Filtonvoice May 2023

Student flats could be built on former Filton garage site

The former Filton Central Garage could be transformed into 71 student bedrooms.

Plans submitted to South Gloucestershire Council show the transformation of the garage site into eight 'apartments', each with up to 10 bedrooms. There will also be a commercial unit on the ground floor for employment use.

The garage closed for good in 2021 after many years serving the local community.

The developer says the scheme will help ease the pressure on the creation of HMOs in Filton which are popular with students but which have caused much concern in the local area over the past three years. Opponents of HMOs say they cause parking issues and contribute to a reduction in community cohesion.

The new scheme, according to owner Dane Sampson, will address the high demand for housing without adversely affecting the local community.

Some residents say they have concerns around the 'impact and overbearing nature of the development' including the effect on light privacy and views up to the church and Pegasus House.

They also say the consultation process has not been sufficient, with local councillors limited due to the election period.

The consultation has now begun with residents invited to give their views, ending on

May 5 after an extension was granted.

Mr Sampson told Filtonvoice student tenants will be vetted and it will be stressed that this is not an ideal accommodation for car owners.

He said: "This development will be privately managed in-house by a responsible landlord. I have been a landlord for 10 years and managed my own student lets all across the

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Former Filton Central Garage could be converted into 71-bed student accommodation

Opposite, an artist's impression of how the scheme would look and below, the site of the former Filton Central Garage with Hanover Court in the background

From Page 1

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county. I understand residents' concerns, however my own experience of students has been extremely positive and the majority of students are kind, considerate and just want to get on with their studies.

"This block will be managed effectively and efficiently and local residents to this block will be able to report problems to the management company if there are any that arise. A management plan outlines what we will do to ensure the safety of the students and the surrounding area.

will not be converted into HMOs as this scheme is purpose built and Filton residents are fed up with houses being converted into HMOs. Filton Town Council were in agreement with this. It aims to build a beautiful building with a bio diverse brown living roof to encourage wildlife, that will transform this part of Filton for the better. The front elevation fronting Hanover Court has been designed with feedback from our meeting with Filton Town Council to ensure the scale of the building is reduced."

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"The scheme is being promoted as a car free development. As a private landlord we will be discouraging car use and legal agreements will be underwritten in favour of those students without cars. We have also conducted traffic management plans, travel plans and student management plans. The site will have fewer car movements on it than in its previous use as a car sales/garage on a day to day basis.

"The development will ensure that around 12 residential houses

He added that with it being a student block, there would be just one 'changeover' per year, reducing the amount of disruption.

And he said rubbish and fly tipping near or around the site will be managed by an in-house team who will be 'on site frequently during every week to ensure the site and its surroundings are kept clean and tidy'.

He said: "As a responsible landlord we will endeavour to keep our site clean and well maintained."

However some people living near the scheme say they are

concerned about noise and cars, with the scheme having just 12 parking bays.

They also say it will raise concerns for elderly people living in nearby Hanover Court retirement flats.

Michelle, a resident in Rectory Lane, said: “I am highly concerned around the lack of consultation and early engagement on this proposal. The current plans will have an unacceptable impact on residents and the community within Rectory Lane which includes a social housing development and sheltered accommodation.

"Impacts are not restricted to parking and waste collection; they include a loss of privacy, loss of daylight / sunlight, noise increase and overuse of the site not designed in keeping with the local area/ considerations of the local amenities. This is linked to the change in use of the site from a business use site operating 9-5 Monday – Saturday to a 24/7 Sui Generis general use site therefore further assessment is required to consider whether the local amenities and council can accommodate an additional number of residents with another residential development recently approved and underway nearby.

"There is demand for housing in the area: family, sheltered, social and student and a development such as this will not

mitigate or avoid the continued conversion of houses into HMOs, especially as many HMOs are used by young professionals and adults who cannot get onto the housing ladder.

"It was a tremendous loss to the community and to Rectory Lane residents in particular when Filton Garage closed, which had been an integral part of the community. The owners and staff were incredibly respectful and reticent of their location next to residences, and business and residence worked in harmony. I would be happy to engage with the landowners and developers to come up with a more workable solution to reuse the site, which enables use of the brownfield site whilst being mindful of its setting.”

Moria and Andy, residents at Hanover Court, said: “The notification of this planning proposal has had a severe impact on the mental health and wellbeing of residents at Hanover Court.

"When we as residents took the decision to move here, freeing up family homes for others, we did so to future proof ourselves and with the intention we wouldn’t need to move again. This proposal would have such an impact on our building especially the loss of light and privacy due to the overpowering nature of the building and also our quality of life.

"The proposal is situated on one of the highest points in Bristol, therefore the landscape is situated on a hill. Hanover Court

and the old dairy sit substantially lower than the proposed site and any development over one storey will severely impact our privacy and sunlight/daylight.

"The plan makes little consideration to the impact on a sheltered accommodation block and the community we enjoy at present. The development will impact the whole community in Rectory Lane and we would have to consider seeking accommodation elsewhere if the planning application is approved.”

To look at the planning application, visit https://beta. southglos.gov.uk/searchplanning-applications and reference P23/01258/O

Advertising feature

New exhibition at Aerospace Bristol is out of this world!

Aerospace Bristol, on the site of the former Filton Airfield, will host Luke Jerram’s Mars as part of a new Journey to Mars exhibition. The artwork will be stunningly displayed from 4th May to 5th June alongside the last Concorde ever to fly.

The temporary exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Beagle 2 lander on Mars Express, Europe’s first mission to Mars. It will include models of Beagle 2 and the Mars Express Orbiter on display alongside Luke Jerram’s Mars sculpture.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, Mars features

detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface. At an approximate scale of 1:1 million, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 10 kilometres of the surface of Mars.

Visitors will have the chance to view Mars from the air, as though they are a satellite, mapping and studying the surface in perfect detail, with every valley, crater, volcano and mountain laid bare to inspect.

The Journey to Mars exhibition is included with museum entry.

Visit https://aerospacebristol.org/ for more information and for tickets.

Foodie festival gets green light

by BBC LDRS team for Filtonvoice Bristol Foodies Festival near Filton will go ahead in May after councillors granted permission despite police and environmental health objections.

South Gloucestershire Council’s licensing sub-committee heard the organisers have run the event 128 times across the country since 2005 without a single serious issue and that parking for 600 cars had been found in a nearby field, amid concerns about streets and driveways being blocked.

The three-day food and drink extravaganza from Friday to Sunday, May 12-14, which includes demonstrations by celebrity chefs and a funfair, has been held for several years on Clifton Downs.

It was under threat after Bristol City Council refused to allow it back, citing poor management of the event.

And then police and South Gloucestershire health and safety

officials said its new location at Little Stoke Park in the middle of a Stoke Gifford housing estate was inappropriate because residents would suffer noise, nuisance and antisocial behaviour.

But on Thursday, April 20, the sub-committee granted a premises licence for live music –including chart-topping throwback headline acts Blue and Scouting For Girls – and alcohol sales from 11am to 10pm after hearing the performances would end at 8pm and attendees, expected to be 3,000 a day, would leave the site gradually.

Barring serious issues,the festival will be held there annually for the next three years before a fresh application is needed.

Coffee shop owner's shock and fears for the future after energy bill of nearly £10,000

by Shane Gibson

Coffee & Pitta House is a small family run Greek restaurant which Anna Xotza and her parents Beyi and Agim opened in Filton in March 2022. Open seven days a week, the Coffee & Pitta House, serves food and drink throughout the day and supplies free internet access to all customers. However Anna’s most recent energy bill may lead to doubts over its future.

February’s bill was £9801.80. A month’s usage of electricity alone was £5909.69, for the period of 25/01/23 - 24/02/23.

Anna’s normal monthly charge is around £2500 and she was shocked by the sudden increase.

She said: “The energy bills have always been a big issue. I thought that I was paying a very high amount when I was paying £2500 - £3000 per month, and then I got this bill. When I got it I thought I was having a heart attack!”

Anna qualifies for the government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme, however at a reduction of 1.01p per kilowatt that reduction is only £145.79 against

£5909.69. The reduction is made before the Standing Charge and Climate Change Levy have been taken into account. Once they have, the real difference to the bill is £3.23.

“If the government is about to help… well this is not helpful. It is like they are playing with us. This is a small business, and a small business cannot afford this.” Anna added.

To help reduce the costs, Anna has switched off the heating in the cafe.

“Sometimes people ask why it is so cold in here. They are complaining and it is totally understandable, but this is what we have to deal with.” she said.

Anna is now needing to increase the prices of the food that they serve.

“Basically, we are just trying to see how things are going to go this year. We were open a year on March 8 and I do not want us to go bankrupt straight away, who wants that?” she said.

Anna is trying to pay off the bill slowly and is trying to get out of the contract with her current energy supplier.

She is also is hoping that the

energy costs will lower and that the relationships that her family has with the people in Filton will continue to thrive.

She said: “We have only been here a year, but Filton has been very kind to us. When we first moved in, we had no internet, so whilst looking for somewhere that I could sit and work, pay bills, drink coffee, I decided that this place wouldn’t just serve great food but it would be somewhere that people could come to all day. Have breakfast, use the internet, have lunch meetings, and drink coffee on the terrace in the evenings. Now, everybody in this neighbourhood knows us.”

Anna’s family chose to open up in Filton, primarily due to her father’s health.

She said: “My father has

leukaemia, but he wanted to feel like he could still work. My mum has over 20 years of experience cooking Greek food. We don’t have a day off here, my parents are normally working from 8:30 in the morning until 11 in the evening. Sometimes we must close to take my father to the hospital, but we do come back!”

Although they do have the support of their friends and customers, Anna is worried about the current bill.

She said: “I am putting away as much money aside as possible for this bill, but at the end of the day there are a lot of other things to pay for and I only make £700 per month for myself. It’s a lot of work for that amount of money.”

Anna is optimistic, but says further large bills could force her to consider closure.

Lunar Optical has now been providing the local area with Ocular Health advice and care for 10 years so we wanted to take this opportunity to thank our patients.

Thank you very much for supporting us and our local independent Opticians, we very much look forward to the next 10 years and can’t wait to see what those years bring us.

News

£50,000 to help integrate new airfield town

Southern Brooks and YTL Developments have announced a new funding agreement to support community development and cohesion across North Bristol.

Southern Brooks has been leading community development work in Filton and across South Gloucestershire and North Bristol for over 30 years. Now new funding from YTL Developments is enabling them to bring their experience to bear at Brabazon – the new neighbourhood being built on the historic former Filton Airfield.

The new partnership will fund an extra community development worker and a range of activities designed to integrate the new neighbourhood at Brabazon with existing communities across South Gloucestershire and North Bristol.

Rob Bartlett, Marketing & Sales Manager at YTL Developments said: “As the birthplace of Concorde, the former Filton Airfield was known for the collective spirit of a community that changed the world. Brabazon is being designed to live up to that legacy, creating a new neighbourhood to inspire the next generation."

The partnership – worth almost £50,000 over an initial two year period – is designed to engage existing local communities – from Bradley Stoke to Patchway, Henbury and Brentry - as well as new residents at Brabazon. Under the programme, Southern Brooks will:

• Run neighbourhood events, from welcome workshops and community meetings to drop-in sessions and pop-ups

• Provide targeted funding for local groups, helping anything from book clubs to gardening groups and parenting networks with everyday expenses

• Manage newsletters and social media channels to

communicate community information

• Identify and support potential community champions

Southern Brooks and YTL Developments will use the Royal Society for Public Health Community Spirit Framework to measure the success and help target support where it is needed most.

Alison Findlay, left, CEO at Southern Brooks, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with YTL Developments. There is already a strong local community culture in North Bristol and South Gloucestershire. This new funding partnership will help that to expand even further, creating a sustainable and cohesive community that works for everyone in society.”

The partnership with

Southern Brooks is just one of a number of community initiatives.

YTL Developments has also received approval from South Gloucestershire Council to revitalise a Grade II listed aircraft hangar into a new lifestyle hub to 'bring people together and promote active and sustainable living at Brabazon'.

The building - which once housed ‘Battle of Britain’ fighter planes – will be transformed into a brand-new public library, café, gym and community centre, incorporating quiet pods for working or studying, activity rooms that will host a busy calendar of social events, and a large hall that will be home to multi-faith groups and a perfect venue for community events.

Construction will start this Summer with the new community centre set to open in 2024.

YTL Developments has also recently launched new pathways into employment for local young people.

They are working with

Bristol Talent Partnership to hold taster sessions about careers in property, launched a work experience programme for 16 year-olds and introduced university placement opportunities for students.

Alison added: “South Gloucestershire and North Bristol have needed new community spaces for some time. Hangar 16U, Brabazon Park and the new transport links at Brabazon will be brilliant places for local residents to come together.

"This holistic approach to building sustainable communities should make a real difference in improving social cohesion, reducing poverty, loneliness and isolation while boosting people’s health and well-being.”

Rob said: “Places are about people as much as bricks and buildings, which is why we are delivering community facilities and green spaces that focus on fostering a vibrant and inclusive new community.”

Ladies choose horse riding charity for 2023

St. Peter’s Ladies Group in Filton went to look around The Avon Centre, formerly known as The Avon Riding Centre for the Disabled.

It is a Charity, set in beautiful grounds opposite the Blaise Castle Estate in Henbury and has been chosen as the charity the Ladies will support in 2023.

It is recognised as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ and takes about 200 pupils per week ranging in age from 4 – 78.

The Centre works with people living with over 30 different forms of difficulties: learning difficulties, neurological conditions, sensory disabilities and those on the autistic spectrum.

Riding has proven to help people both physically and mentally. Simply sitting on a horse provides

physiotherapy and core strengthening exercises.

Horses are also natural animal therapists with huge empathy and give riders access to nature and the great outdoors.

The ladies viewed riders in the enormous arena, the stables where the horses are housed, Shetland ponies in their pasture and the beautiful woodlands full of bluebells. They also saw and experienced a Racewood mechanical horse simulator which can be programmed to copy all of a horses movements: walking , trotting and cantering. It is an invaluable piece of equipment.

The Centre has been helping people living in Bristol and surrounding area for over 30 years and it is a truly wonderful charity.

Jane Curtis

Filton motorbike business revved up for race season

Easter weekend saw the start of the 2023 British Superbike Championships at Silverstone - and a Filton business is at the heart of the racing. The championships included the inaugural season of the BMW F900R Cup. The BMW Cup is a brand-new class for this year, featuring a grid of up to 70 identical BMW machines and is designed to be closer to the type of machines riders are choosing as road bikes.

A Filton business has entered the championship by providing a a new BMW F900R to Wincanton-based rider Simon Bastable, who made the switch to the WSC Performance BMW after two years in the Ducati TriOptions Cup also at BSB.

WSC Performance are based in Filton, and are an online family company providing motorcycle parts to road and race bikes in both the UK and

worldwide. WSC Performance have supported motorcycle racers since 2017, and in 2023 they are supporting riders at both club and national level.

The BMW F900R Cup is

divided into two heat races on Saturday, followed by the main event on Sunday afternoon which is made up of the top 26 riders from heat races and an additional 14 riders coming

through from the ‘Last Change Qualifier’ race on Sunday morning for those who didn’t progress automatically from the heat races. The new series seems to be proving popular, already attracting some big names including Isle of Man TT winner Michael Rutter and twice National Superstock champion Richard Cooper.

With both of the official pre-season test weekends being badly affected by rain, WSC Performance Simon Bastable’s preparations for the first round on the BMW had been severely affected, with almost no dry track-time to get used to the new machine. The first qualifying session of the new championship was as competitive as expected, with only a couple of seconds covering the top 30 riders. Bastable finished the session in 33rd, meaning a 17th place start on Saturdays heat 2.

When racing got underway in glorious Easter sunshine on Saturday it was heat 1 that featured the big names of Rutter and Cooper battling it out for the win, with Copper eventually coming out on top. The pace was even quicker in the second race of the day and again provided close racing throughout the field. Bastable, despite improving his lap time by 1.5 seconds over qualifying only managed to hold on to 17th position meaning he was outside of the top 13 required to go through automatically to the Sunday feature race and meant a 7th place start for the last chance qualifier.

Seemingly getting used to the new bike last, Bastable improved again on Sunday morning and after running with the front group for most of the race, a 7th place finish meant he would be starting 33rd for the afternoons feature race.

Falling right in the middle of the packed Superbike schedule, the BMW’s proved popular with the Silverstone audience. Once again Rutter and Cooper battled at the front, but with some younger riders and less familiar names also keeping the racing close. Eventually it was Cooper though that demonstrated why he was many people's pre-season favourite, taking the win and the £1000 first prize. Bastable had a much improved race and finally began to look at home on the BMW, making his way up to 21st

at one point from the 33rd place start.

Racing was tight throughout the field and the group Bastable was battling in covered positions 19 through to 28. After being near the front of the group for most of the race Bastable suffered some bad luck in getting tangled up with lapped riders in the last couple of laps and eventually finished 28th, but nonetheless showed a big step up in performance versus the previous days.

He said: "I really enjoyed Sundays race and we took a big step forward with WSC Performance BMW. Pre-season was very difficult for us with little dry laps to get used to the new bike, and a big crash at the Donington test weekend meant we were really on the back foot arriving at Silverstone and struggled to find a good feeling from the front end of the bike.

"Our performance on Saturday was not reflective of where we want to be and so we made some big changes to the setup on Saturday evening. It was a bit of a gamble but it paid off and the bike was much improved on Sunday. Our pace was better than the 28th place finish would suggest, but we were in the group battling for the top 20 and so that is a massive improvement."

For motorcycle parts visit www.wscperformance.co.uk

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Conservatives vow to champion South Glos

The Conservatives will ensure that South Gloucestershire continues to see record-breaking successes in the years to come, if re-elected in May.

Keeping car parking free in all council-owned car parks, boosting record attainment levels in schools, ensuring South Glos remains among the top performing councils in the country for recycling and investing in the local road network are just some of the key priorities the Conservatives will seek to maintain over the next four years.

Since 2019, the Conservatives have worked in partnership to drive up education standards, meaning 90% of pupils in South Glos are now being taught in Good or Outstanding schools. They have invested tens of millions of pounds in education provision, including building new schools and refurbishing existing ones, alongside creating extra provision for children with additional learning needs.

The Conservatives have also supported households in achieving record recycling rates, putting South Glos among the best performing councils in the country. They have introduced an innovate new soft plastic recycling scheme from the kerbside, which they will seek to expand to the whole district.

They have delivered new public transport infrastructure, including new park and ride provision and MetroBus extensions, and invested in local high streets to boost the economy. They have also been at the forefront of campaigns to oppose the Labour WECA Mayor’s bus cuts and unsustainable housing targets that would concrete over our Green Belt countryside.

And thanks to the Administration’s sound management of the Council’s finances year

after year, 2023 will again see free parking remain in place in all Council-owned car parks across South Glos.

In addition to these local achievements, the Conservatives led the Council’s response to support residents, businesses and communities through COVID, from issuing business grants to delivering food parcels to vulnerable residents.

If re-elected to continue to lead South Gloucestershire Council over the next four years, the Conservatives will continue to improve school standards, keep parking free, deliver value for money for council taxpayers, campaign for better public transport, protect our environment and build new homes in the right places.

Cllr Toby Savage, Conservative Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Our

achievements over the past four years speak for themselves, and we are determined to work with residents, businesses and community groups to ensure these successes continue and to champion our area as a great place to live, work and visit.

“By delivering on the priorities of local people, we will continue to have a hugely positive impact on our communities, and we look forward to continuing to serve residents during the next Council term.”

In a testament to the Conservatives’ commitment to South Glos, the party is fielding a full slate of candidates for all 61 council seats at May’s local elections. And 20% of the party’s district council candidates are people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Promoted by Stephen Bower, on behalf of South Gloucestershire Conservatives, of 5 Westfield Park, Bristol, BS6 6LT.

and planting in the neighbourhood. It is supported by FACE (Foundation for Active Community Engagement), Filton Community Garden and with a community grant from UWE Bristol and the Quartet Community Foundation.

The Filton Pollinator Project

The pollinators need your help!

With summer on the way we can already see bumble bees buzzing around and butterflies, beetles, hoverflies and moths out collecting nectar from the flowers.

Did you know that 8 out of 10 of wild plants in Britain depend on insects for pollination? The bad news is that over 250 of our insect pollinators are in danger of extinction.

Our wild insect pollinators continue to decline because there is not enough suitable habitat. Britain has lost 97% of its flower-rich grassland since the 1940’s. We need to put wildflowers back into the countryside and in Filton we can make sure nectar plants are plentiful too.

5 Things you can do!

● Plant a range of flowers - give pollinators access to feed on nectar and pollen in your garden from March to October provided by a variety of traditional cottage garden flowers, native wildflowers and herbs. If you don’t have a garden you can plant up a pot or window box.

● Provide shelter - bug houses can be large or small. To make a simple one just cut off the ends of a plastic bottle and pack it tightly with folded or rolled strips of cardboard, filling any gaps with sticks and straw. Place it in a shrub or on a south facing wall using cable ties or string. Be sure the open end is pointing slightly downwards to allow any moisture to drain out.

● Leave some wild areas - don’t tidy up! Even nettles provide caterpillar food and dandelions are abundant with pollen and nectar.

● Manage your grass cutting - extend your no mow until late August for meadow areas:

“May and June let it bloom; July and August let the seed set; September cut and collect.

● Avoid using pesticides - they kill pollinators and insects that provide natural pest control such as: Hoverfly larvae that eat aphids and wasps that eat other insects..

Filton Community Garden

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FESTIVAL FESTIVAL IS BACK! IS BACK!

Filton Town Council are excited to bring back Filton Festival this year. The day is already being planned and its going to be an amazing day for the whole family to enjoy.

It will be held Saturday 22nd July 2023 starting at 11.30am and ending at 6pm. It will be set in Millennium Green this year due to the works going on in Elm Park, which is a very short walk from the usual place.

There will be bands, dance groups performing, arts and craft stalls, rides - including a climbing wall, plus a graffiti arts zone and various other fun activities to take part in and enjoy.

If you would like to have a stall or table, get in touch using details below. More details will be added here as we get details confirmed.

Filton Town Council

The election of councillors for Filton Town Council is 'unconstested' this year, meaning those candidates who put themselves forward will all form the new council. Below is the official list as published by South Gloucestershire Council.

FREE EVENTS AT FILTON LIBRARY IN MAY

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WANT TO ACCESS THE LIBRARY 7 DAYS A WEEK? FIND OUT MORE HERE: SOUTHGLOS.GOV.UK/OPENACCESS

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Saturday 13th & 27th 10:30-11:30

Due to popular demand, we’re now running Lego clubs every two weeks!

Come along for some creative fun with our Lego!

Suitable for all Primary school aged children

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Filton MP Jack Lopresti

Delighted to welcome community champions to No 10

This month I have focused on three main areas; ensuring our area continues to have and increase the number of hightech, high-skilled, high-paid employment; our support for Ukraine and the defence and aerospace industry in the region; and access to public transport in our community, as well as other engagements in parliament and supporting our local area.

I visited the National Composites Centre in Emersons Green, a world-leading facility which provides end-to-end engineering support for companies such as GKN, Rolls Royce, Airbus and Leonardo as well as small and medium size businesses such as LINEAT who are engaging in cutting-edge research to recycle carbon fibre.

The fantastic base of aerospace, defence, and manufacturing jobs in our area was a crucial factor in basing

the NCC here and is playing a key role in generating inward investment in the UK and generating economic growth and innovation.

The Catapult network of which the NCC is a part has a

DAVE TRIMBY ROOFING

significant apprenticeship intake with 1000 apprentices across the network. In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor invested an additional 35% in Catapult funding which will be vital in providing significant investment in skills in our area to educate and inspire young people and to generate the skills needed for an advanced, high-skill, highwage economy.

I met with Andy Start, CEO of MOD Defence Equipment and Support and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff at Abbeywood. We discussed the fantastic work the MOD team at DE&S are doing to support the Ukrainians in the defence of their country, as well as how MOD DE&S support the UK defence industry.

In parliament, it was an honour to welcome a delegation of Ukrainian Members of Parliament including Dmytro Natalukha and Maria Mezentseva whom I met on my previous recent visit to Ukraine. We discussed the UK’s ongoing military support, our humanitarian assistance and provision of medical expertise to assist the wounded Ukrainian military, something which the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity team in Almondsbury had recently contributed to with members of their team providing training to Ukrainian medics.

I have also been advocating for an increase in defence spending in a budget debate to help ensure our nation has sufficient defence capabilities, whilst providing vital support

to our Ukrainian allies and welcomed the government’s commitment of an additional £11 billion over the next five years. In addition to this I asked the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly whether he agrees that the welcome increase in defence spending will not only help keep our country safe, but that it will also create more certainty for the 390,000 UK jobs which are supported by defence spending.

I have been working with various stakeholders involved in our public transport network in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, one issue that kept coming up was the issue of insufficient numbers of bus drivers resulting in service cancellations and unreliability. As a result of these discussions, I took action to help organise a recruitment event with First Bus and the Job Centre in Horfield. Driving a bus is not just a job, it's a public service vital to our communities, without bus drivers people cannot get to work and are cut off from other crucial public services. I will continue to seek solutions to this problem and will work with stakeholders to find solutions to this problem, I will soon meet again with the Managing Director of First Bus to raise the issues relating to bus services.

Earlier this month I also welcomed Lucy and Richard Smith to Westminster for a reception at Number 10 with the Prime Minister. See picture above.

It was great to host Lucy & Richard from Your Village Shop in Stoke Gifford and to introduce them to the Prime Minister to thank and acknowledge their fantastic efforts as community champions in relation to their role in Stoke Gifford Retirement Village during the pandemic and the important work they do giving work opportunities to people with additional support needs helping them develop inter-personal skills and confidence at work.

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 me at: jack.lopresti. mp@parliament.uk if I can be of assistance or to book a surgery.

by BBC LDRS team and Filtonvoice

Voters in Filton are set to decide which political party will run South Gloucestershire Council for the next four years. The results will affect a huge range of issues in South Gloucestershire, including new housing developments, bin collections and bus services.

All seats are up for grabs across the 28 wards in the district in the upcoming election on Thursday, May 4, where the Conservatives are fighting to keep control to run the council. Local elections are also being held on the same day in many other parts of England.

In Filton, there are two seats being fought over. Labour’s Adam Monk is looking to hold on to his seat while Conservative Chris Wood, who secured Filton’s second seat by one vote over Labour’s Ian Scott four years ago, is not standing for re-election.

The Green Party, Lib Dems, Conservatives and Labour are all fielding two candidates, along with current Filton town councillor and Independent Andy Robinson.

Full list at bottom of story

The Conservatives have been in power for 16 years in South Gloucestershire and are defending a slender majority of just two seats. On a national level the party has recently suffered a huge drop in opinion polls, which could affect how voters decide which party they choose.

The current Conservative council leader, Toby Savage, is not standing for re-election due to the recent birth of his second child, which he described last month as a “promotion to dadof-two”.

It’s not yet known whom the

Conservatives will choose to replace him as leader of their group, and who would lead the council if the Tories win again.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.

This is the first time voters will need to bring formal identification — such as a driver’s licence or passport — with them to polling stations, after a new law was recently passed. Voters without accepted forms of ID will be turned away from polling stations and might not be allowed to vote.

The Conservatives have run South Gloucestershire Council since 2007 and they currently have 33 seats out of a total of 61. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats have 17 seats and Labour has 11. A party needs to win at least 31 seats to get an overall majority

and take control of the council. If no party wins a majority, called ‘no overall control’, then one party could form a minority administration or two parties could form a coalition to take power after May.

Battle for two Filton seats on South Glos Council X

Candidates in Filton (two seats available):

• Esther Adjeivi, Conservative

• Dan Boardman, Green

• Frederic Contenot, Conservative

• Alex Doyle, Labour

• Richard William Emmerson, Liberal Democrat

• Martin Braid Joinson, Liberal Democrat

• Adam Paul Monk, Labour

• Andy Robinson, Independent

• Jenny Vernon, Green

l For Filton candidate profiles, turn to Pages 22 and 23

l Filton Town Council election 'uncontested': Turn to Page 17

Election for South Gloucestershire Council - candidate profiles

With two places representing Filton on South Gloucestershire Council up for grabs, Filtonvoice invited candidates to submit profiles of approximately 150 words and a photograph. These have been published below, in party alphabetical order. Where profiles were not available, we have published a short party manifesto.

Esther Adjeivi

Esther is currently a town councillor and has represented the Charborough Ward since she was co-opted. By profession she is a psychiatric healthcare assistant at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. She is hoping to join South Gloucestershire Council as district councillor to continue to promote the town's interest. Craft is her hobby and she uses her leisure time knitting.

Frédéric Contenot

Frédéric has lived in the South Gloucestershire area for over 16 years with his family and has always loved supporting the local community. He is a Royal Aeronautical Society chartered engineer in the aerospace industry with over 25 years of international professional experience in Aircraft Systems Integration. He currently works for one of the reputable aerospace companies in Filton. He believes that his skills will be well used if elected as a South Gloucestershire district councillor representing Filton.

Dan Boardman

I am a project manager for a company that uses microalgae to remove pollution from sewage effluent to protect fish in rivers. I have lived in Filton for the past five years and became a councillor for Filton Town Council in 2021. Many of the wards within South Gloucestershire are rural so the challenges and needs of the residents of Filton and other urban areas on the fringes of Bristol can become overlooked in decisions around transport, housing and the planning of new developments.

As a Town Councillor, I have had the opportunity to influence several areas of local policy – the leisure centre development, maintenance of hedgerows, and working to get 100 new trees in Filton. However, many of the larger decisions are taken at the South Glos Council level, especially around housing, parking, potholes and local services. Being elected to represent you would enable me to do even more to have positive impacts on our local area and ensure the voices of Filton residents are heard.

Jenny Vernon

I’ve lived in Filton and Patchway all my life. My children and some of my grandchildren have had the chance to grow up in the area too. I work for Southern Brooks, a charity that works across South Gloucestershire, supporting individuals and communities to develop skills and connections, and previously worked as a social housing consultant for over 30 years. I have been involved with a community housing project in Patchway and have supported residents when their landlord wanted to redevelop the areas in which they lived.

I am passionate about social justice, developing a green economy and addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. I would love to represent Filton on South Glos Council so I can use my skills and experiences to support the issues important to the local community, especially the challenges with the proliferation of HMOs and poor transport. I want to work towards a fairer, greener South Gloucestershire.

Andy Robinson

Hello, my name is Andy Robinson, and I am standing as an Independent candidate. I have lived in Filton with my wife Louise for fifteen years and I work locally as an engineer. For the past four years I have been a Filton town councillor, during which time I have been actively raising issues concerning residents and giving them a voice. Filton currently has the third highest precept (parish tax) in England and FTC are unnecessarily collecting more than £250K. Filton also has the second worst crime figures in Gloucestershire’s 305 towns (crimerate.co.uk/Gloucestershire/filton).

The issues facing Filton are lack of affordable housing and proliferation of HMOs, crime, traffic and the loss of local amenities. I care deeply about Filton, its residents and our community. Our precept needs to be reduced, we need to engage with A&S Police and understand why our crime figures are so high and what can be done, and we need to offer more local amenities for all our residents.

Alex Doyle

I’m an Aerospace Engineer and project manager who worked in Filton for 8 years, currently working at the National Composite Centre. I have lived in and around Filton for the last 12 years, actively sitting as a magistrate in Avon & Somerset. I am supportive of my local community, participating in mentoring programmes for secondary & university students, having previously been a STEM ambassador. As a Filton Town Councillor for over 6 years, I am the current Chair of the Finance Committee. I was one of the key councillors in creating and pushing forward the motion to refurbish and partner our leisure centre with Active Nation, providing a new facility to the residents of Filton while significantly reducing the financial burden placed on the taxpayers, enabling the council to develop our green spaces, support the local community and help the most vulnerable people during this cost-of-living crisis, while freezing council tax for local residents this year.

Adam Monk

I live in Filton with Claire and our children and we have lived here for over 25 years. I have had the honour of representing Filton on South Glos Council for the last 3 terms and are looking for your support to continue to do so. My day job is running a company that helps companies deliver IT related projects and I believe a lot of these skills are transferable to being a councillor. I have been very active as a councillor in the last 4 years, for example working with FACE to establish the local COVID 19 response offering vulnerable people with shopping, prescription collection, household maintenance or just someone to talk too. More recently I have been driving the Article 4 implementation to address concerns over HMOs. In addition, I along with Labour colleagues have created a fund for those living in rented accommodation to make the house more fuel efficient, saving money and reducing carbon footprint. Please vote Labour on May 4th.

Richard William Emmerson Martin Braid Joinson

South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto for the Council Elections on the 4th of May.

It has been prepared with two huge challenges facing our region in mind - the threat from climate change and the cost-of-living crisis.

The priorities of a Liberal Democrat run Council will be:

• Tackling the Climate and Ecological emergency. Helping people insulate their homes, cutting their carbon footprint and bills.

• Supporting innovation to build a greener economy.

• Getting our area moving. We will work with communities and transport operators to deliver a joined-up transport system.

• Helping residents with the cost-of-living crisis. We will offer support and advice to people and businesses, to help them cut their bills and grow the local economy.

• Bringing back local decision making. Making sure your voices are heard and the issues that matter to you are tackled.

Some ticket deals are too good to be true

AS we get closer to summer, many people are looking forward to attending local and national sporting, comedy and music events.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous ticket sellers prey on people’s excitement for such shows for their own financial gain.

I urge local people to be vigilant when buying tickets, as new national figures reveal over £6.7 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2022.

In the same year, Action Fraud received over 7,088 reports of ticket fraud, with 138 coming from Avon and Somerset residents.

As part of its latest awareness campaign, Action Fraud is working with the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) to promote the safe and secure purchasing of tickets to events, and advises the public to follow the appropriate preventative measures.

These include only buying from official promoters and ticket agents,

being wary of messages offering unbelievably good deals and avoiding paying for tickets by bank transfers. Remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

We have just marked the first anniversary of an independent report, Identifying Disproportionality in Avon and Somerset Criminal Justice System (CJS).

Independent chair Desmond Brown conducted a two-year deep dive review into local CJS partner agencies to investigate racial disproportionality.

Lots of work is being done to set up a programme under the Local Criminal Justice Board, a group of senior leaders from all the partner agencies of which I am chair.

The chief constable is leading the steering committee to deliver the recommendations.

It’s vital to work in partnership and implement real and lasting change, so that communities feel a difference in how they are treated

when they encounter the CJS, whether as a victim, a witness, or a perpetrator.

I will keep you updated on the progress of this important work that aims to build trust, confidence, and legitimacy in policing and the wider system, particularly in communities impacted by race inequality, where trust and confidence is low.

Earlier this year I, along with my counterparts in Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, penned a letter to Therese Coffey – the then Environment Secretary - calling for a new way to tackle the growing menace of fly-tipping.

The cost of fly-tipping on private land is estimated to be up to £150m a year, and the cost of clearance of fly-tipping for local authorities in England is nearly £50m.

It is time to make criminals pay for fly-tipping, not local people.

I am delighted that Rebecca

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford

Pow, MP for Taunton Deane, supports the five Southwest PCCs coming together to fight the scourge of fly-tipping. This is a step in the right direction.

This crime blights our rural landscape and causes problems for farmers and the rural economy. I’m committed to working with partner agencies to find new ways to tackle this problem.

Reasons to celebrate this May

IF you’re reading this, you are likely at home, rather than work, as this May has extra bank holidays. Hurray! And if someone is nagging you to mow the lawn on your day off, tell them the Metro Mayor says you don’t have to. More on that later!

The West of England has a long heritage of May Day celebrations, dating back to pagan times.

Many have echoes in customs such as dancing round the maypole. However, this bank holiday was first brought in as a way of marking International Workers Day in 1978.

The Spring bank holiday is back to its usual slot on the last Monday of May and this year, there’s that extra day off to celebrate King Charles’s Coronation too.

Whether you’re a republican or royalist, this is certainly a moment in history.

I’ve been finding out about our region’s association with coronations. Did you know that on May 11, 973 AD, Bath Abbey was the site of the coronation of Edgar, the ‘First King of All England’?

The service used for Edgar’s coronation

was compiled by Dunstan, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the same service is being used by King Charles III.

Bath Abbey is well worth a visit, as are so many attractions across our amazing region.

I run an Explore Local campaign, and as part of this, I get to visit many fantastic museums, green spaces and other attractions. As the Spring weather improves and everyone looks to the great outdoors, I’d urge you to explore our brilliant region.

I promised to get back to mowing (well, not mowing, to be precise). Because the other thing I’m marking this month is No Mow May. A month off from cutting the lawn for the very best of causes - our bees!

Our bees need our help because they are fighting some big enemies: pesticides, habitat destruction and climate change. But they are so vital. Bees pollinate flowers and crops. In fact, one in three mouthfuls we eat depends on our pollinator pals.

One way to give bees a break is to liberate your lawn and free the wildflowers in your grassy areas so they can grow wild

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

and provide a feast for pollinators.

Many people are doing that, as are organisations who I’ve been encouraging to enter my annual Bee Bold Awards to showcase the region’s very best “bee buddies”. I love to see the entries - it really gets me buzzing!

Finally, I’m well aware bank holidays don’t mean a break for all, especially people in emergency service roles like nurses, police or firefighters, so a special shout out to them, and particularly to bus drivers as I work hard to recruit more.

Keep safe - and I hope you have a great May.

“The care that she received from everyone was above and beyond

we could have expected. All the staff who looked after her were brilliant. Really kind and respectful.”

Hilary, Sister of Resident at Field House (source: carehome.co.uk)

Maria, Bristol

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a brief service at a crematorium. Burial or ashes internment. Complete burial service from £1,495.

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

St Peter’s Church: Services

Sunday 7 May

10am Eucharist and 5pm Youth of God at the Rectory

Sunday 14 May

8.30am and 10am Eucharist

Sunday 21 May

8.30am and 10am Family Eucharist

Sunday 28 May

8.30am and 10am Eucharist

Midweek Said Eucharists are on Thursdays at 11am.

On Saturday 6th May, St Peter's Church will be celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III with special events. Keep an eye on our website for more information.

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.

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.

Thursdays (Term-time) Rainbows 5.30- 6.30 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 Messy Church, 2nd Saturday of the month, 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm. Crafts, games, short service, and a delicious tea. And it's all FREE!

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

Gardening Get-togethers on alternate

Saturdays 11am to 1pm:

Saturday 29 April - Gardening

Saturday 13 May - Gardening

Saturday 27 May - Gardening

Saturday 3 June - Gardening/Get Growing Trail

All welcome from beginners to experts. Wear suitable clothing, bring your own gloves, enthusiasm and hope for good weather. Tools and guidance provided. Bat Walk Friday 12 May - Bat Walk Booking essential at batwalk.eventbrite. co.uk

More information email: communitygarden@filtontowncouncil. gov.uk or visit www.facebook.com/ filtoncommunitygarden

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.

Ebenezer Church

Wednesdays

FOOTPRINTS 2PM – 3:30PM

Group for senior citizens in our local

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

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

THE NOISE 2023' AFTERNOON TEA

FOR SENIOR CITIZENS 1PM – 3:30PM

Sunday 30th April

A special Coronation event for senior citizens in Horfield, Lockleaze and Filton. Sign up for this free event by calling the church office.

ST

THE NOISE 2023' COMMUNITY FUN EVENT AND BBQ 2PM - 4PM

Monday 1st May

Join us for a BBQ, crafts, games, cakes and more! Everyone is welcome and it's all FREE! Just turn up.

Details of 'The Noise 2023 local eventswww.ebe.org.uk/thenoise

PEACE FEAST 7PM – 9PM

Friday 19th May

Brings people together from different communities to share a meal, hear inspiring stories and build friendship. Run in partnership with 'Bridges for Communities', with a delicious 3 course meal prepared by a Sudanese chef Omaima and live music.

More details and book tickets herewww.ebe.org.uk/peacefeast

Regular updates and details of other local warm welcoming spaces - 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

SATURDAY 13th MAY 2023

3.30 – 5.15pm Crafts, fun and food for all the family Come

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.

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. Ffi : www.bristolmvc.org.uk; Facebook; or contact Steve: secretary@bristolmvc.org. uk; or ring 07776447699; or 07587143220

Alternate Saturdays 11am - 1pm

Over the next few months we will be busy sowing, planting, weeding and watering - we need you!

Sat 29th APRIL Gardening

MAY Fri 12th

Sat 13th

Sat 27th

JUNE Sat 3rd

Sat 17th

Sat 24th

Sun 25th

Bat Walk Gardening Gardening

Gardening/Get Growing Trail Gardening Gardening Summer Fete

For gardening bring your gloves, enthusiasm and hope for good weather. Tools and guidance provided.

*Online updates at facebook.com/FiltonCommunityGarden

ANDREW’S METHODIST CHURCH, ELM PARK, FILTON

Cricketer club set for new season after £1.6m investment in facilities

Paul Thompson at the club field

by Steve Hill

A cricket club near Filton has a special reason for looking ahead to the start of the season following the completion of a major overhaul of their facilities at Scott Park.

Members of the Bristol & District League club Patchway are already making the most of their new nets – a double-lane cage set-up complete with key-pad entry – while sight screens and wicket covers will shortly be delivered to Coniston Road where a secure storage area will also be built.

And later in the month, four new stateof-the-art changing rooms – including two specially designed for women and girls players that feature cubicle showering – will be used for the first time.

The changing rooms are a major component of a new pavilion which features a community cafe while an electronic scoreboard has been built into the front of the new building which is a major improvement on the previous run-down facility. The project also features an allweather training pitch.

It’s all been made possible by more than £750,000 Section 106 funding along with contributions of £800,000 from Patchway

Town Council and £50,000 from Sport England along with support from Patchway Community Sports Association.

Patchway chairman Paul Thompson said: “The first discussions about improving facilities here began more than 10 years ago so to see things completed is tremendous.

“It’s been well worth all the effort and we’re very thankful, particularly to the Town Council and the Sports Association for all their help.

“We hope the fact that we now have a brand-new pavilion, fantastic changing rooms and new nets will help the club kick on and progress.

“We’re very focused on our junior set-up ... this year we will be running under-9s, two under-11 sides and an under-13s, along with the hope of having girls-only Dynamos for the first time.

“The hope is that these juniors – boys and girls – will progress to under-15s and under17s and then the senior section of the club.

“I was a part of a junior side some 40odd years ago that went on to produce five or six lads who went on to play for the first team, and we’re very keen for that to happen again.”

To

month, contact Rich on 0777 555 0607

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