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Political row as Filton residents could face black bin collections once a month

by BBC LDRS staff for Filtonvoice

Black bin collections for Filton residents could be reduced to just once a month and garden waste fees hiked from £30 to as much as £75 under controversial plans by South Gloucestershire Council.

Opposition Tories have branded the proposals for the entire district, which include new charges for certain types of waste such as tyres and plasterboard at the district’s recycling tips, as “crazy and irresponsible”.

The new Lib Dem/Labour coalition running the local authority has hit back, calling the criticism “astonishing and rather cynical” as work on a new waste contract was “largely done by their previous Conservative administration”. Changes to how the service is run are needed because South Gloucestershire Council’s 25-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with Suez ends in July 2025.

Officers have assessed four Turn to Page 7

Contacts

Richard Coulter

Editor and publisher

0777 555 0607 | richard@filtonvoice.co.uk

Shane Gibson

Editorial and Advertising sales

0770 674 1200 | shane@filtonvoice.co.uk

COMPLAINTS

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'People in Filton need to wake up to the impact of graffiti'

Graffiti in Filton is a symbol of deprivation, dereliction and urban decay - that's the view of long-standing resident Andy Robins, who is on a mission to clean up the town.

locations which have been tagged.

If you have a complaint about anything in the Filtonvoice, contact the Editor using the details below. We take complaints seriously and 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 www.localvoicenetwork.co.uk, or can be obtained by contacting the publisher, above.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Filtonvoice 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 although we have used some of the services. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor.

Filtonvoice is distributed each month to all Filton residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from Filton Library. Feedback is welcomed, call editor Richard Coulter on 0777 555 0607 or richard@filtonvoice.co.uk.

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Mr Robins, of Station Road, says he has seen a rise in 'vandalism and criminal damage' and has called on the town council and police to take action.

Mr Robins addressed the Annual Meeting of Filton Town Council when he said that as well as the damage to property, he believes some graffiti, particularly the practice of 'tagging', is linked to drug dealing. He told councillors he has seen considerable amounts of drugs paraphernalia near

Local police officers say they are ready to act on any criminal damage but are not aware of an association with drug dealing locally.

Filton Town Councillor John Baverstock said the way to control this activity is to engage with those carrying it out.

Some areas of Filton are particularly affected - the majority of 'public utilities' in the Conygre part of Filton Avenue are covered in graffiti, including electricity boxes and a post box.

Other areas affected include the Filton Feast shutters, road signs on the Ring Road and the new electric vehicle charging

A WOMAN who survived domestic abuse is taking on the London Marathon to raise money and awareness of the charity which has supported her.

points at Church View near the shops.

Mr Robins said: "Residents are concerned and angry over the recent appearance, particularly in the past two years, of criminal damage to private and commercial buildings and structures.

Amy Yapp is sharing her story to help charity Refuge – and to encourage other women in abusive relationships to seek help.

Amy, a former Downend School pupil who grew up in the area and now lives in Fishponds, found herself in a relationship where she was subjected to physical, psychological and emotional abuse over four years.

"Filton has no real history of this and it must be fought and stopped or the spread will be very rapid."

Mr Robins said he has spoken to local PCSOs who told him any graffiti on public or private buildings without the owner's consent is criminal damage.

She was beaten, isolated from her family and friends and lost control of her finances.

Amy said: "When I look back, I do not recognise the person I had become at all. I was conditioned how to behave and even speak. Living by rules which I was not allowed to break.

He said: "Bristol has given up solving the problem and I don’t want the same in Filton. We need instant removal. I picked up 14 blood covered syringes on walk near graffiti. People need to wake up!"

"Compliments turned into insults, then eventually insults turned into physical abuse.

He has now spoken to the team at Brewers Paint on Filton Avenue who are willing to offer paint, and possibly anti-graffiti

"You say 'oh, that will never happen to me' but after experiencing all that, it showed me how anyone can be affected."

Amy left her abuser, who has

Amy runs to help other domestic abuse survivors

paint, to cover up graffiti.

Mr Robins urged residents to report incidents to police, South Glos Council and Filton Town Council.

Filton Neighbourhood

Constable Gareth Pretlove said: "If the property targeted is not yours, it is criminal damage and we would certainly act if we were made aware of it or if we caught individuals in the act."

He said officers were not currently aware of intelligence linking graffiti to known drug dealers but he would be speaking to Mr Robins about the matter. He added that a challenge for officers is that the individuals involved tended to be very quick, carrying out the graffiti painting in a matter of seconds.

Amy Yapp taking part in a Bristol 10k

since been convicted of assault for beating her.

An Avon and Somerset spokesman said: "We are actively patrolling areas in Filton affected that have been brought to our attention.

Turn to Page 4

A friend who had been through a similar experience told her about Refuge which, as well as providing emergency accommodation for women and children fleeing abuse, runs local

Decluttering does wonders for mental health

PHYSICAL environments influence emotions, cognition, and behaviors.

Cluttered environments can be uncomfortable, embarrassing, depressing and stressful. They can cause friction between household members and create feelings of not being in control.

Clutter causes negativity. If your hallway has become a dumping ground, every time you come into your home it will feel negative rather than positive. If the clutter continues into the kitchen these negative feelings continue, and so on and so forth.

I have been running the declutter service for over 10 years and thankfully have seen many positive changes in recycling. It is a great resource, and if an item can be recycled it is far easier to let it go.

There is no harm in asking for help and people find that once they’ve tackled their clutter, they feel that a weight has been lifted, their mood improves and they enjoy a sense of freedom.

Reorganising and decluttering and your home is not about making a ‘show home’. It is about managing your belongings and making your home an inviting, pleasurable place to live in and somewhere to feel proud of.

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Tel: 078 2107 8526 or 0117 955 0713 www.fmdeclutterservices.com

had places for fundraisers in the London Marathon it

domestic abuse 24-hour helpline is on 0808 2000 247.

Andy Robins beside graffiti near Brewers Paint shop. Opposite, the Filton Feast shutters

Residents urged to report Filton graffiti

From Page 3

"We would ask for the public to be vigilant and contact the police on 101 if they see anyone causing anti-social behaviour and/or criminal damage so that we can build a picture of areas where there may be problems. This will enable us to work with the council and residents to put in place measures to disrupt this behaviour.

"We will respond to issues of damage and if suspects are identified we will always look to deal with the people involved positively."

Cllr Baverstock told the town council: "We are talking about tagging, not graffiti. The best way to defeat tagging is by graffiti. They will do it anyway so you need to engage with these people. I promise you they will engage. One person’s garbage is another person’s art and maybe we need

designated spaces."

Filton Town Council said that residents should contact South Gloucestershire Streetcare.

A South Glos spokesperson said: " We aim to clear graffiti within three working days. Graffiti that is offensive and

racist will be prioritised and cleared within 24 hours. "If the graffiti is on utility equipment it is the utility

company’s responsibility and if it is on bus shelters owned by the town or parish council, it is their responsibility to remove it.

"We can also remove graffiti from a private property or land but will need consent from the owner. There is a charge of £96.70 an hour.

"If the graffiti or stickers relates to terrorist groups or far right organisations, we will need to report it to the police and will remove it once they complete their enquiries."

To report graffiti, visit https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/ report-graffiti

for quote)

Graffiti and tags in locations around Filton, including in Station Rd, above

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Funding worries could see waste collection changes

From Page 1

options to replace it but every one means a massive funding shortfall, with the cheapest costing £330 million over 10 years where bin collections are outsourced to a private operator while recycling centres and other work are brought back in-house.

This requires more than 50 extra council staff and, because of budget savings targets and the fact that the current £3.1 million annual grant from Defra will be lost, would leave the council having to find an extra £4.7 million a year to run the service, so charges are set to be increased.

Cabinet members were being asked to approve the general idea of how the new service will look, ahead of engagement with residents over the summer and more details to come back for a decision in October, followed by further public consultation.

A report debated at the crossparty scrutiny commission on Wednesday, June 14, said that moving to three-weekly black bin collections from 2026 would save £500,000 a year while four-weekly would recoup a further £300,000. Charges for disposing of “hardcore” waste at tips, such as asbestos and tyres, would bring in £500,000, while higher fees for collecting bulky waste would add to the current £190,000 the authority receives for the service, although this does not fully cover its costs.

Increases to the garden waste subscription from £30 to £50 were proposed in the council’s annual budget in January but were scrapped by the former Tory administration following residents’ objections.

However, these are now back on the table, with the report saying this would bring in an extra £800,000 a year.

But worse is likely to come for householders because the higher charges combined would still only give the council an additional £1.8 million a year – well short of the required £4.7 million – so officers are proposing that the garden waste charge should be increased to £60 or even £75 a year and that residents would have to pay £25 for a replacement new bin.

Conservative shadow cabinet

member for communities and local place Cllr Rachael Hunt said: “I’m extremely concerned that the coalition is considering reducing the frequency of black bin collections, introducing charges at recycling centres and increasing the garden waste collection fee.

“We’re just one month into the new administration and its leaders are already considering ways to saddle South Gloucestershire’s hardworking residents with more fees and charges – something the Conservatives didn’t do when previously running the council.

“In South Glos we have an excellent record of prosecuting people for fly-tipping.

“These crazy and irresponsible proposals could see that record seriously jeopardised as people try to avoid charges and deal with the accumulation of rubbish they’ll see when their bins aren’t emptied as regularly.

“For an administration that has made tackling the climate emergency a top priority, pursuing policies that could be seriously damaging to the local environment is extremely hypocritical.”

Labour cabinet member for communities and local place Cllr Leigh Ingham said: “It is astonishing, and rather cynical, that the Conservatives seemingly appear surprised by the proposals as the work on this project which was largely done by their previous Conservative administration.

“They either have short memories or were disengaged in the work they did in the preparation of this report.

“This new administration believes in listening to the people of South Gloucestershire and we don’t want to prejudge the findings of meaningful engagement activities with residents which will be taking place over the summer.

“However, we have to be clear and transparent with residents.

“The new Lib Dem

and Labour partnership administration has inherited incomplete plans for £40 million of cuts to be delivered over the next four years.

“Previously both Lib Dems and Labour councillors worked with the Conservative administration to develop the plans for this service and we hope the Conservatives, now they are in opposition, will continue this way of working for the good of our residents.”

Officers told the scrutiny commission that “awkward” waste, such as nappies, clinical and sharp objects, would be collected more frequently than black-bin rubbish under the proposals and that there was plenty of time to talk to residents, explain why the changes were needed and get them on board.

Advertising feature - Bright Green Homes

Filton homeowners can apply for FREE energy saving scheme

More than 500 households in Bristol, North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset (BANES) are to receive funding for energy efficiency and renewable upgrades to help tackle fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions.

The ‘Bright Green Homes’ project will be delivered across the South West, by Bristol City Leap, an innovative new partnership between Bristol City Council and Ameresco, designed to bring in investments of nearly £500 million in low carbon energy projects and create over 1000 jobs in its first five years.

Energy efficiency upgrades will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will range from insulation measures like loft and cavity walls to the installation of renewable and low-carbon technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps. Households can apply via

the Bristol City Leap website where they will complete a short questionnaire to determine their eligibility. Home improvements for eligible households will be installed by Bristol City Leap partner, Ameresco from March 2023 and continue until 2025.

The three councils successfully bid for funding from phase 2 of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s home upgrade grant.

David White, Operations Director for Bristol City Leap, commented: “Our Bright Green Homes project will help reduce the energy bills of over 500 families in Bristol, Bath and North East

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Somerset and North Somerset, whilst also tackling the climate emergency and creating local jobs.”

More information on the scheme and how to apply can be found on our Bright Green Homes page on our website www. bristolcityleap.co.uk/domestic/ bright-green-homes or by contacting the Bristol City Leap team at 0117 352 1180.

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Filton planning applications in June Applications

Land At Flat 1 78 Northville Road

Erection of detached 1 bedroom bungalow with new access and associated works

Land Adjacent 24 Fifth Avenue

Erection of 1 detached dwelling with associated works.

Abbey Wood Retail Park, Station Road

Operational development and the erection of an enclosure to form an external garden centre. Relocation of staff car and cycle parking areas.

54 Mackie Grove

Change of use from dwellinghouse (Class C3) to small house in multiple occupation (Class C4) and the erection of a single-storey rear extension with fenestration alterations.

30 Warren Road

Change of use from small house of multiple occupancy (HMO) (Class C4) to a 7 bedroom large HMO for up to 7 people (Sui generis) as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended).

66 Mortimer Road

Erection of 1 outbuilding to form workshop. Status: Awaiting decision

104 Gloucester Road North

Erection of a single storey rear extension to facilitate the subdivision of 1no. dwelling to 2 flats (Class C3) with associated works.

6 Mackie Avenue

Erection of hip to gable roof extension and rear dormer to facilitate loft conversion. Conversion of existing garage with replacement of garage door with a window to provide additional living accommodation. Change of use from C3 dwellinghouse to HMO (3-6 people) C4.

86 Northville Road

Continued use of 86 Northville Road as a small HMO - Use Class C4. .

Decisions

678 Southmead Road

The erection of a single storey rear extension, which would extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by 6m, for which the maximum height would be 3.15m, and for which the height of the eaves would be 3m.

Prior Approval Not Required

Travelodge Abbey Wood Retail Park Station Road

Display of 6 illuminated facia signs. Advert Approve with Conditions

30 Warren Road

Installation of a rear dormer to facilitate a loft conversion. Approve Certificate of Lawfulness

40 Conygre Grove

Demolition of existing side extension. Erection of attached dwelling and associated works. Approve with Conditions

108 Lower House Crescent

Demolition of existing garage. Erection of single storey outbuilding to be used as office, storage, gym and shower ancillary to main dwelling house.

Approve Certificate of Lawfulness

3 Hunters Way

Continued change of use from residential dwelling (Class C3) to small House in Multiple Occupation (HMO (Class C4).

Approve Certificate of Lawfulness

7 Mackie Avenue

Erection of incidental outbuilding. Approve Certificate of Lawfulness

59 Conygre Road

Change of use from small house in multiple occupation (C4) to a 8 bedroom, 8 person large house in multiple occupation (sui generis) with a loft conversion and provision of car and cycle parking.

Approve with Conditions

To view all planning applications and decisions, visit https://developments. southglos.gov.uk/ online-applications

News in brief

Festival returns

The Filton Community Festival returns for 2023 on Saturday, July 22 and features a range of different music from local acts and bands including Filton Concert Band, Doc Rock, Beacon Rise, Elevation, Outatime, Underground Frets and Kaiju Blue, performing alongside local dance groups including; Stagecoach, Ukelele Filton Players, North Bristol Independent Colour Guard and Tribal Fantasy, plus other clubs and associations.

Fun rides for the children include bungee trampolines, giant inflatables and obstacle courses, football games, side shows, a testing climbing wall and for the younger children, the popular junior Go-Karts plus a Wipe Out inflatable - for the adults to join in as well!

NEW for this year is a special Graffiti arts zone with a professional artist helping budding Banksys!

There will also be sideshows, arts & crafts, and community stalls

will offer a wide range of local products and novelties, a beer tent and drinks stalls providing different alcoholic beverages alongside a variety of catering units for food and refreshments.

See poster on Page 32

Primary fayre

Charborough Road Primary School is welcoming the local community to ‘The Pear Tree Fayre’ which promises to be a fun-filled day for all the family.

The Fayre, on Saturday, July 1, will have a variety of traditional fayre games and entertainment, dancing, inflatables, and our huge summer raffle of hampers.

‘The Pear Tree Fayre’, which runs between 12 and 3pm, is being staged to raise money for the school to revamp the library, purchase new play equipment and improve the schools' green spaces.

Children are welcome to enter the Big Bake Off or veg growing contest, plus there will be local dance groups and live

entertainment provided by some of our amazing pupils.

Rest assured, the school's head teacher "Mayor Lankester" will be keeping the proceedings proper throughout the day!

For those needing refreshment there will be ice cream, cream teas and savouries available in the ‘Village Bakery’, why not bring a picnic blanket and make the most of the lovely new lawn.

A suggested donation will be welcomed on the door. Please contact CRD.FOS@gmail.com if you are interested in having a stall or would like more information.

See poster on Page 8

Bus struggles

Metro Mayor Dan Norris has revealed he has struggled to book travel on his flagship WESTlink minibus service which launched recently in Filton and selected areas across the Bristol region.

The demand-responsive transport service was launched in April by the West of England

Combined Authority and neighbouring North Somerset Council, with a fleet of minibuses which do not follow set routes but can be booked to take people between bus stops in a set zone.

Responding to claims that there had only been 10 of the minibuses in the Somerset area of the scheme — the “south zone” — on Wednesday June 7, Mr Norris told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “While I haven’t got official figures, I agree that it was a difficult day as when I tried to book a WESTlink myself, there were none available. But I’ve always said this would be a gradual roll out and that WESTlink will need more minibus drivers.”

The on-demand buses were intended as a way to supplement the existing bus service, but bus cuts across the West of England — after a funding row between the Metro Mayor and local councils saw bus services slashed — have left many people in rural areas forced to rely on WESTlink.

Spending spree for Filton Chest and Heart charity

Filton residents will be pleased to hear that they are again at the centre of our recent spending spree, which is a huge achievement for a local charity that specifically supports Filton residents with a lung or heart condition.

Luke Packer and Vicky Chamberlain accepting on behalf of Conygre Road Surgery with Clare Hayward

This time we have purchased Masimo Oximeters for Conygre Road Surgery and Horfield Medical Centre which enable the Practice Nurses to take your blood pressure, your temperature and your heart rate all at the same time. Luke Packer was particularly pleased with the new equipment as it replaced an ancient unit used over many years.

Horfield Medical Centre were also keen to receive their updated unit, which was first seen at Southmead Hospital following a recent campaign by Masimo. The units have additional attachments which allow them to be used on adults and children, including babies, so a very useful piece of equipment.

Carol Miles, Marian Parry, and Russ Smith–Guardian accepting on behalf of St Andrew’s Methodist church with Clare Hayward and Sylvia Johnson

The second purchase was to upgrade the defibrillators held by the churches and Community Centre in Filton. These units are often seen on the outside of public buildings and are carried by the Ambulance service, who are always highlighting the fact that cardiac arrest does not discriminate and can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time!

The statistics are alarming - cardiac arrest kills more than 60,000 people, of all ages, in the UK each year. If a heart defibrillator is used within 3-5mins of a cardiac arrest, the chances of survival increases from 6% to a huge 74%.

I am pleased to tell you that Filton is extremely well served by defibrillators.

Debbie Nicholls accepting on behalf of St Teresa of the Child Jesus Church with Clare Hayward

There are four public ones paid for by Filton Town Council and maintained by the South West Ambulance Service situated at Filton Sports & Leisure Centre, Elm Park; Greggs, Gloucester Road North; the Spar Shop, 535540 Filton Avenue; and Bethany Hall, 48 Meadowsweet Avenue, Filton .

Each primary school in Filton– Filton Hill, Shield Road and Charborough Road have defibrillators as well as the secondary school – Abbey Wood

and when the young people move on to using The FACE Youth Centre, they also have a unit so our children are kept safe at all stages. So Filton Chest & Heart Committee decided to bring up to date the remaining community spaces so purchased pads and 'Rescue Ready Kits' for the Centre in Elm Park as well as the churches, where more elderly residents are often found.

It is with great pleasure that our funds went towards the upkeep of these defibrillators held in St Teresa’s, St Peter’s and St Andrew’s churches and Filton

Clare Hayward with, above, Beckie Jones, Café Manager St Peter’s Church; right, Peter Maynard, Manager of Horfield Medical Centre; and left, Margaret and David Gillard of Filton Community Centre

Community Centre, ensuring that wherever a resident is taken ill in the Filton area there is help available.

However having defibrillators is only useful if there are people around who know how to use them. See our advert below about a talk being given by Sharon Kirwan, Assistant Responder Officer from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Gloucester Road North, Filton on Tuesday 11th July. All welcome.

Clare Hayward

Filton Chest and Heart

Talk given by Sharon Kirwan, Assistant Responder Officer, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust about Defibrillators.

Refresh your memory with the latest up to date information about Defibrillators. The talk will cover what to do in an emergency, how to use one, what help you can give before the Ambulance service arrive and many other questions you may have.

Tuesday 11 July 2023 1pm until 2pm

St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Gloucester Road North, Filton. Parking in the car park behind the church or in the car park attached to Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol.

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They have created a fantastic team of highly trained and friendly staff who are passionate about the world of cleaning.

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Our digital 'smart marketplace ads' give your business an attractive, effective and interactive landing page (your own feature filled web page)perfect for all businesses and especially for those with no website

The online marketplace and business directory will mean your business getting your message in front of our entire Voice series across Bristol and beyond.

In Filton, this will include the popular Filton News and Views Facebook page, with more than 4,000 members locally

New retirement homes planned for airfield town

YTL Developments has submitted a planning application to deliver 239 one and twobedroom properties at Brabazon on the former Filton Airfield, specifically designed for later living.

Designed by award-winning architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the new retirement homes at Brabazon will be a place to enjoy the best that life has to offer.

Residents will be able to relax in the landscaped grounds, take a walk around a meadow designed to encourage wildlife, or enjoy the sunshine from the peaceful roof garden. Internally, the communal spaces will include a comfortable lounge in which to play games or to gather with friends, a restaurant and bar to act as a social hub, as well as a library and wellbeing suite with spa facilities and activity rooms.

There will also be a calendar of events – such as games of boules and yoga on the outdoor lawns.

The Continuing Care Retirement Community will feature 24/7, flexible on-site support from a highly-trained care team that will be registered with and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Located close to the Aerospace Bristol Museum, the new later living community will be bordered on three sides by green public spaces. To the north-east is the proposed Aerospace Park, to the east is Aerospace Walk and to the south, Garden Walk. Generous, landscaped pedestrian walkways will provide links to Brabazon

Train Station, Brabazon Park and the heritage trail through to the new social hub at Hangar 16U.

There will also be traffic-free routes to the shops, cafes and restaurants in the urban heart of Brabazon, making this the perfect place to remain active and stay safe without needing to cross several roads.

Sebastian Loyn, Planning and Development Director, YTL Developments said: “The changing needs of our ageing society mean that there is increasing demand for specialist housing and care. These homes are designed to enable residents to be more active, more social and more independent in their retirement years. These new properties are part of our commitment to making Brabazon a diverse and inclusive community where young and old alike will love to live.“

Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the row, column or square.

NOTE After feedback from readers, we have made The Fiend SLIGHTLY easier!

For younger readers

It’s The Ashes this summer. Cricket has lots of unique words... how many can you find?

Easier sudoku

Join the Summer Reading Challenge at Filton Library for loads of fun!

It’s FREE and all children aged 4 – 11 are invited to take part! Children read books they enjoy over the summer holiday and collect stickers (including some stinky ones!) to complete their exclusive Ready, Set, Read! Collector Card and get a medal and certificate. Join the Summer Reading Challenge 2023, Ready, Set, Read! at Filton and other South Gloucestershire libraries during staffed hours from Saturday 8 July finishing by Saturday 9 September and pick up your FREE bag of goodies including your Ready, Set, Read! seeds.

Hidden Gems

on South Gloucestershire high streets

Discover unique and quirky finds across South Gloucestershire, on urban high streets and market towns, at small, independent businesses offering friendly service and something out of the ordinary.

Beach Boudoir

Chipping Sodbury

At the end of Chipping Sodbury High Street, Beach Boudoir is a specialist swimwear shop that opened in 2021. They offer a wide range of bikinis, swimming costumes, and beach coverups. Vicky, the owner, enjoys helping customers explore new styles. Whether you’re looking for a fresh holiday outfit or planning a girls' trip, Beach Boudoir has over 100 styles in sizes ranging from small to plus, there’s something for everyone.

www.beachboudoirbb.com

Safari Rock

Softplay café

Thornbury

Looking for a place to unwind while your kids play? Safari Rock is a family-friendly softplay café. Owner Aimee designed the play area with parents in mind, so you can always keep an eye on your little ones without having to climb around inside the equipment. They also offer animal encounter days, where kids can meet exotic animals, reptiles, and insects.

www.safarirock.co.uk

Eclectic Gift Shop

Hanham

Discover unique, locally made gifts at Hanham’s Eclectic Gift Shop. They have an amazing range of Bristolthemed items, such as locally brewed beer, cider, and gin, prints of Bristol landmarks, clothing, jewellery, and more. Nicola, the owner, is passionate about supporting local artists and makers saying ‘you know when you buy something here you are supporting independent makers.’

www.eclecticgiftshop.co.uk

Fabrics Plus Downend

Fabrics Plus is a haven for crafters. They offer a diverse range of supplies, including quilting, dressmaking, and upholstery fabrics, yarn, patterns, haberdashery, fabric dyes, and felting equipment. Owner Robin and the team are experienced crafters themselves and provide guidance on fabric and yarn choices. They also offer classes on various crafts.

www.fabrics-plus.co.uk

Fresco Fish Kingswood

Fresco Fish on Regent Street is a traditional fishmonger with an impressive selection of fish and seafood. From wild sardines to organic salmon and dressed crab, they have something for every taste. Michael, the owner, and his staff are always available to provide advice on preparation, storage, and cooking.

www.frescofishmarket.co.uk

Bike Station Yate

goto IT Filton

Need help with a broken smartphone, a slow-running computer or something not quite right with your laptop? The goto IT team offer free diagnostics and clear, jargon free, explanations to ensure customers understand the issues and solutions. They also provide IT support for local businesses of all sizes.

www.goto-it.co.uk

The Friendly Eco Staple Hill

The Friendly Eco is a sustainable parenting store. They specialise in cloth nappies and offer a range of brands. Owner Freya is passionate about promoting sustainability and diversity, offering toiletries, reusable sanitary products, plastic-free lunchbox supplies, wooden toys, and children’s books. They also provide nappy classes to help families make informed decisions.

www.thefriendlyeco.co.uk

Bike Station has been serving the community for 19 years. They have a wide selection of bikes for adults and children, including road, mountain, and electric bikes. Jude and Pat, the owners, provide expert advice on choosing the right bike, bike fitting, and saddle options for a comfortable ride. They also have a fully equipped workshop for manual and electric bikes so, if your bike needs a repair, suspension servicing, or your electric bike battery has gone dead you can book in with their qualified bike mechanic.

www.bikestationuk.com

Supporting small, independent businesses on our high streets is a great way to contribute to the local economy. In South Gloucestershire, there are plenty of free parking spaces available for short and long stays on our high streets so make sure you check out a hidden gem and other independent businesses on their local high street on your next shopping trip.

Celebrating ‘pupil power’

IT was fantastic to see over 150 young people from 60-plus secondaries right across the West of England at my Schools Summit - our region’s first ever.

It was held under the wings of Concorde over at Aerospace Bristol in Filton - and I could tell the moment I walked in this was going to be a supersonic event!

How right I was - local students took part in thought-provoking and really fun sessions designed to get them thinking about what our West of England region might look like in the future, how they want to shape it, and what part they will play in this.

As you might expect, the climate crisis was a big, big topic of conversation, because this region’s youngsters, and young people in general, will be most impacted by our changing climate, and will be taking some very difficult decisions in the future.

If you had seen the session organised by Bristol Energy Network it would have all looked a bit nuts, with students jumping around on a giant Monopoly-style board wearing chicken hats. But I promise you, there was a serious message there about how to cut our energy use!

Another favourite was Atkins’ workshop,

where I saw curious young people finding out about being engineers and planners through a LEGO model of a city.

Other big employers, including Airbus, Deloitte and Firstbus, ran sessions on the future of transport, culture and sport.

The ideas of the young people were all noted down, so as to directly influence the future of West of England policy.

That’s important - the ideas students came up with could, genuinely, change our West of England region for the better. And I’m already taking steps to ensure this is the case, visiting participating schools like Yate Academy and others to update them on how mayoral combined authority policy – like our upcoming plan for transport – will be changing thanks to their awesome ideas.

Meanwhile, at the ‘marketplace’, students could pick up some wildflower seeds to help me in my efforts to make the West the bee and pollinator capital of the UK, meet a robot dog and learn about the routes to becoming an apprentice.

And I got to play Duncan Bannatyne when a dozen students pitched great policy ideas to me in a live Dragon’s Den-style event.

My thanks to all the students for sharing their ideas, which will really help me get on with making our region an even better place to live, study, and thrive. My thanks also to their teachers, and all the local businesses and organisations who helped make it a success.

I came away feeling buoyed by these young people, the true change-makers and system-shakers - their imagination truly has no limits.

I call that Pupil Power. Now I have the task of harnessing this energy and turning these ideas into reality.

I know they’ll be making sure to hold me to my promises!

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

Report

Chair of Filton Town Council Report

Cllr Darryl Collins

Firstly I would like to thank all my fellow councillors, officers and staff for their support with this continuing difficult period of outsourcing and reconstruction of our pool and recreation areas. It has been challenging and we still have some way to go but I look forward to the New Year (2024) when we should have completion.

Further to feedback from our residents there is now a positive drive to invest and volunteer in our community and I note our proud record of support for activities like our Community Garden, the Millennium Green, the Bulldog Gated Garden, Local Youth Clubs, Filton Twinning and the secured funding for our proposed Multi Use Games Area and the proposed consultation on a possible extension to our Skateboard Park and Pump Track.

I need to give a special shout out to our many volunteers who keep our Community Gardens looking so good. And driving our Filton Twinning Association. Not to forget litter picking and other activities that help Filton continue to be a great place to live and work. All these folk are a credit to the Filton Community. Should you wish to be a part of any of these volunteering activities please contact the office at Filton Town Council.

I commend you to this report and thank you all for your support.

Cllr. Alex Doyle Chair, Finance Committee 22 23

As the Chair of the finance committee, I am very pleased to say that it has been a very positive year for Filton Town Council, with the financial position of the Council significantly improving once again.

The Council reserves remain healthy, and the Council has been able to further increase the Contingency for the Leisure Centre Refurbishment as recommended by our accountant to ensure both the Council and the people of Filton remain protected from any unplanned cost increases.

Thanks to this the Council was able to freeze the precept for 2023 despite the significant increase in inflation and running costs. Whilst significantly increasing the funds available to support community development activities in 2023 – 2024.

The partnership with Active Nation continues to progress as planned, this relationship provides the council with an improved level of financial stability, and it is expected that the new council will be able to take advantage of this to benefit the local community.

Town Clerk Report

This year has brought a whole new vision to my role, working in partnership with Active Nation to provide the new facility he re at Elm Park.

The new Active Nation Filton facility promises to be a modern well being hub which will provide residents with access to a wide range of sports and fitness activities. From swimming and gym facilities to group fitness classes, the centre is set to become a new hub for healthy living in the community.

With the completion of the structural steel work, the project is on track for completion in Jan 2024. This news has been met with great enthusiasm by residents and customers who are eagerly anticipating the opening of the new facility.

As the project moves forward, we can all look forward to enjoying a top class well being hub in our area.

The construction has brought many challenges along the way and we would really like to express our gratitude to all the loyal customers who have backed the project along the way.

Events

Childrens Christmas Party

It was great this year for Filton Town Council to be able to organise a free Christmas party for the children of Filton. This was such a success, and we hope to repeat this year.

Filton Festival 2023

We are in the process of organising the Filton Town Council are holding Filton Festival this year. It will be held Saturday 22nd July 2023 started at 11.30a.m and end at 6pm. Due to the ongoing works at Elm Park the venue this year is Millennium Green. Car parking will be at Elm Park which is a very short walk through the lane to the Festival. Disabled parking will be provided through the Northville Road entrance.

Millennium Green

Improvements to Millennium Green have included accessible gates that require radar key for less able users and pram/push chair access.

King’s Coronation

To commemorate the coronation of King Charles III Filton Town Council hosted Nature and Bat walks with Steve England in Millennium Green which were well supported and proved very popular. We look forward to funding similar activities in the future. FTC also gifted individual packs of sunflower seeds to the Filton primary schools for them to distribute to their pup ils Community Grants

It was with great sadness in July 2022 that we announced the passing of one of our longest serving councillors Mr Keith Briffett He served the Conygre ward with pride for several terms. As a Town Council we are grateful for his commitment and passion to Filton.

As always, I would like to express my gratitude to the small team of staff that remain with Filton Town Council that help and support me on a daily basis.

Lesley Reuben, CiLCA,PSLCC Town Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer.

Filton Community Garden

Helen Johnson Chair, Filton Community Garden

The year started off with us saying ‘we are just maintaining the garden’ and then somehow it turned out into a whirlwind of events and exciting new projects! This was made possible by the continued support of the core volunteers and the many others who dip in to help out.

As well as welcoming the local primary schools and Filton Twinning, we have been joined by Bristol North Swimming Club, FACE, Filton Twinning, Aviva and more recently the pro active South Glos Race Equality Network who are planting a ‘garden of the world’.

We liaise closely with the South Glos Green Space Forum where we learn and share with many ‘friends of’ groups who face similar challenges. Lately we introducing the Millennium Green Group to the forum and we intend to work closely with them, planting and greening in Filton. We have also been supported by Men in Sheds who have helped us replace the fairy letter box and the rose fences and by the FTC Grounds Team who mow, and are always very helpful with maintenance.

For the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration, we planted red, white and blue flowers, Charborough Road School decorated their ‘community bed’ and the Girl Guides made a wonderful artwork of flags on the fence. Since her passing, we have planted many lilies of the valley and a rose and now have 3 new benches dedicated to her.

You will remember 2022 summer was exceptionally hot and dry. Even so the garden survived, thanks to a rota of waterers who visited daily and managed to keep the main beds looking great. We are bracing ourselves for the months ahead. With climate change in mind we have turned to more perennial and drought resistant planting. Since January we have been involved with the Filton Pollinator Project, which aims to improve the habitat for pollinators through guidance and planting in FIlton. Working closely with FACE and a group of students and with financial help from UWE Bristol and South Glos Council High Streets, This is beneficial for the environment and community alike a project that all Filton residents can join in.

Exciting events held in the past year include:

‘Fairy Workshop’ where young children and parents collected bits and bobs and made magic potions and wands. The Get Growing Garden Trail where we made wormeries.

The Summer Fete best ever!

Remembrance service where the last post was played brilliantly by a student from Trinity School, Lockleaze. Festive Sing a long with carols and Christmas songs

The RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

The RHS Big Seed Swap,

A bat walk

‘Hidden Heroes’, a unique and totally Filton event put on by the Natural Theatre Company. This year is our 10th Anniversary and will be repeating many of the above events. We continue with the ‘gardening get together’ sessions through our the year and always find things to do. Now held alternate Saturdays 11am 1pm. Do continue to visit and enjoy the garden it’s your very own oasis in Filton.

FACE update

Debbie Teml Charity Director

“It’s been another busy year for FACE, the first full year really since the pandemic when it feels like we’ve got to some sort of ‘new normal’.”

Youth Work

Our youth club activities continue to grow and remain the core focus of FACE’s work. With youth clubs provided from School Year 3+, Duke of Edinburgh’s awards, volunteering schemes, trips, and holiday time activities, there is always something for young people to get involved with at FACE.

The youth work activities at FACE are funded partly by South Glos Council Youth Activities Offer, and partly by the Filton Town Council. Extra funding supports activities during holidays and Duke of Edinburgh’s awards. This past year in total through all our youth work in Filton we have welcomed 174 individual young people through the door at FACE, at a total of 189 sessions, with an overall attendance of 2,506. Our youth work team attended the Youth Workers conference where we led 2 workshops. The highlight of the year was taking 18 young people to the South Glos Youth Awards night in February where they gained a mixture of South Glos Awards and Duke of Edinburgh’s awards.

Community Work

We run a weekly evening group for adults with social or learning disabilities, with 58 people on the register as attended the 41 sessions this year, with overall attendance of 880. This is a popular and well established group of disabled adult members, some of whom have been coming since they were teenagers.

We collect food from Tesco Express in Stoke Gifford & ASDA Filton, as part of the Fareshare scheme to reduce food waste, and items are placed outside our doors throughout the year when we have donations. We are also now accepting regular donations from Farmfoods in Filton too. We pop out a donation bucket so people can give as much as they are able to in order to help us sustain our services here. These are being appreciated by local people to help them get through the week and make their income go further

In addition, we have provided 220 community well being activities such as Silver Surfers, tai chi, low impact fitness, monthly Goldies sing along sessions, and coffee mornings which have attracted in excess of 1,800 people through the door during the past year. This does not include all those people who come weekly for community learning courses, to visit our food donations tables, or other events and activities we host within the youth centre.

We also coordinated the Filton Wonderful Windows Arts Trail in November, (with the help of a fab group of local volunteers!) which we estimate was enjoyed by around 500 people, and together with the Filton Community Garden ran a lovely (but chilly!!) Christmas Sing along hour attended by just over 50 people!

FACE Charity Development

FACE has grown lots over the past year; we are now providing more youth work across wider areas of South Gloucestershire and are the ‘Lot Lead’ for youth work for South Glos Council for the geographical area from Tortworth to Filton, and Alveston to Severn Beach.

We have taken part in Bristol Job Show, trying to encourage more people to join our team, but like many others, we struggle to fill our vacant youth worker positions.

We have had 2 whole team events this year, for training, staff engagement, and charity development. These have been vital to strengthen our relationships with each other as we seek to better serve those who use our services.

Filton Beat Team

Overall, the levels of recorded crimes in the last 12 months have been steady. The average reported crimes are usually around 100 120 crimes a month.

There was a decrease in crimes in December with 77 reported crimes. But since the new year, this has increased with 91 reported crimes in January, 132 crimes reported in February and 136 reported in March.

The rise in February and March is mainly linked to violence against the person offences. These are predominantly domestic incidents and incidents reported in supported living accommodation.

The spike in offences can also be put down to increase in recorded theft offences, 25 Offences in February and 21 in March. These offences were mainly shop theft offences.

Vehicle crime offences fluctuated throughout the last 12 months. But since Christmas offences slowly increased with 12 offences in March.

This was also the same for burglary offences. There were normally 4 5 offences a month, but this peaked in February with 15 offences recorded. This was mainly down to the series of garage/shed breaks in and around Braemar avenue. Since then, the number have offences have decreased.

In response to the increases in vehicle crime and burglary offences, patrols were increased. The team conducted extensive house to house, and Letter drops in an around the affected areas. Also available CCTV was recovered and reviewed unfortunately no suspects were identified.

The team were able to recover a stolen motorbike and return it to its owner within 12 hours of it being stolen.

Anti social behaviour issues have been spread across the area. We tend to find that there are sporadic issues in Elm Park, Millennium green, Shield retail, Abbeywood retail park and around Filton college. The last two locations have probably accounted for the majority or our calls regarding Anti social behaviour.

Regarding Abbeywood retail park most of the issues regard youths in and around the McDonalds. The team attempt to patrol the area as much as possible and respond to incidents when they can. Work has been taken to try and identify youths via CCTV. Recent issues have involved youths on E bikes and wearing balaclavas. It is difficult to stop these bikes which ride off from officers and problematic identify individuals with face covered.

Anti social behaviour issues at Filton college increased with the new intake in September, this continued for several months causing an affect on the wider area. The team have been liaising with the college over some of the issues and ways to address them. Patrols were increased in the area and in the grounds of the college. Issues have decreased and there are plans to increase engagement. There are plans to work with the college in September, when the new intake starts. It will be a case of trying to be present, but also educate pupils to prevent issues arising.

Gareth Pretlove Neighbourhood Constable

PCSO’s have continued engagement with local schools and carried out excellent work with Charborough road school. A mini police course was conducted with the school. This allowed pupils to learn form the PCSO’s about the role of a police officer, visits to police sites and educational interactivity activities.

We have re introduced beat surgeries under the new name of talk to us events. We have carried out one month since the start of the year. We are currently using the library to carry out these events but are open to taking the event to other locations and reach as many residents as we can.

We have continued to carry out visits to vulnerable members of the community, to offer support and help. Some of these have been conducted in conjunction with housing providers, who we have a regular monthly meeting with. This work has been carried whilst providing support and assistance to the response teams during periods of high demand. Over the next few months, we will continue to conduct the Beat surgery events. We will carry out further engagement with the schools, possibly carrying out another Mini police course. We will also develop our work with the college to reduce the Anti social behaviour calls. And carry out work with local retail premises to reduce shop theft offences.

Laura Roberts PCSO

Gareth Pretlove Neighbourhood Constable

Laura Roberts PCSO

Mr Soandro PCSO

Meet

Darryl Collins

darryl.collins@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Keith Briffett

Keith.briffett@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Alex Doyle

alex.doyle@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Anne Kenyon

anne.kenyon@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Brian Mead

brian.mead@fitontowncouncil.gov.uk

Adam Monk

adam.monk@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Andy Robinson

andy.robinson@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Dan Boardman

dan.boardman@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Tom Mewies

tom.mewies@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

HOW THE COUNCIL WORKS AT FILTON

The Town Council has 13 Town Councillors seats elected for a term of four years . The Council elections being held May 4th 2023.

The Councillors are split into three wards: Charborough (Three Councillors), Northville (Five Councillors) and Conygre (Five Councillors). There are also two elected Councillors to South Gloucestershire Council who represent Filton’s interests at this level.

The Civic Year runs from May to April with the election of the Chair/Mayor and the Deputy taking place at the Annual Statutory Meeting in May. These roles are filled by councillors who have been nominated and voted for by their councillor colleagues. The Town Councillors are unpaid, and do not receive any attendance allowance or payments for their duties, in which they run to undertake on a purely voluntary basis.

Alan Bird

alan.bird@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Esther Adjeivi

Esther.adjeivi@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Dan Harris

dan.harris@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

STANDING ORDERS

Standing Orders is an easy to understand comprehensive guide on the legal, financial, administrative and governance aspects of running a local council. This guidance is an essential tool for established or new councillors and officers involved in this tier of local government.

FILTON TOWN COUNCIL STRUCTURE

Full Council – The Town Council meets approximately 11 times a year and has three main committees and ad hoc sub committees that meet as required (e.g Elm Park Working Group). These committees make decisions under their remitted powers or make recommendations for ratification by full Council. Subject matters are brought before Council by means of the Agenda, which is issued a minimum of three clear days before a meeting and is posted on this website.

Full Council (Finance & general purposes) (inc. planning) – The Full Council (Finance & General Purpose) meetings meet approx. 11 times a year and makes decisions and recommendations to Full Council on all financial and policy matters under the discretion of the Town Council.

Due to the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip we cancelled the meetings accordingly this impacted on the total amount of meetings held this year.

GET INVOLVED

FACE Current young people’s groups:

Mondays 7 9pm: “The Hangout” youth club for 13 25 year olds with social or learning disabilities

Tuesdays 5.30 6.30pm: “Rise” youth club for Years 3 & 4 (7 9yr olds)

Tuesdays 7 8.30pm: “Shine” youth club for Years 5 & 6 (9 11 yr olds)

Wednesdays 7 9pm: “Outbreak” youth club for Year 7+ (11 19 yr olds)

Third Friday of each month 6 8pm: “Social Club” for 8 13 year olds with social or learning disabilities

(Fortnightly Duke of Edinburgh’s award group meets now in Patchway Monday evenings)

FACE Current community well being / adults’ sessions:

Mondays 12.30 1.30pm: Tai Chi Qi Gong

Tuesdays 10am 12pm: Coffee morning

First Wednesday of each month 2.30 3.30pm: Goldies Sing & Smile

Thursdays 10am 12pm: Silver Surfers

Thursdays 1.30 2.30pm: Low impact fitness

Thursdays 7 9pm: “Illuminators” social group for adults with learning/social disabilities

Fridays 10am 12pm: Coffee morning

Your new Filton Town Council

Conygre ward

Charborough ward

Northville ward

Esther Adjevi Conservative

John Baverstock Labour

Tom Mewies Labour Adam Monk Labour

Dan Boardman Green Party

Dan Harris Labour

Anne Kenyon Conservative

Brian Mead Labour

Alan Bird Labour

Darryl Collins Labour

Alex Doyle Labour

Julie Molloy Labour

Andy Robinson Independent

FREE EVENTS AT FILTON LIBRARY IN JULY

ON

8TH COME ALONG AND SIGN UP TO COLLECT YOUR FREE GOODIE BAG AND EARN REWARDS AS YOU READ

Bar Staff Needed

We are recruiting Part Time Bar staff/ Clubhouse assistant to join our team� � � � �

Previous experience is ideal, but full training can be given. All applicants must be over age of 18.

Serving food and beverages in a professional manner with high levels of customer service. Knowledge of serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks preferable. Setting and cleaning tables and service areas. Dealing with customer complaints. Checking with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals and take action to correct any problems. Good rates of pay and variable hours.

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n NEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL MP JACK LOPRESTI

Parkway plans put station at heart of community

THIS month I have been very busy in our area focusing on transport, law and order and our area’s heritage and role in the aerospace industry.

I had a very interesting meeting with representatives from Great Western Rail, South Gloucestershire Council and Network Rail to discuss the exciting Bristol Parkway Redevelopment Masterplan.

Given the importance of Parkway, I believed it was necessary to get more information about this future infrastructure investment in our area.

It was great to see the public engagement that had been conducted and the great response received from consultation, showing a high level of local support for the project, especially with the masterplan looking to put the community at the centre of the development.

This will see more investment and jobs come to the area, as well

as a business park and new green spaces, which will see Parkway become much more integrated into the local community.

This will have the result of Parkway not only being a transport hub, but also a centre for the wider community and an even more important asset to the area.

I also had a very productive round-table meeting with Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford, and local councillors Ben Randles, Terri Cullen and Liz Brennan, where we discussed tackling local anti-social behaviour, speeding and other issues relating to our area.

Mark updated us on the ongoing developments at Avon and Somerset Police, including their significant emphasis on action against cyber fraud.

We also discussed the expansion of Avon and Somerset Police force, with 520 additional officers for the year, above the recruit-

ment target set by government, and youth engagement such as the Mini Police in Patchway, which gets young people involved in fighting crime and enables them to work on policing operations.

I visited Rolls-Royce to meet with Jim Hardy, head of manufacturing at the lift works. We discussed their role in providing apprenticeships to young people in our area and I met with one of their degree apprentices.

I also visited Aerospace Bristol to meet with CEO Sally Cordwell. We discussed their STEM learning programme and engagement with businesses and schools. I will continue to promote the importance of STEM learning and engagement with young people for our crucial aerospace industry, and the opportunities Aerospace Bristol can offer to achieve this.

I also had the opportunity to meet the new leadership team of the Conservative group on South

Gloucestershire Council, Sam Bromiley and Liz Brennan. We discussed building more homes and improving local bus services.

I also had a great time at the Stoke Gifford Fete on May 29: it was a fantastic community event, and a great day for the celebration with great weather and lots of community support.

As always, should you need my help with anything, my office is open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm.

Please telephone me on 01454 617783 or email jack.lopresti.mp@ parliament.uk if I can be of assistance, or to book a surgery.

Sister

everything we do.

are

for a home or a home for a loved one, we would be happy to show you around our beautiful, family-owned home in Horfield, Bristol.

Jack Lopresti MP for Filton & Bradley Stoke

What's on in Filton ... email

St Peter’s Church: Services

Sunday 2 July

10am Eucharist and 5pm Youth of God at the Rectory Celebrating the Feast of our namesake, St Peter

Sunday 9 July

8.30am and 10am Eucharist.

6pm Taizé in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 16 July

8.30am and 10am Family Eucharist

Sunday 23 July

8.30am and 10am Eucharist

Sunday 30 July

10am Eucharist and 6pm Evensong with Benediction

Midweek Said Eucharists are on Wednesdays at 7pm and Thursdays at 11am.

Social and Church Groups

Our Ladies' Group meets at 2pm every other Monday in the church hall. Full programme and contact details available on our website.

Our Mothers' Union meet on Thursdays at 2pm in the Coffee Shop. Again, full details on the website. Brabazon Belles (a social group for women) meet on the first Monday of the month at 7pm in the church hall. Our Open House group meets every Tuesday in the church hall from 9.3011am for tea, toast, and companionship. Our friendly choir meets for rehearsals every Friday at 7pm in the church.

Our Zumba group meet on Mondays at 10am and 11.15, and Fridays at 9.30am. Contact Jools for more information jooljdh@gmail.com or julie737@zumba. com

Community Coffee Shop

Our friendly, welcoming coffee shop is open from Monday to Friday, 10am1pm for hot and cold drinks, homemade cake and hot snacks and soup. Suggested donation £1.50 per item. We have a wonderful hairdresser in the coffee shop who is happy to cut people's hair in return for a donation to the church. She is usually in the coffee shop on Wednesday mornings if you would like a quick trim. We also offer free soup and a roll to anyone in need of a hot meal. Thursdays from 10am.

You can find more information about all of this, and read our weekly news sheet, by going to www.stpeterschurchfilton. com and if you have any queries, please contact the Rector, or the administrator, who will be only too happy to help. rector@stpeterschurchfilton.com and faith.stpeterschurchfilton@gmail.com

St Andrew's Methodist Church

Regular Services

Sundays

Morning Service 10.30 am. Little Lights (for children whose parents are attending worship).

Tuesdays Wesley Guild, alternate Tuesdays, 2.15 pm.

Friday

(Term-time) St Andrews Baby and Toddler Group, 10.00 am – 11.45 am, £2 per family, includes refreshments. Play, crafts, chat and singing time.

Saturday

No Messy Church during July or August, returning on September 9th! Outside groups also regularly hire our newly refurbished multi-use church. For bookings, Tel 07773636042. For all other enquiries, please Tel 0117 9872143.

FACE

Mondays: 12.30-1.30pm Tai Chi, £3 entry

7-9pm The Hangout youth club for young people aged 13-25, with social or learning disabilities, £2 entry

Tuesdays: 10am-12pm Coffee Club (tea & coffee morning for older folk), donations welcomed

5.30-6.30pm Rise youth club for School Years 3 & 4, £2 entry

7-8.30pm Shine youth club for School Years 5 & 6, £2 entry

Wednesdays:

7-9pm Outbreak youth club for School Years 7-13, £2 entry

Thursdays:

Silver Surfers (over 50s IT support drop-in) 10am-12pm, £3 including refreshments.

1.30-2.30pm Low Impact Fitness session, £3 entry

7-9pm Illuminators social club for adults aged 20+ with social or learning disabilities, £2 entry

Fridays: 10am-12pm “Coffee & Chat” coffee morning for anyone who would like to come for refreshments, conversations and join in crafts and games together. Donations welcomed.

Saturdays: 1.00 -3.00 pm The HUB - Environment and Wellbeing. For 18+ with social and learning disabilities as well as any other adult who is keen on gardening, art and nature. £2.

Contact kate@facecharity.org.uk for any queries, the programme of activities and booking in. Actively welcoming volunteers to help with the group.

Contact: FACE, Youth Centre, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. 0117 9691938 / info@facecharity.org.uk

Girl Guiding

Rainbows – age 4 - 7 years - Tuesday

16:45-17:45 & Thursday 17:30 – 18:30

Brownies - age 7 - 10 years - Tuesday

17:45-19:15

Guides - age 10 - 14 years - Tuesday

19:30 – 21:00

Rangers - age 14 - 18 years - Tuesday

19:30 – 21:00

To register your daughter, go to Girlguiding UK website and follow the link 'Register my daughter'

1st Filton Scouts

Beavers age 6-8, Tuesday 5:30 – 6:30 & Wednesday

5:45 – 6:45

Cubs age 8-10, Monday and Thursday 6:30 – 8pm

Scouts age 10 -14, Tues 7 – 8:45pm

The group is based in Scout HQ, Nutfield Grove, Filton, BS34 7LJ. All sections are open to boys and girls. Email:joining@1stfiltonscouts.co.uk Website:1stfiltonscouts.co.uk

Men In Sheds Filton

The DIY group, which aims to tackle loneliness and isolation among men aged over 50, operates from the Scout hut in Nutfield Grove, providing a space to socialise, build, share skills and drink tea. Men in Sheds Filton is part of a national movement, initiated by Age Concern Cheshire in 2009 and sustained by the UK Men’s Sheds Association. The group runs every Wednesday, from 9.30am-12.30pm. Call John Cahill 07986053005

SHE7

Tuesday: Bingo 7.30pm - 9.00pm

Wednesday: Over 50s lunch, Cooked lunch, pudding and tea/coffee for just £3.50. Please ring 0117 969 5130 to book and arrive by 12.15pm.

Wednesday: Bristol Taiko - Japanese Drumming 7.00pm - 8:30pm, £5 per session

International Plastic Modellers Society Avon

Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday in the month from 7:30pm for 8.00pm at:

BAWA Healthcare & Leisure, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol BS34 7RG.

Ukulele Filton

We are an enthusiastic group of ukulele players, who meet to strum along and sing on Monday evenings, at 7.30 pm, at Filton Community Centre. No previous experience needed. We have spare ukes for you to try, and plenty of help in

getting you started. For further details, phone Sue on: 0750 4561 831.

Bristol Scrabble Club

Bristol Scrabble Club meets every Wednesday evening from 7pm until 10pm at the Filton Community Centre. Elm Park Filton BS347PS. New members are welcome and first visit is free so come along and give us a try. For more information ring Sheila Hinett 01179570792 or 07435316458. Alternatively email shinett@blueyonder. co.uk.

Bristol Sugarcraft Guild

We are a small friendly group who meet every third Saturday of the month 2pm to 4pm at St Andrews Church, Elm Park, Filton. If you would like to learn to make sugar flowers and models we hold demonstrations and also workshops with instruction. Beginners are very welcome.

Please call Jean Kington on 01454 314178 or Carole Hyams on 0117 956 8037 for more information.

Horfield Townswomen’s Guild

We will be meeting at St Andrew's Church Hall on the 2nd Wednesday afternoon of each month (except August) at 2pm to 4pm. We welcome new members. For more information, please contact Edna on 9495413.

Community Garden

Sunday 25 June - Summer Fete from 12 noon to 4pm See poster right For updates and more info visit: facebook.com/filtoncommunitygarden or email: communitygarden@ filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Filtones Choir

Come and exercise your lungs and meet new friends every Wednesday afternoon from 1.45-3.45 at St Teresa’s Community Rooms (behind the Church) 71 Gloucester Road North, BS34 7PL. We sing four-part harmony, so all voice ranges are welcome and there are no auditions. Contact Dot on 0117 9690654 or 07870 984760 or Janet on 0117 9241534 or email dorothy.bryant@ btinternet.com We’ll be delighted to talk to you.

The Filtones’ 20th Annual Charity Concert FRIDAY 7th JULY 2023 at 7.30 pm, St Teresa’s Catholic Church TICKETS £8 inc. refreshments. Accompanied School Age Children free of charge. Available on the door, or in advance from Dot Bryant. Call 07870 984760 or 0117 9690654

What's on in Filton ... email shane@filtonvoice.co.uk

Ebenezer Church

Wednesdays

Footprints 2PM – 3:30PM

Group for senior citizens in our local community, with meals, activities and special events - www.ebe.org.uk/

footprints

Thursdays

Taste café 10:30AM – 12:30PM

Drop-in community cafe with affordable homemade cakes, lunches, etc.

Foodbank outlet 1PM – 3PM

If you are at a crisis point and struggling with food, then please contact the foodbank about getting support - call 0117 472 5172.

Fridays

Community breakfast 9AM – 10:30AM

Simple breakfast of bacon butty, cereal, toast and hot drinks for £1.50.

Toys available for pre-school children. After school hangout 3:30PM – 5PM Different zones with crafts, games, books, homework space and a free meal. For families with primary school aged children. Sign up each week herewww.ebe.org.uk/afterschoolhangout

ONE OFF EVENTS

Big Summer Breakfast 9AM –10:30AM Friday 21st July & 18th Aug

Includes bacon, sausage, egg, beans, hashbrown, cereal, toast and a hot drink for £2.50

Women’s World Cup on the Big Screen England vs Haiti Saturday 22nd July 10:30AM

England vs Denmark Friday 28th July

9:30AM

China vs England Tuesday 1st August

12:00PM

Keep an eye on the website for future games www.ebe..org.uk/worldcup

Regular updates - www.ebe.org.uk/ welcomingspace or contact Ebenezer Church Office on 0117 9791399

Concord Wind Band

We are a friendly, mixed ability band, playing music for fun. We rehearse at the Beechwood Club, Beechwood Rd, Fishponds, Bristol. BS16 3T every Friday 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with a tea break. We welcome new members. Contact Jayne on 07880724948

Filton Bookworms

Are you interested in joining a reading group? Come along to the Bookworms monthly reading group at Filton Library!

1st Monday of each month 5:45pm -6:45pm If you are interested in Joining, please as inside the library. Phone: 01454 868006 or Email: Filton.library@ southglos.gov.uk

North Avon Speakers Club

We are a public speaking group associated with Toastmasters International. We usually meet every

first and third Thursday of the month, at BAWA Filton, between 7:15pm and 9:30pm. Currently we have both types of meetings, 'In Person Only' meetings and 'Hybrid' which allows people to join in online via Zoom. Email: northavontm@ gmail.com for more details.

Filton Garden Club

We meet at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of every month, (except January). We are a very friendly club & welcome new members. If you enjoy interesting talks and slideshows on various aspects of gardens, plants etc., and day trips to gardens of interest, please come along & join us. We meet at St. Andrew's Church, BS34 7PS

Dance Moves Keep Fit

Tuesday, 2-3pm at St Peter's Church Filton. Have fun whilst improving your general wellbeing. Suitable for all ages. For further information, contact Eileen Scott, Tel. 07969929733/ email scottyartois@hotmail.com

Short Mat Bowls

We are a friendly group that meets Thursdays 1:45pm to 4pm at the Filton Community centre, Elm Park Filton, BS34 7PS. New members are welcome, and the first visit is free, then each session £3. Contact Alan Riley on 07957295287 or email alanriley73@gmail.com

Bristol Male Voice Choir

Always been keen to sing?

Come along to our rehearsal nights, 7pm9.15pm on Thursdays in St Andrew's Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. No need to read music, no audition, just a voice test to establish whether you are tenor, baritone of bass. We cover many musical styles, enjoy singing in a great social vibe as we prepare for our regular concerts in local and national venues.

From the Beatles to Mozart, from classical choruses to classic pop. www.bristolmvc.org.uk; Facebook; or contact Steve: secretary@bristolmvc.org. uk; or ring 07776447699; or 07587143220

THE FILTONES’

20th Annual Charity Concert

FRIDAY 7TH JULY 2023

at 7.30 p.m.

at St Teresa’s Catholic Church

71 Gloucester Road North, Filton, Bristol BS34 7PL

TICKETS £8 inc. refreshments

Accompanied School Age Children free of charge

IN ADVANCE FROM DOT BRYANT 07870 984760 or 0117 9690654

MEMBERS OF THE CHOIR, OR AT THE DOOR Cash or Cheques only on the door please www.thefiltones.weebly.com

Raffle and Retiring Collection in aid of the Charity, FACE facecharity.org.uk

the Foundation for Active Community Engagement

Questions over how new Bristol train station will affect bus and cycling routes

by BBC LDRS team for Filtonvoice

Bus stops could be relocated and a cycling route will be made narrower near a new train station under construction in Bristol. The changes are needed to make switching from buses to trains easier and to make platforms on the new station wide enough for disabled people.

The new Ashley Down train station is part of the MetroWest 2 project, which will later reopen the Henbury line to passenger trains and build two other new stations: at North Filton by the new arena and in Henbury. These will run regular services to Bristol Temple Meads.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, June 6, Bristol City Council chiefs faced questions about when the bus stops would be moved, as well as the impact on cyclists. The Concorde Way cycling route will in parts be permanently cut by almost a metre in width.

Councillor Don Alexander, cabinet member for transport, said: “This is crucial infrastructure to support homes and help reduce car dependency. Expanding the local rail network through the MetroWest programme will increase capacity of the network and accessibility of our local rail services, as we build towards the mass transit system that Bristolians need and deserve.

“I know that there are concerns about the inconvenience caused by the work, but I think most people understand that these are great developments for the city and would tolerate the construction as these are delivered for Bristol.”

Construction on Ashley Down station began in March and is due to last for a year. This month the track will be closed for 16 days while workers build the new platforms. The station is due to open next year, while North Filton and Henbury stations will open in 2026. The council is also trying to find funding to open new stations at Ashton Gate and St Annes.

Ashley Down will be the second station to open within Bristol’s city limits in almost a century, after the Portway Park and Ride station which will open this summer. Filton Abbey Wood, in South Gloucestershire, opened in 1996, and Parson Street opened in 1927.

Christina Biggs, from Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways, said Bristol

City Council should work with the West of England Combined Authority to relocate bus stops from the two routes that pass down Muller Road next to the new train station. This would be so people can easily switch from a bus to a train during the same journey.

She said: “We have a rail network that

doesn’t cover the whole of the city, but it doesn’t take much thought to realise that if you could coordinate the buses that actually intercept with the railways, then you’ve suddenly extended your network at very little extra cost. ”

Both the council and the combined authority are on board with relocating bus stops, according to Cllr Alexander. But that will happen only after other work on the train station is first completed.

Delays have hit the planned construction of a new train station at Henbury.

The main obstacle is that South Gloucestershire Council has not yet granted planning permission for the new train station, and it’s unclear when this might happen. Construction work can’t begin until the council grants permission. Planning approval was given for North Filton in January.

Stones Grass Cutting Service

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Bright Green Homes

FREE energy saving measures for your home

The Bright Green Homes project is here to help you lower the cost of your energy bills. Funding is available to cover a wide range of energy efficiency measures. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.

To qualify for funding, you must meet all the following criteria:

• Owner occupier and privately owned properties only

• Combined annual household income on or below £31,000

• An energy performance certificate rating of D, E, F or G. If you don’t have one, please still apply

• The property must NOT use mains gas central heating

• You must live in Bristol, North Somerset or Bath and North East Somerset

• You may automatically qualify for funding based on your postcode, regardless of your income.

For more information, please contact the domestic energy team on 0117 352 1180 or email us at domestic@bristolcityleap.co.uk

bristolcityleap.co.uk/domestic/bright-green-homes

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