Filtonvoice June 2024

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

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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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News

A Filton landlord, who rented out an unsafe and unlicensed house of multiple occupancy (HMO), has been fined over £3,800.

The hazardous property came to light in June 2023 when South Gloucestershire Council received complaints about the landlord failing to complete repairs following an E-bike fire in the kitchen.

Fire and smoke damage was evident in the kitchen area of the property where the E-bike’s battery overheated and exploded whilst on charge.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene swiftly, resulting in no casualties.

It was also reported that the property was occupied by five people, despite no HMO licence being applied for.

Following an inspection by the council’s private sector housing team, several potentially dangerous defects were identified, as well as HMO offences, and the landlord was

issued a Civil Penalty Notice, including a £3,883 fine.

An assessment using a house health and safety rating system, under the Housing Act 2004,

confirmed that there were fire and electrical hazards and a hazard for lighting.

Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member with

responsibility for environmental health at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I’m pleased to see this penalty and fine issued to the landlord, who showed no regard for the safety of the people who rented this property.

“The licensing of HMOs enables the council to check conditions and take action where housing and management standards are not met. In addition, checks are made to ensure licence holders and people involved in the management of the properties are fit and proper to do so. Failing to licence a property as in this case, can put the health and safety of tenants at risk.

“Where we identify unlicensed HMOs our Private Sector Housing Team will look to prosecute or use Civil Penalties against the owners or managers.

“Our message to the landlords of HMOs is simple; licence your properties before we find them.”

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The damage caused by the E-bike fire

Plans for outdoor leisure space unveiled

By Adam Postans, LDRS reporter

YTL has submitted final detailed plans for Bristol Arena – and they reveal the venue will feature an outdoor cinema, Christmas ice rink and sports courts.

New computer-generated images show there will be as much for visitors to do outside the 19,000-seat concert arena as inside, where the world’s biggest pop stars and entertainers are expected to take to the stage.

The artist’s impressions include huge public squares in front of the refurbished Brabazon Hangar at the former Filton Airfield.

They were submitted to Bristol City Council as part of the developers’ landscape masterplan on April 25 – four days before a three-year deadline set by South Gloucestershire Council as part of the conditions it gave when granting outline planning permission.

The CGIs show what is

proposed for an east and a west square directly outside new conference and exhibition halls which flank the main central concert seating bowl.

The planning documents said: “The space comes alive with visitors relishing the outdoor cinema experience throughout the summer season.

“During the winter season, the area is animated by festive pop-up markets, sparkling Christmas lights and a myriad of joyful activities.”

Three months of free office space up for grabs at Brabazon

Entrepreneurs have the chance to win three-months free office space at Boxworks – the new container working studios at Brabazon.

Aimed at new businesses, startups and freelancers, the competition gives a fledgling enterprise the space to grow and explore ideas, without the pressure of workspace costs.

The 'Startup at Boxworks' competition – now in its second year – has been launched by Forward, which runs the workspaces, in conjunction with Brabazon developers YTL and Aerospace Bristol.

The shipping container boxes are ideal for teams of up to six, and each one includes superfast fibre broadband and use of Aerospace Bristol's facilities.

Boxworks is made up of 20 shipping containers that have been reimagined into modern

workspaces. Originally housed next to Temple Meads train station, the units are now proudly part of Bristol’s thriving new neighbourhood at Brabazon.

The competition is open to all businesses with a turnover of £150k or less.

To apply, entrants need to submit a video, presentation or a written statement, explaining why the office space would help take their business to the next level.

The competition will be judged by Forward CEO Gavin Eddy, YTL's director of planning and development Seb Loyn and Aerospace Bristol CEO Sally Cordwell.

Full entry criteria can be found at: boxworks.co.uk/ startup. Deadline for submissions is midnight, May 31 2024.

The outdoor cinema and an intimate nearby music stage look like they will be replaced in the winter by an ice rink.

There will also be badminton courts, a tennis court, multiuse games area for sports such as basketball and five-a-side football, and a pump track for cycling.

In March it emerged that the opening date had been delayed again. The venue was previously expected to open in late 2025 or early 2026 but an update from

YTL said construction was yet to begin and was likely to take two-and-a-half years once the builders move in.

This suggested an opening date of late 2026 at the earliest, although the company said it had reached a “pivotal milestone” in the project with the start of site preparation and enabling work at the historic home of Concorde.

YTL is also building the massive new Brabazon neighbourhood on the airfield with thousands of homes, a park, community facilities, leisure and employment. A new train station is due to open there in mid-2026.

The arena will have a mix of bars, restaurants and lounges, as well as the region’s largest column-less exhibition and convention halls.

An estimated 300,000 people are expected to attend events at the attraction every year, boosting the local economy by £60million annually.

Bristol Arena main building. Image by McGregor Coxall/YTL

'Overbearing' student digs put on hold

By Adam Postans, LDRS reporter

Councillors have delayed a decision on plans to bulldoze a former garage in Filton and build three storeys of student flats after bizarrely voting against both granting and refusing permission.

South Gloucestershire Council development management committee asked planning officers to go back and negotiate with the applicants over the height of the building that would replace the former Filton Central Garage between Gloucester Road North and Rectory Lane.

It came amid unusual scenes where a proposal to reject the plans for 75 student beds was voted down by 5-4 votes and then another to approve them fell by the same margin, with one councillor voting “against” both times.

After both votes – first to refuse consent and then to grant permission – were lost 5-4, Cllr

Paul Hughes (Conservative, Bitton & Oldland Common) said it was a slight contradiction that he voted against each one but that the issues needed further examination.

The application by Sampson Homes sparked an “unprecedented” level of local opposition, with objections from 115 residents, Filton Town Council and both ward councillors.

They raised concerns about the impact of the “overbearing” new building on neighbouring properties, and the influx of the extra students on local facilities and parking.

CGI of flats planned for the former Filton garage. Image by Sampson Homes

Students would be banned from owning a car or parking within two miles as part of their tenancy agreement but this was not properly enforced, councillors heard.

Filton councillor Adam Monk told the meeting that UWE had backed two recent applications for student flats but did not support this. He said: “We are not against developing this site, it’s just the current application does not consider the impact on the immediate neighbours.”

Filton councillor Alex Doyle said: “It’s an unprecedented level of opposition, I’ve never seen it

before in a local application.”

He said there was a dispute over whether the land was covered by a covenant preventing development that would block the view of the nearby rectory and also prohibited commercial purposes.

Sampson Homes’ planning agents said the restrictions did not apply and council solicitor Tonya Meers told members that covenants were a civil matter and not a planning consideration.

Filton Town Council planning committee chairman Alan Bird said some residents had already sold up and moved away because of the proposals.

The applicant’s agents said the flats would ease pressure on family homes being turned into shared houses and that the building would be lower than the adjacent Charlton House and only 1.6 metres taller than Hanover House when the site’s slope was factored in.

Leave a legacy – write your family's story

A Bristol author is inspiring people to write up their family stories after setting up a local history group in the community.

Writing Family History has been launched by Helen Parker-Drabble, a family historian and former counsellor.

The group is one of 150 diverse interest groups, as part of the u3a movement, across Bristol.

Helen hopes that she can encourage people to research and write up their family stories and recipes, and gather photos to "create a bridge between past and future generations".

Writing Family History meets on the first Thursday of the month at Filton Library at 10.15am.

Helen, who has published a book called 'A Victorian's Inheritance', said: "For many, exploring family history is a journey of selfdiscovery and connection.

"It links us to the broader human experience and provides a context for our challenges and triumphs.

"It can give us a sense of place, purpose, and continuity. Understanding our family allows us to appreciate the resilience,

Author, historian and counsellor Helen Parker-Drabble

experiences, and cultural heritage that have shaped our existence and can help us find peace with our own story.

"It's like sitting down with a photo album and realising every picture, every memory, contributes to the person you've become."

Helen added: "Leaving a legacy can enable us to contribute meaningfully to our community, or family narrative, creating a bridge between past and future generations.

"Your legacy could be a printed photo album including family stories, recipes, mini biographies of your ancestors, a collection of your memories, or a quilt made up of your late parents' clothes."

U3a groups are open to anyone not working full time.

For queries about the Writing Family History group, email h_parker_drabble@ hotmail.com. More information can be found out about Helen at: helenparker drabble.com

For more information about the u3a, visit: u3asites.org.uk/ bristol/welcome

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Ballooning exhibition prepares for lift-off

Hot-air ballooning history will be put on display at Aerospace Bristol this summer.

The museum is teaming up with Cameron Balloons to celebrate the city's hot-air ballooning heritage with a temporary exhibition and a

North Bristol Independent Colour Guard are looking for new recruits for our award winning dance and flag spinning team. No previous experience necessary!

Our younger group is for girls and boys aged 6-11 and our older group is for 12-16 year olds. Our experienced team of instructors are waiting to teach dancing and equipment skills.

We rehearse every Saturday morning at Shield Road School in Filton from 10am -12pm. Come along and see what we do!

First two sessions are completely free. After that the cost is £5 per session.

Aerospace Bristol, said: "Thanks to this new partnership with Cameron Balloons, we’re excited to expand that story and celebrate hot air ballooning as an important part of our city’s rich aviation heritage.”

Jess Siggers, marketing manager of Cameron Balloons, said: “[We're] thrilled to be partnering with Aerospace Bristol this summer.

"Since our inception in 1971, we’ve proudly created and built thousands of hot air balloons, born from the passion and vision of our founder, aeronautical engineer Don Cameron.

News Community garden's summer of fun

A line-up of events has been announced by Filton Community Garden to engage locals in the popular green space this summer.

A key event in the garden's summer calendar is the fete, taking place on July 14 at the garden, at the top of Elm Park.

Other events include regular gardening sessions, a 'get growing' trail and a day to meet the garden's volunteers and find out more about the community garden.

Helen Johnson from the community garden said: "As we hit the summer months you will know that everything grows like mad.

"All the rain we have had in April, followed by some warmer weather is just right for plants to thrive.

"This is fantastic, but in the community garden, which everyone loves so much, it does need regular TLC to stop it getting overgrown with weeds, to water in dry spells and to deadhead to encourage the flowers to keep on flowering."

During June, there will be extra gardening sessions and open days for people to visit, enjoy and learn about the garden.

Helen added: "It doesn’t matter if you know nothing about gardening, just come along and if you are a seasoned gardener, then we are eager for you to share your knowledge with us."

Community garden events

• May 25th: Gardening Get Together, 11am-1pm A regular gardening session where volunteers will be planting in the Concorde beds.

• June 8th: Have a Grow Day, 11am-1pm A Social Farms and Gardens initiative, when you can meet volunteers, take a tour of the garden, have a chat and a snack and try on some gloves and get gardening!

• June 15th: Get Growing Trail, 11am-1pm A Better Food Network initiative which the garden has participated in for the past three years. You can get planting and sowing vegetables in the raised bed by the orchard, take a tour and enjoy some healthy snacks.

• June 22nd: Gardening Get-

will be lots of free activities plus

GET GROWING TRAIL

Saturday 15 June, 11am-1pm

Come and join our regular volunteers as we plant vegetables and tend to the garden You can even take away some herbs to plant in your own garden!

Take a guided tour to see how we support pollinators and wildlife and adjust planting for dry summers.

Former Bluebells nursery could be reopenedbut survey responses needed to secure funding

The former Bluebells Nursery - in the grounds of Shield Road Primary School - could be reopened to serve young families in Filton.

But to secure the funding to renovate the building, South Glos Council wants to find out about demand for the services.

Shield Road Primary has launched a survey to find out how many families would be interested and which age groups of children catered for.

If it reopens, it could be run by the school, a nursery 'franchise' or a private company.

The survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NSWSY6V or by the QR code, above.

The survey will run until June 21.

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Team Bristol triumphs in Bulgaria

An impressive haul of medals and trophies has been brought home by a local kickboxing club, after competing in the Wako European Cup in Bulgaria.

A team of 10 athletes, aged 10 to 16-years-old represented Team Bristol, which is coached by Filton resident Sharon Gill.

The youngsters returned with seven golds, seven silvers and six bronze medals.

One of the golds was won by Filton boy, Louie Burge (pictured, below), who attends Abbeywood School.

He came first place in the 10-12 years Grand Championship category, winning him a suitably large trophy and the Grand Champion title.

Other gold medallists

included Cristiano Firth, Jack Sowersby and Tom Brown.

The two-day event attracted an astounding 1,800 competitors from all over Europe.

Coach Sharon, who has seven world titles under her belt, said: “They are amazing. They all did fantastically.

“Today I was informed that a number of my kids, the youngest of which is nine, have been selected to represent Great Britain in the Hungarian World Championships. I could not be prouder.”

Team Bristol trains at the GB Fit kickboxing gym in Merton Road, Horfield.

For more information about Sharon's training, visit: www. iamgbfit.com

Right: Team Bristol with their medals and trophies at the Wako European Cup in Bulgaria. Below: Filton boy Louie Burge with his Grand Champion trophy

- Filton Scouts

Filton Scout group continues to grow

1st Filton Scouts has grown substantially in recent years, drawing many local youngsters and helpers. Filtonvoice hears from some of the group's dedicated volunteers, who reflect on their Scouting journeys and share some personal highlights ...

By Hazel Boyes, Secretary

My journey with 1st Filton Scouts started in 2010 when my son joined the Beavers.

At that time, the group had about four leaders and 30 children. A couple of years down the line, there was a change of leadership and I stepped into the secretary role.

Fourteen years later, my children have left the group and I’m still playing my part in Scouting in that same role. Those years have seen a massive change for the group.

Over the last few years, we have expanded to have two Beaver colonies and two Cub packs. Numbers on the waiting list have also grown.

In 2017, the group celebrated its 70th birthday. During this time, I spoke to retired leaders and Scouts – it was great to hear about the impact the group has had in Filton over the years and to listen to all of the fond memories.

We held a family celebration, inviting those who had been in contact. We celebrated the history of the group as well as showcasing current Scouting.

As Covid hit in 2020, Scouting had to find new ways of continuing. Activities were sent

out to families by email before online meetings started. When in-person Scouting returned, it was a socially distanced affair, taking place in the marquee in the grounds. Numbers reduced slightly as some young people opted not to return.

Over the last couple of years, however, the group has grown

again substantially. In order to facilitate social distancing, late 2020 saw the introduction of a second Cub pack, and then a second Beaver colony in September 2022. Numbers of Scouts are now increasing to the point that we are looking at ways to incorporate a second Scout troop.

In 2022, the Kraken Explorer unit opened on our premises. Although not a part of 1st Filton, our young people now have somewhere to progress to at 14. There are now double the young people in the group that there were three years ago and a far cry from the numbers when I joined.

Grass cutting, hedge and shrub trimming, weeding, planting, felling small trees, winter preparation, clearing, small painting jobs and other maintenance work. Please call for a no-obligation chat

Feature - Filton Scouts

Volunteering with the Scouts

By Rob Miles, Chair

Our amazing Scouting offer relies on a fantastic team of volunteers who give up their time and often their sleep!

For 1st Filton Scouts to keep growing and delivering an exciting programme we will need some more help, otherwise we are in the tricky situation of telling families that we cannot accommodate their child. We need:

• Quartermaster – someone to keep a check on the kit so that it stays in good condition

• Online payment Treasurer – keep an overview of our online payments for subs and activities

• Buildings Committee member – to help keep the site safe and well-maintained

• Community relations –someone who can reach out to local schools and other organisations

• Grass cutter/hedge trimmer –

to keep our grounds tidy

• Volunteers to help run activities with the young people on a weekly basis If you or anyone you know could help with any of this then please visit our website: 1stfiltonscouts.co.uk

Q&A with Tom, assistant Beaver leader

How long have you been involved with First Filton and what's your role? I've been involved since September 2022, which is when we started the second Beaver colony. I got involved because we needed parents to start and run the second Beaver colony. So I've volunteered and have gradually become more and more involved and here I am today,

So you've got children in the group? I've got one child in the group and one on the waiting list.

Did you have any scouting background before this? I did Cubs and Scouts when I was younger, but that was a few years ago now. But nothing since then. So, it was purely as a result of me wanting my children to go through Scouting that I got involved.

What have been your highlights in the last 18 months or so? I think highlight-wise has probably been the camps that we've been involved in, so whilst the Tuesday and Wednesday nights are really good, it's actually the weekends where we've taken the Beavers away, either to Woodhouse Park or at the hut. It's just been more fulfilling for us as this has enabled us to give more to the children.

On your weekly Scouting nights, what sort of activities do you do with Beavers? There really is no typical program as such. Yesterday we went for a hike. The previous week we had a birthday party for one of the leaders. Next week we've got Beavers Got Talent. This term we're also covering astronomy, so we're looking at the stars and the planets and we'll be looking at gardening. We're finishing the term with a Clip ‘n’ Climb special activity.

What would you say to anybody who's thinking about volunteering? I'd say do it, it's really rewarding. It's really rewarding in terms of leading the group, getting involved, getting experience of running an evening, working within a team. We've got a really good team of leaders on a Tuesday night that put this program together. And then the second thing is about you as an individual, developing and learning.

A huge array of activities

By Johnny, 1st Filton Scouts Leader

In the 1st Filton Scout Troop, we offer a huge variety of activities that we run in-house every week.

Activities can be anything from building electric cars and providing basic life skills, such as first aid or cooking a meal, to rifle and crossbow shooting.

Last summer, we had two patrols of boys and girls spend a week camping in North Devon with four different Scout troops where they damned a river to swim in, cooked all of their meals

on gas stoves and open fires, played archery, wild camped, and hiked.

For another weekend trip, we took 12 Scouts to Woodhouse Park in December to sleep under self-built tarpaulins at -2°C!

Last year we went ice skating and in the summer we went to the West Country Water Park inflatable obstacle course.

Another favourite weekend camp was the Brunel District Jamboree held in Woodhouse Park where there were over 150 activities on offer for all to enjoy.

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Red Bus Nursery and Pre-School are pleased to announce that after an inspection of their Coombe Dingle setting in March, they have retained their Outstanding rating from Ofsted.

The inspector observed that “Staff have high aspirations for children's development … They put children's needs at the heart of everything that they do and guide children through exciting learning experiences that enhance their current skills.”

Early Years Manager Leah said: “It’s all down to my amazing team! Despite the nerves that we all had, their passion and knowledge really came across and we’re so proud to get that result. We don’t do it for Ofsted, we do it for the children we look after every day – but having said that, it’s so nice to be recognised for the hard work the team put into making these early years so special. And it’s a great excuse to celebrate!”

This is the fourth Outstanding inspection in a row for the small nursery group, which has sister settings in Downend and Flax Bourton.

Red Bus Owner Liz said: “It’s no secret that it’s a challenging time in the Early Years sector, with lots of debate and negativity surrounding it. Despite the landscape, we’ve been able to deliver the highest Ofsted rating consistently.

“We have always held our own definition of what Outstanding childcare looks like – although wonderful to have it confirmed by Ofsted!

“My aim has always been to create an exceptional group of nurseries, providing the best early years education by the most passionate practitioners. I am lucky to have some really quality people at Red Bus, who can drive change and maintain our high standards of service, now and well into the future.”

For more information about Red Bus, visit: www.redbusnursery.co.uk

Filton Town Council

2023 2024

2023 2024

Chair of Filton Town Council

Councillor Tom Mewies

I would like to thank my fellow Councillors, the Town Council Staff and our South Gloucestershire Councillors for their support and assistance during my first year as Town Council Chair. I would also like to thank my colleague, Cllr Brian Mead, for his work as both Vice Chair of the Town Council and Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

I would also like to take a moment to remember the many years of service, both as a Town Councillor and a member of many community groups, given by my immediate predecessor as Chair, Cllr Darryl Collins, who sadly died in 2023.

It has been a busy period for the Town Council, with a major redevelopment of our leisure centre which has been underway for most of the year. We have worked hard with our partners at Active Nation to deliver an improved facility for the people of Filton in what has been a difficult climate for leisure centres as trade continues to recover following the pandemic. Although the upheaval has no doubt been frustrating for centre users and residents, I hope you would agree with me that the new centre, with its addition of a gymnasium and a café, has been worth the wait.

A second long awaited project completed this year was the redevelopment of the former tennis courts into two new multi use games areas. By expanding the range of sports that can be played, in addition to the opportunities for unstructured play, we hope these will be better utilised than the courts and will provide more opportunities for residents and their families to be active and outside this summer.

Thanks to careful management of our finances, we are pleased to have been able to hold the precept for residents at the same level as the previous year, whilst continuing to deliver the same level of local services. Through our grants programme we have supported local youth provision at FACE and Pyramid Youth Club; provision of an accessible toilet at the Filton and District Club; and the purchase of equipment for St Peters Scouts, amongst other worthy causes.

It would be remiss of me if I were to fail to mention the hard work undertaken by local community groups in Filton. In particular, I would like to thank the members of the Community Garden Group and the Friends of Millenium Green as well as the Filton Twinning Committee for the work they do. I know they would love new members and volunteers to get stuck in, so please consider whether you have the time to do so.

Looking forward, 2024 looks to be as busy as the previous year, with further plans to improve the amenities and services we offer. I hope many of you will be able to join us at this year ’s Filton Festival. It looks like it will be one of the best yet, and we will hopefully have better weather than last year!

Town Clerk Report

Lesley Reuben, CiLCA,PSLCC

This year we are proud to be able to finally deliver the new centre here at Elm Park, Active Nation (Filton), which has been a long time coming but well worth the wait. The project hit many hurdles along the way which not only were challenging but quite often resulted in delays and we would really like to express our gratitude to all the loyal customers who have backed the project along the way and can now enjoy the facility at its finest. Many Filton

residents have already taken up membership please remember to ask for the Filton resident concession rate if you are currently on the electoral roll. The centre is owned by Filton Town Council but the management and operation has now been outsourced to Active Nation who will be doing their own report, so I won ’t go into detail on the timetable and classes programme etc.

Events

Children’s Christmas Party

As we had no facility to enable us to hold a children’s party this year we funded refreshments at the Christmas singalong in the community garden.

Filton Festival 2024

Filton Festival this year will be held Sunday 23rd June 2024 back at Elm Park and is being organised by Apex Marquees. If you would like to be involved, you can contact them directly at info@apexmarquees.co.uk.

Millennium Green

Improved lighting has been requested by the Friends of Millenium Green(FoMG). An ecological study is being undertaken to ensure that this does not harm bats, wildlife and/or biodiversity.

Community Grants Awarded April 2024

Four Towns Transport

£5000

Twinning Association £4000

North Bristol Colour Guard £520

Brightwell Centre £500

St Peters Hospice £1000

Citizen Advice Centre £1890

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 Town Clerk & RFO | lesley.reuben@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Tel: 01454 803918

Active Nation Update

Scott Jones, Business Manager

Active Nation Filton proudly opened its doors to our fantastic £4m build on the 25th March 2024, with the main focus centred on getting the residents of Filton active!

Active Nation generated more than 1,000 new members during the early months of 2024 with some fantastic founder member rates!

The launch of the studio timetable over the weekend of the 6th April with more than 35 classes has been a massive success with the likes of Body Combat for the energetic to the more sedate Body Balance. Aqua Fit is fast becoming the most popular class on the timetable with

Filton Community Garden

Helen Johnson Chair, Filton Community Garden

Well doesn’t it all look different now that we have the super Multi use games area (MUGA) finally constructed, which the majority of people feel makes the Community Garden more visible and improves the sense of space and light.

The past year has been hectic as we worked alongside the new build. We celebrated our 10th year since officially opening as a community garden in 2023. We knew that organising a year of activities would be challenging but I think you ’ll agree the volunteers and garden supporters achieved some wonderful events, planting and projects including:

• Revamping the ‘Fairyland’ area with fairy doors made in a workshop.

• The local primary schools painted stones and made fabulous bee, flower and butterfly decorations for the flower beds.

• The Girl Guiding Bristol, Concorde Division decorated over 250 wooden plaques with ‘nature’ and climate change paintings which were displayed on the A4174 fence.

• A timeline exhibition was displayed at our best ever Summer Fete and also in Filton Library where we made a flower wall of ‘garden memories’.

• A celebration party to thank volunteers and garden supporters.

• Remembrance with beautiful trumpet playing by a Trinity Academy student.

• In November we held our first Lantern parade with an amazing lighting display as the launch to Filton Wonderful Windows weekend.

• A festive Christmas sing along amongst the flower beds. Throughout the year, with FACE and UWE Bristol we conducted the Filton Pollinator Project which involved planting wildflowers in sunny, shady and wet areas, a classroom activity, mosaic making workshops, a bat walk and garden tours. All this on top of our ‘Gardening Get together’ sessions held on alternate Saturdays.

We have welcomed volunteer groups from local businesses, schools, and groups, some who have their own ‘community beds’, including Shield Road and Charborough Road Primary Schools, Filton Twinning, and Bristol North Swimming Club. We are thrilled to see the development of the ‘Garden of the World’ that the South Glos Race Equality Network are working on, and are soon to have groups of young people from SGS College and from Beavers visiting and working in the garden.

We have lost and gained a few valued volunteers this year, however we still need more people to get involved both for gardening and on the organising side. A new way of working makes volunteering more rewarding with groups for Gardening, Volunteer Management, Events and Publicity. We always say everybody has something they can bring to the garden regardless of abilities, so if you are interested just drop by at a gardening session, email or send a Facebook message.

We hope you will continue to visit and join in the activities at our planned/regular events such as at the Get Growing Trail and Filton Festival in June, our Summer Fete on 14 July, Remembrance and the Lantern Parade in November and the unforgettable Christmas Sing a long (with FACE). Keep an eye out for posters and notices for more info.

FACE Update Debbie Teml, Charity Director

It’s been another busy year for FACE, and 2024 sees us celebrating our charity ’s 10th anniversary!

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 in Elm Park, Filton are funded partly by South Glos Council Youth Activities Offer, and partly by the Filton Town Council. Extra funding supports activities during the holidays and Duke of Edinburgh’s awards.

This past year in total through all our youth work in Filton we have welcomed 162 individual young people through the door at FACE, at a total of 172 sessions, with an overall attendance of 1,951.

The highlights of the year were taking 35 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 and a joint paintballing trip with 4 other local youth centres.

Our youth work team attended the South Gloucestershire Youth Workers conference and had training in Safeguarding, Prevent, Fire Safety, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Food Hygiene & Allergens, First Aid.

Community Work

We run a weekly evening group for adults with social or learning disabilities, with 57 people on the register as attended the 48 sessions this year, with overall attendance of 833. This is a popular and well established group of disabled adult members, some of whom have been coming since they were teenagers. The oldest member of this group is in their 70s.

Sadly, we are no longer taking food from Tesco Express or ASDA Filton as part of the Fareshare scheme to reduce food waste as they have changed their donation processes so we will no longer have food donations at FACE, however we can still issue Foodbank vouchers for people who need it, as well as holding several books and jigsaws in our foyer area for loaning or buying for a donation.

We have increased our daytime community well being activities and added a weekly creative writing group. We have had 166 well being sessions, mostly attended by older folk, with attendance estimated at more than 1,300 visits during the past year. This does not include all those people who come weekly for community learning courses, or other events and activities we host within the youth centre.

We also coordinated the Filton Wonderful Windows Arts Trail again in November, (with the help of a fab group of local volunteers!) which we estimate was enjoyed by around 600 people, and thanks to local councillors and businesses who supported our efforts this year with kind donations we raised £264 for the Foodbank at our refreshment stops. Together with the Filton Community Garden and some of the town councillors, we had a lovely Christmas Sing along hour in the Community Garden attended by around 75 people!

We have had a bleed kit installed outside the youth centre, thanks to the South Glos Council Violence Reduction Partnership.

We attend local networking meetings that involve Filton, and one of these has included engagement in the creation of the Filton Creative map, having a say about Wayfinding maps and signage soon coming to Filton and linked up with artist Dave Bain to deliver some amazing arts workshops to create ideas for new artwork soon coming to Church Road.

FACE charity development

FACE has grown more over the past year; we are now leasing two youth centre premises – at Elm Park in Filton and in Coniston Road Patchway. 1960s buildings do take lots of work to keep them usable though so any donations or help with the maintenance of our youth centres is much appreciated.

We have recruited some new development workers and a Partnerships & Communications Officer this year and we help these roles will help us strengthen, sustain and develop our work and capacity in coming years.

We were privileged to be the Filtones Choir charity of the year this year and they raised over £400 for FACE at their concerts, as well as the chosen charity for St Brendan’s Sixth Form College RAG week, raising over £500 for FACE. We were also honoured to be invited to the Nuclear Institute Western Branch Charity Dinner at the Aerospace Museum, where they raised over £4,000 for FACE.

Filton Hidden Heroes event April 2023

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)

Current community well being (adults)

sessions:

Mondays 12.30 1.30pm: Tai Chi Qi Gong

Tuesdays 10am 12pm: Coffee morning

Thursdays 10am 12pm: Tech & IT drop in

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

Fridays 1 3pm: Creative Writing

Twinning Association

Since the pandemic, many clubs and associations sadly closed for good. The Filton Twinning Association, under the umbrella of Filton Town Council, has managed to keep alive – our committee aim to do this for future years.

We do not deny sometimes it is rather tricky, however in the past year we have kept in touch with not only our own local members but committees and their members of our twin towns St Vallier Sur Rhone, France and Witzenhausen, Germany.

Several fund raising events have taken place – quizzes, meetings, Christmas celebrations. We have more events already scheduled for the next few months, which includes Filton Council Open Day.

We have regular committee meetings, which, before the new building of Filton Town Council, were held at FACE which we had to pay to hire. We have managed to hold two in the new premises, but we hope as representatives of Filton Town Council we shall be invited to use them more frequently free of charges, as was previously with The Doug Daniels Pavilion.

Filton Twinning has been invited by the Mayor of St Vallier and committee of the Jumellage to make the journey to St Vallier during October this year.

With some members from FACE already committing to make the journey with us, we plan to travel the many miles by coach. The youth have been offered hosting at a school – our local members will be hosted in homes of St Vallier members. St Vallier will create a programme for us all to enjoy.

The costs of travel have greatly increased this year, so although we have funds, we will continue with fundraising, but we do so hope that Filton Town Council will be able to assist with our grant application again. It is important to note that all our members and youths pay their travel expenses in full.

During our visit to St Vallier there will be an officials meeting between the three towns representatives from Witzenhausen Council will almost certainly have an agenda item where we shall be advised of the celebrations being organized from Witzenhausen for their 800th anniversary next year (2025). We have already received and accepted the invitation from the Witzenhausen Mayor to join this celebration.

Filton Twinning Association was first started with the help of ten Councillors, Eric Smith, Doug Daniels, and others. The Councillors would make the majority of trips to our twin towns. We would like today’s Councillors to also make the journeys with us.

Just a couple of weeks ago at Buckingham Palace, 32 French Soldiers from the Republican Guard of the National Gendermerie participated in the Changing of the Guard Ceremony with 40 guardsman with F Company Scots Guard to parade together. This was marking the 120th anniversary of the Entrente Cordiale.

The appearance by French personnel at the Palace forms part of the longer term of the two nations historic and diplomatic ties.

Filton Twinning Association obviously can not match this pomp and ceremony, however when we visit France in October followed in 2025 to Witzenhausen, we shall do our best also highlight our Entrent Cordiale between our 3 twin towns, Filton UK, St Vallier Sur Rhone France and Witzenhausen Germany.

Filton

Gareth Pretlove Neighbourhood Constable

Anti social behaviour – reports from Elm Park and Millenium Green are sporadic. There are never any persistent problems which require long term action. The team attempt to patrol on foot in these locations when demand permits. The most common report is usually around use of E bikes and E scooters. Though the number or reports regarding these have declined since last summer. The location that still has the highest number of Anti social behaviour reports continues to be Abbeywood retail park. The PCSO’S continue to engage with the security at the site and the location is patrolled frequently.

Last year there were a spate of calls regarding anti social behaviour in and around Filton College. There has been engagement and work carried out with the college which has resulted in a reduction in calls in and around the area.

Talk to Us Event

A series of talk to us events were conducted throughout the year. The events were initially held at the library but have since moved to the Leisure centre. Despite advertisement online, these events have had disappointing numbers attending. The team have tried to vary dates and times the events have been held to work out the best time to hold them.

Community Engagement There have been several community engagement events conducted throughout the year. The PCSO’S have been involved in multiple cyber awareness and safety talks with junior schools. They have also been involved in mini police events. Several bike marking events have been held at locations on the beat. There are several more planned for the coming months. The team have attended Freshers fayre event at Filton College to offer crime prevention advice and support. We also attended the Filton festival and are planning to attend the event in June this year. There have been regular engagements with local housing providers. Dealing with Antis social housing issues and information sharing regarding vulnerable residents. The team are also involved in frequent visit to vulnerable residents to checked on their wellbeing and provide support.

There has been week of actions carried out in relation to drugs, knife crime and business crime. Crime Statistics

For the year from April 2023 March 2024. There were 1136 crimes reported in Filton during the year. Over the 12 months, this equated to around 95 reported crimes a month. This was a reduction of the previous year where crimes were averaging between 100 120 a month.

Shop thefts continued to be a problem throughout the year, but the number of crimes has slowly reduced. Several suspects have been arrested and dealt with throughout the year. The team have continued to try and be visible around retail parks as it is seen as a good deterrent. There have also been notable arrests regarding the arson series at Christmas time and the publicised robbery from two months ago. The levels of reported burglaries continue to be the same as the previous year, with around 4 5 offences a month. Unlike in the past there has been no pattern or series to the burglaries reported.

Crimes reported from April 2023- March 2024

Mr Soandro PCSO

Laura Roberts PCSO

Meet Your Councillors 2023 24

Esther Adjievi

esther.adjeivi@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

John Baverstock

John.baverstock@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Alan Bird

alan.bird@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Dan Harris

dan.harris@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Brian Mead

brian.mead@fitontowncouncil.gov.uk

Julie Molloy

julie.molloy@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

David Baverstock

david.baverstock@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Dan Boardman

dan.boardman@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Alex Doyle

alex.doyle@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Anne Kenyon

anne.kenyon@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Tom Mewies

tom.mewies@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Adam Monk

adam.monk@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

It is with great sadness that we share this news. Sadly, former Chair of Filton Town Council, Councillor Darryl Collins passed away peacefully in October 2023

Darryl was such a marvellous man with the spirit of Filton in his heart. He was renowned for his community spirit and his love for the people of Filton and other areas. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

Meeting Attendance Register April 2023 March 2024

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.

HOW THE COUNCIL WORKS AT FILTON

The Town Council has 13 Town Councillors seats elected for a term of four years . 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 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.

Filton Town Council

Filton Town Council

Filton Community Garden

Parish Assembly Tuesday, May 28th, 6pm Active Nation Filton, Elm Park

GARDENING GET TOGETHERS

Alternate Saturdays, 11am-1pm. No experience necessary, just turn up on the day. Tools and guidance provided.

June Saturday 8th: Have a Grow

Saturday 15th: Get Growing Trail

Saturday 29th: Volunteering

July

Sunday 14th, 12-4pm Summer Fete

Filton Community Garden, Gloucester Road North, Filton BS34 7PF

PUBLIC AND PRESS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

The Annual Town Assembly is not a council meeting, but a meeting for the parishioners. It gives them the opportunity to ask questions about Filton and discuss community issues.

Office Opening Hours

Council

The council offices are open to the public Monday to Friday 9.00 am1.00pm and appointment only 1.00pm – 5.00pm The Council Offices are located at Elm Park, Filton, South Gloucestershire, BS34 7PS.

Call The Town Council Office 01454 803918

Email the Town Council Office Council Enquiries – office@filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Agenda and speakers to be confirmed

This will be followed by a full meeting of the council

Council meetings

May

28th, 6pm, Parish Assembly, see above 7pm, Full Council

Active Nation Filton, Studio 1

June

11th, 7pm, Full Council Finance & General Purposes

Active Nation Filton, Studio 1

18th, 7pm, Planning Committee

Active Nation Filton, FTC Council room 25th, 7pm, Full Council

Active Nation Filton, Studio 1

Filton MP Jack Lopresti

Why I'm proud to promote aerospace apprenticeships

One of my top priorities as your MP is to promote local job and apprenticeship opportunities in our aerospace and defence industry and I am proud to represent an area which is part of the largest defence and aerospace manufacturing hub in Europe – the South West of England. The defence sector alone in our area employs around 30,000 people.

Furthermore, the UK will increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030, amounting to an additional £75 billion over six years – the largest NATO defence budget in Europe and the largest defence spending increase since the Cold War. Further to that, NATO expects at least 20% of defence spending to go toward the development of new military technologies and equipment, with scope for related investment and more jobs in our area.

I recently had the pleasure of

opening the new headquarters of Boeing Defence UK in the Bristol Business Park in Stoke Gifford, which employs 700 people locally in the defence sector. It's fantastic to see Boeing continue to expand its footprint in our area. This growing presence means more opportunities for local employment, including apprenticeships and other early career roles.

It was an honour to welcome Defence Secretary Grant Shapps to DE&S Abbey Wood, where we met with excellent apprentices, Alice Bennet, Ryan Mills, Jason

Venning and others. We saw a very impressive display which included leading-edge drone technology and stands from local defence manufacturers such as MBDA UK, all of which are not only helping to protect our own defence capability and national security, but are also making a vital contribution to help our Ukrainian friends to expel the Russians out of their country. The secretary of State and I also discussed our country's increasing contribution to the Ukrainian war effort and record defence spending here and his pledge to increase it even more.

In other news, I was delighted to visit Mrs Shepherd and Year 5 who invited me to Holy Trinity Primary School in Bradley Stoke. I enjoyed meeting them all and we discussed Parliament, politics generally and the pupils asked some great questions.

Over the May Day bank

holiday weekend, I attended the Navarati Festival of Dance at Filton Folk Centre, organised by the Bristol Hindu Youth Forum on the Saturday night – a wonderful evening!

On the Monday, it was fantastic to be at Winterbourne Down Village Carnival. It started with a great procession. I bumped into colleagues and friends, Winterbourne Councillors Trevor Jones and Nicholas Labuschagne. I then went to look at the beautiful icons on display at All Saints Church.

Thank you to all those who helped bring about and organise such a good event yesterday which had a lot of community support with funds raised for Suicide Prevention UK.

l My office is open Monday to Friday, 9am - 6pm. Please telephone me on 01454 617783 or email me at: jack.lopresti.mp@ parliament.uk

Electrical Test & Inspections / PAT testing

Full and partial electrical rewires

Consumer unit upgrade to 18th edition

New or replacement switches / sockets / lights

Shower installation

Electric heating installation / Service

Smoke detector installation & servicing

Security lighting

Electric vehicle charging points

Free no obligation quotations

Email: info@tills.biz / www.ernesttillsouthwest.co.uk

Horfield News

Community hub could become takeaway

By Alex Seabrook, LDRS reporter

A former Muslim community centre in Horfield could soon be turned into a takeaway. The owners of Shahporan Cultural and Community Centre, on Filton Avenue, are applying for permission to convert the empty building into a business selling hot food.

In planning documents, the owners said: “It has been empty for a considerable period of time. Recently the applicant was approached by two different potential tenants, who would be interested in renting the shop for a hot food takeaway business.

“The tenure by the Muslim community was not very successful. This eventually resulted in the majority of the community moving to more suitable places in Southmead in 2019.”

Plans for the building can be viewed via the council's planning website: bit.ly/3V55BaY

Loft Boarding & Insulation

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a magnificent broadcaster, gifted gardener, brilliant author and all-round horticultural visionary. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about how patios are the unsung heroes of our gardens…

One garden space is often overshadowed by its accompanying and more flamboyant lush lawns, vibrant flower beds and creative garden paths. Yet, this unassuming feature deserves its moment in the sun.

Not just a transition between indoor comfort and the wild beauty outdoors, the patio is often unheralded, yet lays as a space that blends functionality with aesthetics.

Its origins can be traced back to the courtyards of ancient times, both practical and ceremonial; and in modern gardens, patios continue this tradition, acting as the heart of outside living spaces.

They act as the perfect plot for hospitality, where friends and family gather to share meals and moments; or alternatively as hosts of solitude, to retreat and bask in the tranquillity of nature and peace.

One of the patio’s greatest virtues is versatility. Whether it’s a sprawling terrace in a grand estate or a modest corner of a city garden, a patio can be adapted to fit any space, budget and style.

Stone, brick, concrete and wood offer endless possibilities for customisation. From the rustic charm of weathered bricks to the sleek elegance of polished concrete, each material tells a different story, allowing you to imprint your personal style.

Some people like to tend to their patios with the same veracity as they would give their indoor arrangements, frequently sweeping, jetwashing and tidying; yet for others the lure is in an area that ages, weathers and seasons in the same way as the grass it leads out to.

What’s also interesting is the environmental benefit of a patio –something that is regularly overlooked. A well-designed patio

can improve drainage, reduce water usage and support biodiversity, so by choosing penetrable paving materials and incorporating planters or border gardens, you can create a space that’s not only beautiful, but beneficial to the environment too.

So my advice to you is to invest even more this year into this most special of spaces – so often an unsung and forgotten hero of our gardens… the humble patio.

Jeremy Pang’s General Tso’s Chicken

Ingredients

(serves two):

• 10 dried red chillies

• 300g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced

• 200g cornflour, seasoned with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

• vegetable oil

Sauce

• 30g sugar

• 1 teaspoon sriracha chilli sauce

• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

• ½ tablespoon black rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

• 50ml water

Marinade

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• ½ teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

To serve

• sliced red chilli

• sliced spring onions

• steamed rice

Introduction

Recreating one of the tastiest Chinese takeaway dishes couldn’t be easier with School of Wok superstar Jeremy Pang. Simple, supremely tasty with the perfect balance of sweet and sour, you won’t believe it didn’t come out of a carton.

Method

1. Soak the dried red chillies in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

2. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and massage the marinade ingredients into the meat. Then pour the seasoned cornflour over the chicken and massage until each piece of meat separates and has a dry dusty white coating.

3. Deep-fry the coated chicken in vegetable oil at 180°C for 4–5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Top Tip

4. Bring 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a high heat. Add in your ginger, garlic and spring onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

5. Next add the dried chillies, followed immediately by the sauce mixture. Bring the sauce to a vigorous boil for 3–4 minutes until syrupy, then add the deep-fried meat, tossing the wok a few times so that the sauce fully coats the chicken. Sprinkle with sliced red chilli and spring onions and serve immediately with steamed rice.

If using your wok for deep-frying (step three), carefully pour out the oil into a heatproof bowl to cool and give your wok a quick wipe with kitchen paper before continuing with step five.

Summer Stories

An early-summer selection of stylish reads to engage, entertain and inform in equal measure.

Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson (June 3rd)

Michael Crichton, creator of Jurassic Park and Westworld, had a passion project he’d been pursuing for years ahead of his untimely death in 2008.

Now his widow has entrusted the manuscript, Eruption, to James Patterson, who Crichton’s work to life, in the most anticipated mega-thriller in years.

Murder at the Monastery by Reverend Richard Coles (June 6th)

Writer, broadcaster and Anglican priest Reverend Richard Coles

releases the second in his Canon Clement Mystery series.

It details Daniel Clement, who has suffered a secret humiliation and, to recover, takes respite at the monastery where he was a novice. Yet tensions quickly build and a murder ensues.

Only Here, Only Now by Tom Newlands (May 23rd)

It’s Fife, in the blazing hot summer of 1994. Cora Mowat is stuck amidst old folk and seagulls, with a million dreams and a restless brain that won’t behave.

Drawn from life but written with riotous imagination, Tom Newlands’ extraordinary vibrant, lyrical and fiercely funny debut explores what it

means to come of age in a forgotten corner of Scotland.

Endgame 1944: How the Soviet Army Won World War Two by Jonathan Dimbleby (June 3rd)

Drawing on new sources – some previously untranslated – including accounts from ordinary soldiers and witnesses, Jonathan Dimbleby’s book chronicles this decisive year in what was arguably the most crucial front in the war against Nazi Germany, and one that extended for 1,200 miles.

LOSE THE HOSE!

Ditch the water thirsty hosepipe this summer and save every drop in your garden. Visit our website for water saving tips and FREE gadgets. bristolwater.co.uk/every-drop FREE water saving gadgets

News

A summer challenge to get kids reading

Children are being encouraged to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of books this summer, as part of a reading challenge hosted by local libraries.

It’s free and all children aged four to 11 are invited to take part.

Children can read any books they enjoy over the summer holiday to collect stickers – some of which are stinky! – and rewards including a medal and certificate.

Families can join the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge, Marvellous Makers at Filton Library during staffed hours from July 6 to September 14 and pick up a free activity bag.

One parent, who took part in the challenge last year, said: "I thought the challenge was brilliant and so did my children.

"It was a fantastic way to get them excited about reading over the summer.

"The craft activities were very clever and engaging. My eldest’s

reading fluency noticeably increased during the challenge."

Another parent said: "This has been excellent – a really good way to encourage a reluctant reader and introduce him to the amazing world of books."

A child who took part said: "I find reading a struggle as I am dyslexic, but this helped me keep going over the summer when off school."

Children love taking part and there are lots of free activities on offer, including puppetry workshops with Tiny and Tall Productions, Marvellous Makers themed crafts and Lego™ clubs.

The Summer Reading Challenge is produced by the Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with libraries.

Find out more at www.southglos.gov.uk/ summerreadingchallenge or follow @sgloslibraries on Facebook for the latest updates.

filtonvoice

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

St Peter’s Church: Services

Sunday 2 June 10am Eucharist celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi, and 5pm Youth of God

Sunday 9 June 8.30am and 10am

Eucharist celebrating the Ascension. 6pm Taizé * in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 16 June 8.30am and 10am

Family Eucharist

Sunday 23 June 8.30am and 10am Eucharist

Sunday 30 June 10am Eucharist celebrating St Peter's Day, and a 6pm Evensong with Benediction

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

Taizé service

Based on the calm, contemplative practice of prayer from the Taizé community in France, this is a beautiful, quiet service of reflection on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 6pm. It is a great way to carve out an hour for yourself in the busyness of the week, spending time together in quiet, candlelit prayer.

Social and Church Groups

Our Mothers' Union meets on 2nd Thursday 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. Time to Grieve. Grieving the loss of a loved one? Time to Grieve offers you a space to talk about your loved one with a trained bereavement counsellor and to meet others in a similar situation. 10.30 - 11am on the first Wednesday of every month.

OVER 30s DANCE PARTY at the superb BAWA Club, Filton

on the FIRST Friday of every MONTH (NO dance in August or January)

It’s the ideal night out for the 30-60 age range. Come dance and socialise amongst a friendly, lively crowd. Dancing Thru’ the Decades includes Motown, Soul, Club Classics… Music you can relate to. Club times are 9 ‘til 1. Last entry 11pm – very smart casual. No t-shirts or trainers and gents required to wear collared shirts. Entry: £8. www.mingles.co.uk. Facebook: @Luv2mingle

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. Why not join us on Toasty Tuesdays from 10am for a hot drink and some toast.

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). Please join us and you will receive a warm welcome.

Tuesdays

Wesley Guild, alternate Tuesdays, 2.15 pm.

Thursdays

Rainbows (Term-time) 5.00pm

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

Messy Church: Saturday 8 June 3.30 pm - 5.15 pm. Crafts, fun and food for all the family. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

Sip 'n' Chat Coffee morning: Thursday 13 June 10.00 am - 12.00. Enjoy a cuppa, a cake and a chat - all welcome. Hire of Church: Outside groups also regularly hire our newly refurbished multi-use church.

For bookings email: standrewsfilton@ gmail.com

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.

1–3pm Creative Writing, Donations welcomed.

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 17:15 – 18:15 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. Contact the club at: ipmsavon@gmail.com

Ukulele Filton

We are an enthusiastic group of ukulele players, who meet to strum along and sing on Monday evenings, at 7.30 pm. We will be at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Elm Park.

New members are very welcome to join us there. 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: 07504561 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

Gardening Get-togethers continue on alternate Saturdays 11am to 1pm Join the friendly volunteers and help

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

Zumba Fitness

Zumba fitness class

@St Andrews Methodist Church on Fridays 7pm.

Term time only, £6 per session, booking required. For more info please contact Anna, 07513398547 www.zumba. com/p/Anna-Reade/2308790

keep the garden looking great for all to enjoy. All abilities welcome, just turn up on the day wearing suitable clothing and bring your own gloves. Tools and guidance provided.

Saturday 8th June, 11am-1pm

Have a Grow – A nationwide celebration of community growing organised by Social Farms and Gardens. Join the friendly volunteers and help keep the garden great for all to enjoy.

Saturday 15th June, 11am-1pm Get Growing Trail – We’re taking part in the Get Growing Trail organised by the Bristol Food Network. Come and join our regular volunteers as we plant vegetables and tend to the garden. Take away some herbs to plant in your own garden or try some mint tea. Take a guided tour to see how we support pollinators and wildlife and adjust planting for dry summers. Equipment and guidance provided.

Saturday 22 June, 11am-1pm

Usual volunteering session

SAVE THE DATE: SUMMER FATE!

Sunday 14 July, 12-4pm The big event, not to be missed! This is the garden's annual event – a ‘give back to the community’ where there will be lots of free activities plus wonderful plants and cakes to enjoy. Any funds raised go back to the upkeep of the garden and event expenses.

For updates and more info visit facebook.com/filtoncommunitygarden or email communitygarden@ filtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Filtones Afternoon

Choir

Our long-established mixed voice choir is looking to recruit new members in 2024.

Adults of all ages, and all voice ranges are welcome from soprano to bass. We meet every Wednesday afternoon from 1.45-3.45 p.m. at the St Teresa’s Community Rooms, (behind the church) at 71 Gloucester Rd North BS34 7PL Come along and try us out for four weeks free, with no audition and no commitment. We hope you may then like us enough to want to stay and join our happy band of singers. We sing an eclectic mix of songs from musicals to spirituals and pop, so there is something to please everyone.

We are a very friendly bunch so please give us a try – what’s there to lose? You might find yourself with an absorbing new hobby and lots of new friends in

the process. For further information please ring Dot on 07870 984760 or go to our website www.thefiltones.co.uk We look forward to meeting you.

Ebenezer Church

Sundays

Sunday Service 10.30AM – 12PM

Wednesdays

Footprints – Senior Citizens

Community Group 2PM – 3.30PM

Thursdays

Taste Café 10.30AM – 12.30PM (Term time only)

Foodbank Outlet 1PM – 3PM If you are at 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 (Every two weeks during term time)

Different zones with crafts, games books, homework space and a free meal.) For families with primary school aged children.

For more information about Ebenezer Church visit www.ebe.or.uk or call the 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 Friday of each month at 2:00pm If you are interested in Joining, please as inside the library.

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, 7:15pm to 9:30pm.

We have prepared speeches, but also Table Topics, which are a fun way to help members and guests practice impromptu speaking. Our speeches and table topics, usually get evaluated afterwards by members of the club, in the meeting itself, so that we can all improve at our public speaking skills! After our meetings some members and

guests usually also go to the nearby lounge/bar at BAWA. Please email northavontm@gmail.com for more information.

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

Keep Fit Class @ St Teresa’s Social Centre

Want to stay active and improve your well-being? Why not try your local exercise class at St Teresa's Social Centre in Filton on Mondays 7.15pm to 8.15pm. Work at your own level. All abilities welcome.

Royal Air Forces Association – Bristol Branch

Every 2nd Wednesday of the month we run Veterans lunch at our club, The lunch is for veterans of all services and widows of Service men. Come and meet like-minded others for companionship and make new friends. If help is needed we can point you in the right direction.

Open from 12pm, lunch is at 1pm until 3pm. The price is £7 for two courses.

Address 38 Eastfield, Westbury On Trym, BS9 4BE. Please ring 0117 0470775 to book.

Filton Pétanque Club

Come and try a game of Pétanque - the French game of boules. No equipment needed initially, just wear flat, trainertype shoes, and dress for the weather. Wednesday evenings at 7.00pm. Sunday mornings at 10.30am.

Venue: the boule piste, Elm Park, next to the community garden. https://filtonpetanqueclub.my-free. website

Filton Historical Club

These talks will be held in St. Andrews Church, Elm Park, Filton.

All talks will start at 7.30 pm. There is plenty of free parking available in the adjacent Church car park.

Those who wish only to come to selected talks will be asked to pay £5 per session.

Please pass the information on these talks to anyone you feel might be interested. We welcome all comers, especially new members.

Tel: 0117-9424378. E-mail: alansnook@ blueyonder.co.uk

Northavon Singers

Northavon Singers would like to welcome more singers to their four-part all-age (18+) choir.

Rehearsals are weekly at St Peter’s Church Hall, Filton, every Wednesday at 7.30 pm –9.30 pm

We sing concerts in local churches and visit South Gloucestershire care homes during the year with all sorts of music from swing to classical. We would love to see Bassists and / or Tenors (willing to have a rehearsal) come along and see if they like us!

Come and join us! northavon.singers@ outlook.com or phone 0117 9699206

Functional Skills Maths Course

Free maths course for over 19s who do not hold a level 2 maths qualification. Mondays 9:30am to 11:30am at FACE Please contact Louise Gillett, South Glos. Community Development Worker on 07720 143 891 or email: louise.gillett@ southglos.gov.uk

Horfield Primary School

22 June 12 - 3pm – Summer Fair. BBQ, refreshments, music, inflatables. Free entry to all and all are welcome. No tickets required.

Horfield news

Rovers' big screen plans

By Adam Postans, LDRS reporter

Bristol Rovers have applied for planning permission to install a big screen next to their new stand.

The football club’s previous screen was put up for sale in May 2023 ahead of the redevelopment.

They have now submitted an application to Bristol City Council to put up a new one on the roof of the south-west stand at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield.

Last November, the local authority’s development control committee approved the new South Stand with capacity for 3,414 fans despite neighbours’ objections that the building would block daylight into their homes and cause more parking problems.

Now they want to improve the matchday experience for Gasheads even more by installing a large screen, which could be used as a scoreboard and to show team line-up, highlights from games and advertising.

Rovers’ planning agents said in a letter to the council as part of the application: “There is a lack of technology infrastructure within the stadium – a large format stadium LED screen will enhance the supporter experience by providing an effective way of increasing supporter engagement during matches.

“It can also be used to deliver essential

messages to the supporters. The new screen will be located above the south west stand, on a supporting platform that will act as the roof to the stand and which will also offer a new TV camera position.

“The LED screen will increase the total height of the south west stand, but the stand is located in excess of 35m from the nearest residential properties and the screen will be a discrete element in the overall view of the stadium.”

They said the plans would have no impact on the setting of the Grade II-listed Memorial Gates at the Mem.

They said the screen would face inwards towards the pitch, so there would be no glare or lighting onto neighbouring homes, and that it would be no taller than the adjacent South Stand.

The agents said it would be used only on match days or events.

They added: “It is considered that the proposal will not result in a detrimental effect on the amenity of the surrounding area.”

The documents do not say how big the screen will be but the previous one was 8m x 4m.

Bristol Rovers declined to comment on the matter.

With NHS dentists hard to find, local people are rightly concerned about their mouth health. But there might be an alternative. In her regular series of columns, Sarah-Joy Lendon, the 'Virtual Hygienist', offers tips on how you can take steps yourself to reduce your need to visit the dentist

Do you clean between?

Brushing our teeth with a toothbrush is really only a part of the story when it comes to keeping your teeth clean and healthy.

Up to 40% of our tooth surfaces are not accessible with a toothbrush alone and are equally prone to the accumulation of the plaque bacteria that is responsible for tooth decay and gum disease.

So, we need to use an interdental cleaning aid once a day to clean the sides of the teeth that can’t be accessed with the toothbrush.

Your dental professional can recommend which type of interdental cleaning aid is best for you and your mouth, but essentially you have the following options:

• String floss

• Flosspiks

• Rubber coated interdental cleaning sticks

• Interdental brushes

It is important to get the technique of using these correct and to use them once a day, every day.

For more advice on maintaining a healthy mouth for you and your family you can join the free Facebook group - The Virtual Hygienist Or book a virtual appointment at www.thevirtualhygienist.co.uk/ home

Sarah-Joy

Lendon, The Virtual Hygienist

To advertise here and online from as little as £15/ month, contact Rich on 0777 555 0607

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