Stoke Gifford Journal, May 2019

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May 2019 • Issue 8

WHAT’S ON P12, P15, P18, P25 | SPORT P19 | SCHOOLS P20, P23 | DIRECTORY P30

HAT-TRICK FOR STOKE GIFFORD CADETS Youngsters win inter-detachment drill competition for an unprecedented third time in a row

Pages 6 & 7

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PLUS , IN YOUR 32-PAGE STOKE GIFFORD MAGAZINE

Emergency services

Nine-year-old praised for 999 call

Big Spring Clean

P3

Scouts tidy up local parks

P21

l Gipsy Patch Lane road closure diversion details to be revealed at drop-ins l Splatts Abbey Wood: Nature on the doorstep l Village Hotel donates 1,000 employee hours to youth work charity l First-ever camp for Little Stoke Beavers l Latest news from Stoke Gifford Parish Council l Co-op store steps in with kit to keep Lions warm l Electrifying performance at Abbeywood School l Final call for Stars of the Stokes nominations l Bank holiday village fête set to draw the crowds l First aid training for USA-bound Scouts l Deck of new accessible footbridge installed

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News

Stoke Gifford girl, aged 9, praised for 999 call

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nine-year-old girl from Stoke Gifford has been officially commended for her “brilliant” response when her mum became seriously ill.

Catherine Camara, 30, was five months pregnant when she collapsed at home and was struggling to breathe. Massa Sow called 999 and told South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) emergency call handler Jonathan Leaton exactly what was wrong.

Massa made a special visit with her mum to the SWASFT control centre in Bradley Stoke on 17th April to be formally acknowledged for her actions.

She was presented with a certificate from SWASFT chief executive Ken Wenman.

Massa, who learned at school how to call 999, said: “I felt scared, but I knew what I had to do. Now I am pleased mummy is better.”

Jonathan Leaton (999 call handler), Massa Sow and mum Catherine Camara

Catherine said: “I had tears in my eyes listening to the call. I am not surprised she managed to call 999, but I didn’t expect her to do so well. She was perfect.”

Emergency medical dispatcher Jonathan also praised Massa, saying: “Massa was brilliant.

She provided clear and helpful information throughout the call. She did everything I asked perfectly. It must have been traumatic for her, but she remained calm throughout.”

Catherine was 22-weeks months pregnant when the

incident happened on 25th March. She began to feel unwell, had severe pain, and was unable to breathe properly.

Massa dialled 999 and was able to describe in detail what was wrong with her mum. She provided updates on her mum throughout the call.

When Catherine appeared to stop breathing, Massa was told how to do chest compressions on her mum, which caused her to regain consciousness.

Paramedics assessed Catherine and found her condition was not life-threatening. She was taken to hospital as a precaution, and then continued her recovery at home.

SWASFT encourages parents to teach their children what to do in an emergency. That includes showing them how to call 999, making sure they know their address, and ensuring they are aware of any known health problems in the family.

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May 2019

News

Bridge closure diversion details to be revealed at public drop-in sessions

Contact Us Editor: Stephen Horton info@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB

Local reporter: Laura Mortimore (Covering Stoke Gifford Parish) Find us on Facebook: StokeGiffordJournal Follow us on Twitter: @TheSGJournal

About the Stoke Gifford Journal The Stoke Gifford Journal magazine is published by North Bristol Press, a trading name of Snowberry Media Ltd; company number 8451178 (registered in England and Wales); registered office: Equinox South, Great Park Road, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 4QL. Our other publications include the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine and website, the Patchway Journal website and the Filton Journal website.

North Bristol Press is independent of any other media company or network operating in the Bristol area.

We accept no responsibility for anything stated by advertisers, who are themselves responsible for complying with all relevant legislation.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2019. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

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“Major impact” on traffic across the Stokes expected during full closures of Gipsy Patch Lane for four weeks in June and then a further eight months during 2020

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ith the planned four-week full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane during June now less than a month away, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) says it will soon reveal details of the signed diversion routes that will be in operation during the upcoming work.

Further full and partial closures of Gipsy Patch Lane are planned over the next two years, including a full closure lasting approximately eight months from “early 2020”.

The road closures are needed to allow the existing narrow arch railway bridge to be replaced by a much wider concrete structure.

The work is being carried out as part of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme, which also involves the creation of new bus lanes along parts of Gipsy Patch Lane.

An SGC spokesperson said: “We understand that this work will have a major impact on traffic in the nearby and wider area. We apologise in advance for this inconvenience and would like to assure everyone that we

are doing everything we can to minimise disruption to residents, businesses and road users.”

The council recently conducted an online travel survey aimed at users of Gipsy Patch Lane and it says that the results of this, along with data collected from traffic survey cameras that were temporarily installed at points on the local road network during March, are being used to inform its traffic management planning.

Details of a series of public drop-in information sessions, at which further details of the CPME work and associated traffic diversion routes will be provided, are shown on the facing page.

All information displayed at the drop-in events will also be made available on the SGC website at www.southglos.gov. uk/CPmetrobus

June 2019 full road closure at the railway bridge Roadworks are currently taking place on Gipsy Patch Lane in preparation for construction of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension, which is expected to start later this year. The current work is being undertaken by BT to divert underground utilities.

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The next phase of BT’s preparatory work will require Gipsy Patch Lane to be closed to all highway users, including pedestrians and cyclists, at the railway bridge for approximately four weeks during June.

A signed diversion route will be in place during this time. Access to properties and side roads along Gipsy Patch Lane will be maintained and no disruption to the supply of utilities is expected. Businesses and shops along and near Gipsy Patch Lane will be open as normal.

Dates of the full closure and diversion routes will be clearly signposted.

In addition, ground investigations and surveys will be carried out near the bridge during May and June. This will include some de-vegetation on the railway embankments but will not require any further road closures.

Source: South Gloucestershire Council, May 2019

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Railway bridge

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Little Stoke Lane

Gipsy Patch Lane

Site compound for precasting new bridge

Smithcourt Drive

Above: Proposed new bus lanes on Gipsy Patch Lane (indicative only; refer to planning application PT18/0987/R3F for definitive drawings).

According to documents submitted with the planning application for the railway bridge replacement scheme, full closures of Gipsy Patch Lane were not due to commence until December 2019 at the earliest. However, the council announced in February that an earlier four-week closure in June 2019 would be needed for BT to carry out preparatory work to divert underground utilities.

The planning application intimated that a shuttle bus service will be provided to mitigate the impact on nonmotorised users, but it is not

clear at this stage whether this will be available during the June 2019 closure.

The possibility of providing a fully surfaced pedestrian and cycle link between Little Stoke Park and the A38 in Patchway, via the existing Little Stoke Farm railway bridge, is currently being investigated, with the outcome of a public consultation due to be published on 10th May. ● The Stoke Gifford Journal maintains a webpage providing the latest information on the Gipsy Patch Lane roadworks at http://bit.ly/cpme-build

Drop-in information sessions during May 2019 Wednesday 8th May, 5pm-7pm Little Stoke Primary School, Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke Monday 13th May, 3pm-6pm Patchway Community Centre, Rodway Road, Patchway Tuesday 14th May, 3pm-5pm Baileys Court Activity Centre, Baileys Court Road, Bradley Stoke Monday 20th May, 3.30pm-6.30pm Little Stoke Community Hall, Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke Tuesday 21st May, 4pm-7pm The St Michael’s Centre, The Green, Stoke Gifford Wednesday 22nd May, 3pm-6pm BAWA Centre, Southmead Road, Filton Council officers will be available at each session to answer your questions.

Everyone is welcome to attend, there is no need to book – these are drop-in sessions and you can attend at any time during the session.

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May 2019

News

By the left… Army Cadets’ hat-trick of successes

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he Stoke Gifford Detachment of the Bristol Army Cadet Force (ACF) recently competed in the B Company Bristol ACF Annual Inter-Detachment Drill Competition. The competition, which was held during their Company Navigation Weekend Camp in March, took place at Knook Camp on Salisbury Plain Training Area.

B Company Navigation weekend is traditionally the first of four weekend camps of the year, normally held in the spring. The weekend consists of various Training and Testing opportunities for the Cadets, in numerous subjects as part of their Army Proficiency Certificate Syllabus, including Military Knowledge, First Aid, Navigation, Drill and Turnout. All Cadets have to undergo these Training and Testing weekends to enable them to pass their Subject Tests

and achieve their Star Level.

The Cadets arrived on Friday evening and the first job was to organise them into their relevant Star Levels, from Basic Cadets to Inexperienced Cadets, 1 Star, 2 Star, 3 Star and finally 4 Star who are the most senior and experienced Cadets. Allocation of accommodation and camp brief was shortly followed by bed as the Cadets were facing an early start the next day.

Saturday was a busy day for everyone, with adults and Senior Cadets all ready to deliver their lessons on numerous subjects to the Cadets, with the main priority being Navigation, as later in the day all Cadets participated in a Navigation Exercise where they were assessed on their navigation skills relating to their Star level.

Sunday arrived and the excitement for the Drill Competition was clear, with all Detachments going through

their final preparations. The Drill Competition consisted of a Turnout Inspection by the Company Sergeant Major (CSM) where the Cadets’ uniforms are inspected. This was followed by a pre-planned routine of various drill movements, including marching and turns, which each Detachment must complete, with the loss of ½ point for each error made. Drill requires the Cadets to be disciplined and to work as a team, which requires weeks, if not months, of training.

Stoke Gifford Detachment had won the Drill Competition for the last two years, so were hoping to make it a hat-trick of wins. Stoke Gifford Detachment Commander, Staff Sergeant Clark (Stokie) said: “All the other Detachments are more determined than ever this year to beat us as we have won it for the last two years, but we’re not going to give up this trophy without a fight.”

As the inspections finished and each Detachment started their routine, you could see the determination on all the Cadets’ faces. The penultimate Detachment took to the drill square – it was our biggest and probably closest rivals Horfield Detachment, with the added rivalry of Staff Sergeant Clark’s son, Cadet CSM Clark and wife Sgt Clark being members of the Horfield Detachment. A good routine was performed by Horfield which meant Stokie needed to perform to the highest standard to bring the trophy home. Stokie took to the Drill Square and produced an almost faultless display of Drill dropping only 2½ pts overall. The final results spoke for themselves: Stoke Gifford Detachment 22½ pts from a maximum 25pts with Horfield in 2nd a further 6pts behind on 16½ pts. Stoke Gifford Detachment had won

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News the Drill Competition for an unprecedented third time in a row!

SSI Clark said: “I am absolutely over the moon, the Cadets were brilliant out there today, they should be very proud of themselves. It was probably one of the best Drill routines I have ever seen, the Cadets deserve it, they worked so hard over the last couple of weeks.”

Cdt Shannon O’Callaghan collected the Winner’s Shield on behalf of the Detachment, as this was her last camp with the Detachment before she leaves for the sunnier climate of Cyprus with her family, where she will carry on in the Army Cadets, a very fitting way to end her Stoke Gifford Detachment Cadet career.

“She will be sorely missed as she is an excellent Cadet,” added SSI Clark.

“If you’re interested in joining Stoke Gifford Detachment ACF and are between the ages of 12

and 18yrs (and in at least Year 8 at school), come along and give it a try. We are actively recruiting all year round. Just come along to one of our Parade Nights.”

Tuesdays and Thursdays 19:00 – 21:30 hrs Address: Ratcliffe Drive, Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS34 8UE Tel: (HQ) 0117 986 3344 Tel: (Detachment Commander SSI Clark) 07825 326488

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May 2019

News

Splatts Abbey Wood: A small pocket of nature

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s the weather is starting to warm up and the summer months are approaching, Splatts Abbey Wood offers members of the community a local beauty spot that is right on the doorstep of Stoke Gifford. Located next to the Woodpecker’s Nursery at the MOD, it is easily accessible by car, bus or even following the cycle paths from Stoke Gifford.

Although Splatts is only a small woodland area, it offers residents the chance to see local fauna and wildlife that is free and easy to access. It is split into three different sections; the original wood, the ride and the new plantation. In each of these areas, you will find different species of trees as well as a variety of different birds and other animals.

The original wood

This is the largest part of the wood and it is here that you will predominantly find hazel trees, along with hawthorn, elm, ash, oak, rose and holly. The trees in this area have been dated to be about 150 years old. As well as the variety of trees, there are also many plants that cover the ground, such as dog’s mercury and ivy. During the spring, before the canopy closes over, you can also find patches of bluebells, red campion, yellow archangel and wood anemone. Some of these woodland flowers take a long time to establish, meaning their presence indicates an ancient wood (i.e. over 400 years old).

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The ride

Instead of trees, here you will find grasses, thistles, vetches, and willow herbs. Because the vegetation is not tall enough to hide the skies, sunlight can reach the ground here even during the summer meaning flowers can bloom freely. These provide nectar for butterflies and other insects, so this place can feel far more alive than the wood during the summer months. Look out for butterflies, such as speckled wood and gatekeeper, which inhabit woodland edges.

The new plantation

This area of the wood is home to species of trees that grow naturally in our woodlands and hedges and have done so for many millennia. In Splatts wood, these species include oak, ash, hazel, field maple, wild privet, hawthorn and guelder rose.

These are the plants that our native animals are designed to eat and use, which makes this woodland valuable to wildlife as it supports a greater number of creatures.

Animals

If you are interested in wildlife then you may be lucky enough to spot a variety of animals in Splatts wood. Many small creatures, such as grey squirrels, voles and wood mice feast on the hazelnuts that can be found in the wood. Small birds such as finches, titmice, warblers, robins, wrens, blackbirds and dunnocks GENERAL BUILDERS COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC CARPENTRY CONTRACTORS ALL ASPECTS OF CARPENTRY

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Left: Flora and fungi in the wood. Right: Exploring on a family walk.

dwell here as well as larger birds such as magpies, wood pigeons and green woodpeckers.

Little owls and tawny owls have been reported and a pair of sparrowhawks also find the wood to their liking, taking their food from the flocks of smaller birds that inhabit the area. There have even been sightings of deer wandering through the woods on occasion.

Conservation group

Splatts Abbey Wood Conservation Group has a small committee made up of a number of local residents as well as representatives from the University of the West of England’s (UWE’s) student group Greenspace and the Students’ Union. Greenspace does most of the practical work at Splatts, such as clearing debris and picking up litter; they have also done work at other local woodlands. There are also a couple of members from local parish and town councils.

The current committee members include David Bell, Fred Hillberg and Andy Ward, however, they are always looking for new volunteers to join the group. Becoming a member of the conservation group could take up as little (or as much!) time as you like, whether you would like to just attend committee meetings or get more involved with the practical side of caring for the wood.

The passion and commitment that the conservation group has for the wood is clearly shown by the amount of time that they spend ensuring the wood is preserved. Talking about Splatts Wood, Fred said: “Splatts is the last remaining part of what was once an ancient forest which would have connected to the Royal Forest of Kingswood and beyond. In modern times the wood would have been larger than we see it today and I think we have a duty to preserve this part of our heritage for today’s generation to enjoy. It’s a small oasis in a very built up area, let us try, with the help of volunteers, to keep it and maintain it.”

If joining the conservation group is something you feel you might be interested in, you can contact David, Fred or Andy at splattsabw@gmail. com. They also have a website: splattsabbeywood.org.uk Visit the Splatts Abbey Wood website for more information, including the history of the area dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.

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News

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Conservation group members Fred Hillberg (left) and David Bell

UWE Greenspace members with ecologist Rupert Higgins

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May 2019

News

Village Hotel donates 1,000 employee hours to youth work charity

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Bradley Stoke Community Festival 7, 8, 9 JUNE 2019

he area’s newest hotel, Village Hotel Club Bristol, has appointed youth club charity Young Bristol as its official charity partner for 2019.

The partnership will see the hotel donate 1,000 hours of employee time throughout the year to support the charity’s campaigns through fundraising and assisting with the charity’s numerous activities for young people in the city.

The Young Bristol charity partnership is part of the hotel chain’s new volunteering initiative, Village Green.

Launched in September 2018, the Village Green initiative is a national commitment being made

by Village Hotel Clubs across the country to become a welcoming community hub, with the chain offering to donate 30,000 hours to local projects across their 30 hotel sites each year.

The team at Village Hotel Club Bristol will assist with the charity’s youth clubs and help run activities including climbing, abseiling, archery, bushcraft, caving and orienteering, as well as running courses held at Young Bristol’s water-based activity centre at Pooles Wharf on Bristol’s harbourside.

In addition to the volunteered time, the charity will be able

Village Hotel Club Bristol, off Gipsy Patch Lane (opposite Rolls-Royce)

to use the hotel’s high-tech facilities, including the stateof-the-art gym, swimming pool, event suite and business club, V Works. Using the hotel’s extensive meeting spaces, hotel staff will host talks and workshops regarding careers in the hospitality industry to inspire young people.

Young Bristol’s youth clubs have been a prominent and often life-changing place for thousands of children in Bristol since 1928. Generations have been helped by the charity, which has 15 clubs around the city.

The charity provides a city-wide programme of activities and training schemes, supporting over 7,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The charity offers a range of community youth services,

For further information, to book a stall or include your event contact Rob Goodwin 0117 910 9515 info@re-energize.co.uk or Bradley Stoke Town Council 01454 205020

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News

Hotel staff canoeing near Pooles Wharf

outdoor activities, creative arts and informal education for children and young people aged 8-19 years old from some of Bristol’s most deprived areas.

Young Bristol counts many famous Bristol names amongst its alumni; from current mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, Banksy and former world champion boxer Glenn Catley, all of whom found

support and had their talents nurtured through Young Bristol’s schemes and support networks.

Mark McMahon, general manager of Village Hotel Club Bristol, said: “We received many applications from a wide array of charitable organisations before deciding to partner with Young Bristol. We loved the fact we could get really stuck in as a team

and donate our time to help make the charity’s club and activities run smoothly.”

“What struck us was the heritage of Young Bristol – its 90-year commitment to the betterment of Bristol’s young people is astounding and this is a partnership we’re incredibly excited and enthusiastic to be part of.”

Lucy Saunders, development and fundraising manager for Young Bristol, commented: “We are thrilled to have been chosen as the charity partner for Village Hotel Club Bristol. We are really excited to be working together and the support of the hotel team will help us to positively and sustainably impact the lives of local children and young people.”

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May 2019

News Charity begins… in the toy library!

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Brownie from Stoke Gifford has donated a box of cat food, treats and toys to Bristol Cats Protection as part of her work towards gaining the newly introduced Charity interest badge.

Ruth (aged 8), and her family, adopted a cat from the charity in August last year and so, when choosing a charity to support, she was keen to continue helping local cats. She made a poster about the charity and put a collection box inside the Stoke Gifford Toy Library for a month.

In early April, she visited the Bedminster Cats Protection charity shop to hand over the goodies kindly donated by Stoke Gifford residents.

Sarah, manager at the store, was very pleased to receive the goodies and was impressed by Ruth’s efforts with her poster and collection box. Ruth said: “I love my cat, Nala, and wanted to do more to help other cats who don’t yet have homes. I thought they would like some treats and toys to help cheer them up while they are waiting to be adopted.”

Hedgehog, assistant leader at 1st Stoke Gifford Brownies, said: “The Charity badge is just one of the exciting new interest badges that can be earned by Brownies as part of the new Girlguiding programme. I’d like to thank the residents of Stoke Gifford who supported Ruth in her efforts, and hope they’ll be happy to do so again if another Brownie decides to hold a collection in future.”

Ruth hands over the collected treats

Girlguiding units across the area are always looking for volunteers to help deliver their programme of activities – if you’d like to find out more, please contact fromevalleydivision@ girlguidingbsg.org.uk

Official opening of the toy library

The toy library, opened in autumn 2018, is housed within an old telephone kiosk at The Green, Stoke Gifford. It works on a self-service basis and is unlocked by volunteers each day.

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News

First-ever camp for Little Stoke Beavers

A

re you afraid of the Gruffalo? Well, the 1st Little Stoke Beaver Scouts certainly aren’t!

The weekend of 23rd and 24th March saw a group of sixteen excited Beavers spend just over 24 hours at Woodhouse Park campsite near Almondsbury, staying in the Lovell Centre.

On arrival the Beavers all enjoyed their packed lunches before one group enjoyed facing their fears and conquering the ‘low ropes’ course.

Group leader Tony Edmonds, was very impressed with the Beavers, saying: “All of the leaders were extremely proud of the behaviour and teamwork of all of the Beavers. Many of them were worried about the low ropes course, but with the support of their fellow Beavers, they faced their fears and didn’t give up.”

The remaining Beavers went on a Gruffalo and bug hunt in the large expanse of woods around Woodhouse Park. The Beavers were challenged to try to fill a small box with one item to represent each letter of the alphabet. Some excellent suggestions were made, and the Beavers quickly realised that the smaller the item, the better.

Unfortunately, no one managed to squeeze a Gruffalo in, and the

unicorn was clearly exploring elsewhere!

After the groups had switched around, it was time to make their bunk beds. Laughter was heard from all the bedrooms as the Beavers all tried to put fitted sheets on their bunk beds, clearly a life skill which needs more practice! After all the rooms were set up, the Beavers enjoyed a meal together before settling around the campfire for an evening of singing, toasting marshmallows and more laughter. The evening was finished off with hot chocolate while listening to the story of the Gruffalo.

The next morning started early, with breakfast, tidying, sorting, playing, including parachute games. All the Beavers, adult helpers and leaders had an amazing time, and as a result of her super organisation, Beaver leader Gemma Oram has passed her indoor overnight stay warrant. On top of this, two of the Beavers also achieved their Chief Scout’s Bronze Award, which is the highest award Beavers can achieve.

Ollie, one of the Beavers who attended the camp, enjoyed a variety of different activities but said: “My favourite part was sitting around the fire toasting

marshmallows, singing and then going back inside to warm up with hot chocolate.”

If you would like any more information on getting involved with 1st Little Stoke Scout Group, please contact group Scout leader Tony Edmonds on 07957 880503 or email tonyedmonds108@ yahoo.com Above and right: Beavers try out the obstacle course and low ropes Below: Beavers outside their quarters

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May 2019

News

Big Clean goes international, thanks to Scouts

S

couts from the Old School Room troop of the 1st Stoke Gifford Group donated four hours of their time to clean a beach on Cyprus during a camping trip that took place over the Easter school holiday.

The initiative was organised jointly with the 48th Dhekelia Scout Troop, who were hosting the visitors on the island.

The Stoke Gifford Scouts had taken with them blue South Gloucestershire Council litterpicking bags and disposable gloves from their earlier participation in the council’s Big Clean month (see page 21).

A total of 18 Scouts and their leaders plus the Dhekelia Scout Troop leaders walked from one end of the pebbled beach to the other, collecting anything that shouldn’t have been there. The final tally was five fully filled bags which they left for the local council to collect a few days later.

Scout leaders report that the youngsters from Stoke Gifford were very meticulous in their work, despite it being a hot day.

The reward for all their hard work was a trip to a local airconditioned bowling alley where they were joined by the Dhekelia Scouts and all spent time together making friends and having fun.

The beach clean was inspired after the troop had received a

talk from Anne Baker, a member of the UK Expedition Challenge that sailed around the UK towing a ‘manta trawl’ to analyse the amount of microplastics in the ocean.

Scout leader Andrew Phelps, who led the trip, said: “I am so proud of my troop for wanting to spend some of their time in Cyprus doing something to help the environment. They were

fantastic representatives of the 1st Stoke Gifford Scouts and of the whole Scouting community.”

“The Scouts really wanted to help the environment with a beach clean. The weather was great and what a fantastic place to do it!”

If you would like to find out more about the 1st Stoke Gifford Scouts, visit their website at www.stokegiffordscouts.co.uk

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

Parish Council Updates The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council will take place at Little Stoke Social Club on Tuesday 21st May 2019 from 7pm-8pm. The Annual Public Assembly will take place from 8pm-9pm. These meetings will provide a great opportunity for residents to meet newly elected local councillors.

The Parish Council have successfully recruited a replacement groundsperson; the role has been filled by Steve who is local resident and reveals that he is “excited to get stuck in with the new challenge!” Please feel free to say hello to Steve when you see him in the local park areas. The Parish also welcomes Kirsty, who has been recruited for the full-time administrative and marketing role. Kirsty has already launched a Facebook Page for the Little Stoke Community Hall and would love you to hit ‘like’. Just search Little Stoke Community Hall and head for the Parish Council owl logo.

There has also been a page launched for The Stokes Youth and Community Centre. Both pages will be kept up to date with events that are happening at the venues plus hall hire and 3G pitch hire information.

The Little Stoke Community Hall has had a new public address (PA) system installed.

The professional sound system is a brilliant new asset in preparation for the new café installation. This means we are now able to use microphones for public addresses, in both the main hall and the café, as well as play music.

The start of the good weather means the return of the Little Stoke Community Car Boot

STOKE GIFFORD PARISH COUNCIL OFFICE Little Stoke Community Hall PUBLIC ACCESS TIMES MONDAY 9am – 12 noon & 2pm - 4pm TUESDAY 9am – 12 noon WEDNESDAY 9am – 12 noon THURSDAY 9am – 12 noon FRIDAY 9am – 12 noon Please contact the office if you wish to arrange an appointment outside of the public access times.

See below for contact details.

Sale on Saturday 25th May at Little Stoke Park, and then continuing on 29th June, 27th July and 31st August – weather permitting. There is no booking required; prices are cars £5 and vans £8. Sellers are to set up at 12pm and buyers to arrive from 12.30pm onwards. The event is free to attend, however there will be volunteers dotted around the park collecting donations for local charities.

Stoke Gifford Fête

Funfair in Little Stoke Park

The small funfair plans to arrive in Little Stoke Park on Wednesday 1st May to set up, and will be operational from Friday 3rd May 5pm-7pm.

Each 2-hour session will be £5.99 for unlimited rides. The sessions are Saturday 1pm-3pm, 3pm-5pm, 5pm-7pm. Sunday 1pm-3pm, 3pm5pm, 5pm-7pm and Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May, 5pm-7pm. The Kids Zone will be ideal for smaller children with different little rides and attractions to choose.

The Stoke Gifford Fête is also making a return this year on 27th May (Bank Holiday Monday).

This will be held at the Stoke Gifford Trust Ground. It is a fab day out with lots of games, children’s rides and food stalls, the main fête takes place between 2pm and 5pm, with a dog show from 1pm to 4pm – enter your dog for £1.

The Parish Council will be holding a raffle with some great prizes to be won (the funds raised are invested into future fêtes). See the article on page 25 for more details.

Stoke Gifford Fête

MAY 2019 COUNCIL MEETINGS Please refer to noticeboards and Parish Council website.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL 7pm, Tuesday, 21st May 2019 Little Stoke Social Club ANNUAL PUBLIC ASSEMBLY 8pm, Tuesday, 21st May 2019 Little Stoke Social Club PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (4th Tuesday of Month) 7pm, Tuesday, 28th May 2019 Little Stoke Community Hall

Stoke Gifford Parish Council, Little Stoke Community Hall Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke BS34 6HR t: 01454 865202 e: clerk@stokegifford.org.uk w: www.stokegifford.org.uk

no O n- pe re n sid to en ts

Mondays 10:30–11:00 Balanceability (fall prevention) 11:45–13:00 Oil painting with Vince 13:30–15:00 Bowls/Chess/Pétanque 14:00–15:00 Reminiscence Aimee 15:30–16:30 Tai Chi 18:00–19:00 Circuit training Tuesdays 10:00–12:00 Arts and crafts 10:00–12:00 IT support with Brian 14:00–16:00 Afternoon social 14:00–15:00 SOSA (seated dance fitness) 18:30–19:30 Zumba Gold (all abilities) 19:00–21:00 Snooker Session Wednesdays 10:00–12:00 Acorn and Oaks playgroup 10:30–12:00 Reading aloud a short story and poetry 14:00–14:30 Balanceability (fall prevention) 16:30–17:00 Wise Owl after school club (5 June only)

Free activities for everyone!

To celebrate the opening of our new village, we are offering free leisure and well-being activities for all throughout June. Come and join our residents in any of our listed activities.

For more information please email stokegifford@extracare.org.uk or call 0117 440 3000

Thursdays 10:30–11:30 Circuit training 11:00–12:00 Knit and natter 13:30–15:00 GAME ON! Social afternoon with boards and puzzles 15:30–16:30 Bristol Bears multi sports Fridays 10:30–11:30 Coffee morning 14:00–15:00 Relaxation and mindfulness 15:30–17:00 Songs of praise with tea and biscuits (7 June only) Saturdays 10:00–12:00 Table tennis 18:30–20:30 Saturday night at the movies (1 and 29 June only) 19:00 Games night Sundays 10:00–12:00 Table tennis 19:00

Quiz night (23 June only)

Stoke Gifford Retirement Village Off Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1EJ Registered Charity No. 327816.

May 2019

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News

Local food bank use up 9% year-on-year

N

orth Bristol Foodbank has reported another big increase in demand for its service, with 4,536 three-day emergency food parcels handed out to local people between April 2018 and March 2019.

The local figures feed into a larger national picture, with a record increase in food bank use across the UK being reported by the Trussell Trust, a national charity which coordinates the UK’s only nationwide network of food banks.

The figures from North Bristol Foodbank represent a 9 percent increase on the same period last year. The organisation has also highlighted a 30 percent increase in usage between January and April 2019 compared to the same period a year earlier.

The charity believes the local increase is mainly due to people struggling with continued issues with Universal Credit, although it points out that it is not the only benefit payment people referred to the food bank have experienced problems with.

The food bank has needed to give emergency food and support to people who are waiting at least five weeks for a first Universal Credit payment, people who are unable to access support and people who receive payments that don’t cover the cost of essentials.

Matt Dobson, food bank manager of North Bristol Foodbank, said: “No one in North Bristol should need a food bank’s help and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all. It doesn’t have to be this way - our benefits system is supposed to protect us all from being swept into poverty.

Universal Credit should be part of the solution but currently the five-week wait is leaving many without enough money to cover the basics. This isn’t right.”

“Until we reach a future where food banks are no longer needed, we’ll continue to provide vital support when it matters most.

We’re dedicated to ensuring that people in our community without enough money for food are able to access emergency support.

Our vital work in the community has only been possible in the last year because of the incredible generosity shown by local people in donating food, time and funds.

Thank you.”

The running costs for the food bank are raised locally to enable them to continue their work.

Costs include warehouse space, to sort and stock donated food, a van to pick up donated food and deliver to distribution centres, and other overheads like utilities and insurances. The food bank welcomes any new offers of help with funding – local businesses, organisations and individuals interested in supporting the food bank’s work can find out more at northbristol.foodbank.org.uk/ give-help For local residents wishing to donate items of food, there is a public collection point located alongside the customer service desk within the Sainsbury’s store in Stoke Gifford. Please consult the North Bristol Foodbank website to see a list of items that are urgently needed.

The closest food bank outlet for those needing support is at St Chad’s Church, Rodway Road, Patchway (open 10am to 12pm each Thursday).

North Bristol Foodbank works in cooperation with a number of local agencies using a voucher referral system. These include Citizens Advice, children’s centres and health visitors. To find out more about the agencies that hold vouchers and how you can get help, phone the food bank on 0117 979 1399.

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What’s On

Barnardo’s fun day set for Saturday 1st June

T

he Barnardo’s charity shop located on Ratcliffe Drive in Stoke Gifford (next door to Tesco Express) will be holding a fun day on Saturday 1st June.

After the success of last year’s ‘raise £1,000 in a month’ challenge, staff at the store have been asked to complete the task again. In 2018, the target was set in September and through a variety of fundraising events, the store was able to raise nearly £1,300. This year, they are hoping to exceed the target by an even greater margin.

The fun day is taking place at the store between 10.30am and 4pm. There will be a whole host of activities, including a bouncy castle (weather permitting), cake sale, raffle and lucky dip. There is even going to be a take-away cream tea stall where you can buy a scone with jam and clotted cream and a tea bag – to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

The members of staff who are organising the fun day are also looking for volunteers – whether it is to help on the day or to donate cakes or prizes. If this is something that you think you might be interested in, please contact store associates Julie Britt or Natasha Kirby by popping into the shop or calling 0117 931 4115.

Julie is also going to be fundraising at Morrisons, Cribbs Causeway on 14th May from 10am to 5pm. If you would like to volunteer any of your time, please contact her at the Barnardo’s store or on the above number.

The Journal Send us your news!

June magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 20th May

Barnardo’s staff at the 2018 fun day, which raised over £500 for the charity

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Due to more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured under the WLTP are in many cases higher compared to those measured under the NEDC. More information can be found by visiting www.WLTPfacts.eu * £500 Finance Deposit Contribution only available on selected models between 1 April 2019 and 31 May 2019 and registered and financed through Toyota Financial Services by 31 May 2019. Financial Services (UK) PLC; registered office Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5UZ. Motorline Toyota are Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. Offer may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Toyota Centres are independent of Toyota Financial Services. Participating Toyota Centres only. Affordable finance through AccessToyota (PCP). Terms and conditions apply. Motorline Toyota are a credit broker not a lender and we may introduce you to a select panel of lenders for which we may receive a commission.**All prices correct at time of going to press. Savings based on MRRP. Please note models portrayed are for illustration purposes only. Offers can be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Individual cars featured are subject to limited group availability. Vehicles subject to group stock availability and correct at time of going to print. Please call your local Motorline centre to arrange your appointment and check availability prior to travelling.

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19

Sport

Co-op store steps in with kit to keep Lions warm

T

raining sessions are about to get a bit warmer for the Stoke Lane Lions Under-10s football teams, thanks to a donation from a local Cooperative store.

The community-based youth football team has bought new training hoodies for all 22 players thanks to a £500 donation from Southern Co-op’s store in North Road, Stoke Gifford.

The hoodies will help keep them warm as they train in all weathers.

Alex Whitton, Store Manager at Southern Co-op’s Stoke Gifford store, said: “All the children have at the moment is their main kit provided by the club. They were in need of something to help them keep warm when it gets cold or they are waiting around on the pitch.”

“They love playing football, so hopefully this will help them play in all weathers. The club is very local and it gives children of all ages the opportunity to participate in organised football.”

“My own son has played in the team since he was five or six years old, so it is great to watch him and the other players growing.”

The U10 Lions team, which is run exclusively by parents and volunteers, is now playing in its third season. It forms part of Stoke Lane AFC, which prides itself on being family-orientated, with players of every age group at

the heart of the club.

The club’s vision is to help players realise their full footballing potential, grow in confidence and build team spirit in a safe and positive environment.

Stephen Powell, team manager of the U10 Lions, said: “We have grown from having just seven players to now having 22,

and they do work very hard on a Saturday morning. We have seen a massive development in all the kids – the way they have progressed and the way they have come up the rankings. They really enjoy themselves.”

The Co-op store in Stoke Gifford supported the youth football club as part of Southern Co-op’s community engagement

programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’.

This initiative addresses four key social themes for promoting: ‘Greener’, ‘Healthier’, ‘Safer’, and ‘More Inclusive’ neighbourhoods.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to the local community, visit www. thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/ makingadifference

JUNE ISSUE Do you have a news item that you think would be of interest to our readers?

We would love to include your news in the next issue of our magazine.

Please get in touch by the copy deadline of Monday 20th May Tel: 01454 300 400 stokegiffordjournal.co.uk/ contact-us Or send us a message via our Facebook page ‘Stoke Gifford Journal’ To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

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Schools

Electrifying performance at Abbeywood School

By Rachel Land, English teacher at ACS

W

ith a sensational ensemble and band to match, ‘Grease’ certainly electrified Abbeywood Community School (ACS)!

The world famous musical follows rebellious teenager Danny Zuko (Jay) and sweet Sandy Dombrowski (Emily) as their relationship struggles to deal with the peer pressures of Rydell High.

From the moment the cast burst onto the stage for ‘Grease is the Word’, the audience seemed utterly enthralled.

Emily shined as Sandy, as did the rest of the Pink Ladies, especially Gwen with her stellar performance as Frenchie and Anna as Rizzo.

All the expected and adrenalin-

fuelled scenes were delivered to an impeccably high standard, from the fast-paced memorable high school dance off, the witty humoured comments from Jan (Caitlin), Sonny (Joe), Roger (Jacob) and Patty (Jolie) to the impressive solos of ‘Freddie, My Love’ (Eva) and the eternally catchy ‘Greased Lightning’ performed by the talented Daniel as Kenickie with help from Doody (William) and Danny!

The energy of the show never dropped with the ensemble of swaggering yet goofy T-Birds and the effortlessly cool Pink Ladies driving the pace – with the help of lots of hair gel and hairspray!

The ensemble really helped the audience feel like they should be on stage, particularly during the famous Rydell High dance.

Costumes are at the heart of Grease – from the array of

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vibrant swing dresses to the bold leather jackets, the costumes are a fitting tribute to the 1950s. Well done to Mrs Davies and the many textiles students for their hard work!

The choreography throughout the show was phenomenal.

Abbeywood certainly has many creative students (and teachers!).

And let’s not forget the two people who truly have (hopelessly) devoted many months into ensuring Grease was a success – Mr Jones and Mr Clarke. On behalf of all the students and the whole of ACS, THANK YOU! Wow, ACS, you proved that Grease truly is the word.

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May 2019

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News

Scouts give Stoke Gifford parks a spring clean

S

unday 31st March saw 14 members of the local Scout Group and five adults giving up part of their weekend to help tidy up some of the parks in Stoke Gifford.

With equipment such as bags and litter pickers provided by South Gloucestershire Council, they made their way around the village, making it a cleaner and nicer place to live and visit.

Starting at The Old School Rooms, they walked up to the Poplar Rooms park, where they collected three large bin bags full of litter as well as a car wheel with tyre. The rubbish was then left tied up at the car park entrance, ready to be collected by the StreetCare department.

As soon as the Poplar Rooms park was looking clean and tidy, the Scouts made their way down to Meade Park, picking up litter en route. Once at the park, they filled a further six large bags with rubbish and even found a large carpet!

After a short break for lunch, the Scouts continued their hard work by planting 78 saplings in the park with help from Jenny James, chair of the Friends of Meade Park group, who showed them where they needed to go.

Scout troop leader Andrew Phelps said: “We would like to thank the Woodland Trust who provided us with the saplings.

They are going to make such a difference in the park.”

The Scouts still have more saplings which will be planted at a later date in Forty Acres, with help from their conservation group at a later date. After a day of hard work, the Scouts headed back to The Old School Rooms at about 2pm to spend the rest of Mothering Sunday with their families.

Describing the day, Andrew said: “The Scouts had fun litter picking and received several lovely comments from dog walkers and park users saying we were doing a great job. It is always good to give back to our community and the Old School Rooms troop regularly give up

Top: Scouts gather outside The Old Schools Rooms prior to the start of their litter picking walk.

Above: Scouts plant saplings in Meade Park, under the supervision of Jenny James of the Friends group (2nd from right).

their time to do this.”

Now that the Scouts have shown their hard work and commitment, Jenny has asked if the troop can help with future voluntary work at Meade Park, including the planting of a 4ft oak tree which has been donated

by a local resident, and doing some nature trails which will also form part of their badge work.

She said: “This was the first joint event with the Scouts and we look forward to further co-operative events including tree planting and a series of educational

tree walks in the park over the summer and autumn periods.”

To find out more about the Friends of Meade Park visit their Facebook page or email Jenny at friendsofmeadepark@gmail.com

● www.stokegiffordscouts.co.uk

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May 2019

News

Final call for Stars of the Stokes nominations

L

ocal residents have just a few more days to make nominations for the 2019 Stars of the Stokes community awards, as the closing date of 10th May draws near.

Shortlisted nominees will be honoured at a glittering black tie awards night to be held at the Aztec Hotel & Spa on 21st June.

The event will be hosted by comedian and quiz player Paul Sinha, best known for his role as the fourth chaser in ITV’s popular quiz show ‘The Chase’.

The awards, now in their fourth year, are promoted by the Willow Brook Centre and sponsored by local businesses, including the Bradley Journal and the Stoke Gifford Journal.

For more information about the Stars of the Stokes Awards or to make a nomination, visit starsofthestokes.co.uk

STARS OF THE STOKES

Event host: Paul Sinha “The Sinnerman”

Brought to you by

WillowBrookCentre This month, Willow Brook Centre has once again launched its popular annual community awards programme, Stars of the Stokes.

2019 is the fourth year of the awards, which cover Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Winterbourne, Patchway, Almondsbury and Frampton Cotterell and comes on the back of increased nominations each year.

Willow Brook Centre works with a variety of local businesses to sponsor and promote the awards, led locally by the Bradley Stoke Journal and the Stoke Gifford Journal, and the awards night itself is broadcast live on Bradley Stoke Radio.

The awards categories are: • Star Teacher • Champion Carer • Pre-School Carer of theHOW Year TO NOMINATE Members • Parent/Guardian in a Million of the public are invited to nominate anyone from the local area who they feel deserves recognition for • Achievement Against the Odds outstanding community engagement and/or achievement of • Coach of the Year personal goals. Nominations can be made on starsofthestokes.co.uk. The glittering awards night will be • Bailey Cooper Young Hero hosted by Paul Sinha at Aztec Hotel & Spa on Friday 21st • Unsung Hero June. Paul is best known for his role as the 4th chaser, Nominations close 10th May! referred to as ‘The smiling assasin’, on the popular quiz show ‘The Chase’

Andy Wynn, manager of Willow Brook Centre said: “Willow Brook is at the heart of the community and Stars of the Stokes has become an important part of our annual calendar.

It has been four years since we first launched the awards, and we have been delighted to see the number of nominations grow as each year passes. We are forever grateful to the many local people who have gone out of their way to help us recognise local heroes”.

“We are delighted to work with our sponsors on this year’s awards, and are looking forward to seeing the nominations start to come in and to meeting some more of the leading lights in our community on 21st June.”

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SUPPORTED BY

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Schools

DofE Award scheme gets under way at Abbeywood School

M

ore than 30 students from Years 9 and 12 at Abbeywood Community School (ACS) in Stoke Gifford have been training hard in recent months as the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award scheme has been introduced at the school for the first time. Cole Simpson, a teaching assistant at the school, is co-ordinating the scheme and is supporting the students as they work towards their qualifying expedition in July.

The DofE Award is very popular amongst young people around the country. It is available to people between the ages of 1424 and consists of three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Within each level, the participants need to complete four different sections – volunteering, physical, skills and expedition.

Mr Simpson said: “The school decided to run the DofE Award scheme to give students the opportunity to challenge themselves, give something back to the local community, improve their employability and help the wider community. I personally got involved because I like hiking and I wanted to be part of the expeditions. I also wanted to complete the award myself – although I am too old, so I am completing the sections anyway so I can fully understand the demands of DofE.” After a successful fundraiser, the first Bronze DofE Award practice expedition was able to take place over the weekend of 16th and 17th March. The expedition saw the students using the skills they had learned and practised to make their way on foot from the outskirts of Pilning to Woodhouse Park Scout Camp near Almondsbury.

The kit needed for the expedition was bought with money raised at a quiz night

held at Abbeywood Community School on Friday 1st March.

The evening was deemed a huge success as over £300 was raised to go towards vital kit and travel costs for the expedition. The quiz was hosted by Abbeywood staff, Mr Clarke and Miss Sykes and organised by Mr Simpson, who said: “I would like to personally thank all those who supported the event. The money raised will go a long way in ensuring that the DofE Award scheme is successful at the school.”

Back in January, the students completing the award attended a skills day where they were taught navigation skills from a qualified instructor. Their first expedition gave them the chance to put these skills into practice as they made their way to the Scout camp. Despite the occasional bad weather, all of the students enjoyed the weekend and the opportunity to demonstrate their culinary skills as they produced a whole host of camp food, from pasta in sauce to fully loaded hotdogs!

Now that the students have completed the practice expedition, they can now finish preparing for the qualifying expedition that will take place on 9th and 10th July on the Mendip Hills. Although they are expecting the terrain to be more taxing, they are also hoping that the weather will be a lot better!

Once the qualifying expedition has been completed, the students can then move on to

the Silver Award in September.

Mr Simpson is hoping that the majority of those completing the Bronze Award will continue with the Silver Award as the DofE provides many benefits for the students. He said: “DofE benefits students in many ways: it builds confidence, helps improves fitness and gives participants an appreciation for the outdoors, as well as helping improve their college/university applications.”

Although this year, the DofE Bronze Award was only open to students in Years 9 and 12, next year, the school are hoping to run the Bronze and Silver Awards which will be open to Years 9, 10, 12 and 13.

To find out more about what the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award involves, visit www.dofe.org

● Visit the Abbeywood

Community School website at www.abbeywoodschool.com

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Get well · Stay well

A

May 2019

by Moira de Groot, foot health practitioner at Willow Brook Clinic

Summer feet

t last a promise of sunshine! We can pack away our winter boots and thick warm socks! We can think about our summer holidays!

Beach, sun and sandals! Or does the thought of summer sandals fill you with dread?

They carry us more than 150,000 miles in a lifetime, but we rarely give our poor, hard-worn feet any thought.

That’s until the sun starts shining - and we ditch our coats and dig out our summer footwear.

So after six months of scrunching them into winter boots, sweating them out in trainers and squeezing them into high heels, it’s time to repay our feet with a little TLC. A seasonal makeover is an excellent way to introduce a more regular regime for looking after our feet. Think quarterly MOT for feet!

From aches and pains to smells and fungal problems, corns, blisters and more serious infections – foot problems are no laughing matter.

Sometimes, these foot conditions can also lead to further health difficulties, affecting the hips, knees and back. Foot problems can also lead to self-esteem issues and mobility can be affected.

As ever, prevention is key.

Regular maintenance will help prevent problems and keep your feet healthy. It’s the simple things – like careful foot hygiene, exercise and the correct footwear that make a difference. Inspect your feet for cuts, discolouration and cracks - early discovery makes problems easier to treat.

Just as winter threatens hazards such as sweaty feet and confinement, summer offers its own complications for our feet. In the warmer weather, our feet can swell, so make sure there is plenty of room and adjust your shoes if necessary.

Wearing sandals or flip-flops can often create ridges of hard skin or callus’ around the heels.

Flip-flops are not designed for prolonged use. They offer no support – ideal for around the pool or on the beach, but not great for a day out shopping.

Use a good moisturiser to keep your feet soft and your skin supple.

Always seek the help of a qualified foot health practitioner if you have any concerns about your feet.

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May 2019

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25

What’s On

Bank holiday village fête set to draw the crowds

T

he annual Stoke Gifford Village Fête will be held at the Trust Grounds, North Road, from 2pm to 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 27th May, writes Tanya Booth of the Stoke Gifford Trust.

This year there will be traditional rides, bouncy castles, donkey rides, entertainer Marky Jay, barbecue, tea and cake, side shows, craft stalls and much more. Paw Patrol, Paddington and Mr Incredible will be visiting too. Filton Concert Brass Band will be playing, Stokes Singers will be singing and Stoke Gifford Taekwondo will be staging a demonstration.

The stalls will include the WI cake stall, Little Stoke Garden Society plants and crafts, cupcakes, sweets and cards.

The Fun Dog Show is always popular at the top of the field, run

by DAWG (a Bristol greyhound and lurcher rescue charity) and

volunteers. There is an entry fee of just £1 per dog and judging starts at 1pm.

The aim of the fête is to provide a fun afternoon for the people of Stoke Gifford. The Trust Hall, Poplar Rooms and field are run by a registered charity after the land was left to the people of Stoke Gifford in the 1940s. This is a way of the trustees carrying out their charitable aims by providing a fun event for the village where local clubs and groups can take part too.

The fête is financed by donations on the day and a grant of £1,000 towards this from Stoke Gifford Parish Council.

We do not seek to make a profit but need to cover the cost of putting on the event. The 1st Stoke Gifford Scout Group helps by providing tents, a barbecue and volunteers and members of St Michael’s Church and local businesses are among the many

volunteers needed. Any surplus taken is used for future events.

There isn’t a formal charge to enter, but we do ask for donations on entry and for the activities and refreshments.

There is no parking on site (other than for Blue Badge holders) and local streets become full early, so we suggest you leave your cars at home if possible. If there is heavy rain, the event will not go ahead

for safety reasons – please check our website and Facebook page for updates on the day.

Stalls are still available for local groups or craftsmen (£10 for non-charitable groups).

If you would like to volunteer to help on the day, we would love to hear from you. Please email contact@stokegiffordtrust. org.uk or visit our website stokegiffordtrust.org.uk

Fun Dog Show at a previous Stoke Gifford fête

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May 2019

News

First aid training for USA-bound Scouts Young people from all over Avon benefit from the Aviva Community Fund and Tesco Bags of Help

By Andrew Phelps, Avon Scouts AVONATION UNIT 70 was formed 18 months ago to prepare those who will be attending the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA in July 2019.

After all the administration tasks and branding, the next thing on the agenda was what training the 40 members (36 young people and four adult leaders) thought would be essential for while they were away. A ‘first response’ first aid course was top of the list and so the leaders made enquiries into venues, instructors and funding.

The instructor was the easy bit, but it could only be held on Easter Sunday. The location was

very central in the county being at Little Stoke Scout HQ. Funding was a bit trickier, so the unit applied to the Aviva Community Fund and Tesco Bags of Help.

Tesco replied to say that there were hundreds of applications and the unit probably wouldn’t get through by the time we went off to America, whereas the Aviva Community Fund was a ‘go’ from the start. Both applications went in and Avonation got through the people’s vote and the judges’ vote of the Aviva application and were given money towards their course. Then, a few days later out of the blue, Tesco sent an email to say the unit had been selected and were going to be in every store in the north of Bristol for

March and April. The blue token voting has been a close-cut thing for all three applicants and our first aid project will soon find out how much money it is going to receive.

On Easter Sunday, the unit met up at Little Stoke Scout HQ and spent 8 hours learning all the skills they’d need for any first aid emergency on the Jamboree, including animal and snake bites. The whole day was fantastic with lovely sunny weather, but the most fun part had to be the ambulance racing which was an exercise into how effective the participants’ CPR techniques were (every time they pressed down on the dummy’s chest or breathed into its mouth correctly, the computer graphic

ambulances would advance down the course). All four patrols could compete together, and the winners were Lamas Patrol.

I would like to say ‘thank you’ to all the residents who voted for the unit in both competitions and a big ‘thank you’ to Mark for giving up his Easter Sunday and day off to train the participants.

Not only did the unit have a great day of first aid, but it was also yet another day to bond and get to know each another better for the three weeks they’ll be away.

An added benefit is that the first aid certificate is a nationally recognised qualification which the young people can put down on their CVs. Finally, thanks to Aviva and Tesco for funding the course!

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May 2019

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27

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News

Deck of new accessible footbridge installed

T

he deck of a new accessible footbridge at Patchway Station was hoisted into position by a giant crane over the Easter weekend, during a fourday closure of the railway.

The previous footbridge needed to be replaced because it had insufficient clearance from the new overhead wires which are being installed as part of the multi-billion pound Great Western Mainline (GWML) electrification programme.

The new footbridge will be fully accessible for wheelchair users as it will incorporate lifts at each end, the shafts for which can be seen in the photo.

A temporary footbridge was installed at the station last year, allowing it to continue to function while the old bridge was being dismantled and the new one installed.

The design of the new bridge has resulted in the loss of one of

Patchway Station

three existing disabled parking spaces at the station. Officers at South Glos Council deemed this to be acceptable as it is “more than offset by the improvements to overall accessibility through the provision of lifts”.

Network Rail has said the new footbridge will be open for passengers “by the summer”.

Other work carried out during the Easter closure included the installation of more overhead wires between Patchway and

the Severn Tunnel, along with drainage and wiring work inside the two Patchway tunnels.

Further weekend engineering works are planned on the line between June and October. ● More info: bit.ly/nr-south-glos

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May 2019

News

In Brief Stoke Gifford WI April meeting Vice president Margaret Robins, welcomed members and guests to the April meeting, writes Sandra Hulin.

Our president, Sue Grimstead, was unable to attend tonight and sent her apologies. We also had apologies from our secretary, Margaret Smailes, who is recovering from a knee operation.

Our speaker for the evening was Daphne Atkinson on ‘Life below Stairs’. She talked about her mother, who worked at Ickworth House in the 1930s. She read the story that her mother had written, describing what it was like being a housemaid back in the 30s. It was very interesting and amusing, but sounded like extremely hard work.

Next, we were reminded by Margaret of our charity sales table and that any money made would go do DAWG (a Bristol greyhound and lurcher rescue charity). We were also reminded that tickets were still on sale for our social skittles at Hambrook Club on 27th April. We then went through group news – several outings are coming up. A board with dates and details was on the table for the members to read.

This month’s competition for our favourite cup and saucer was won by Barbara Stevens and the raffle was won by Tash.

You will always find a warm welcome, as well as tea and cake, so please come along and join us.

Meetings take place at the Trust Hall, North Road, Stoke Gifford, starting at 7.30pm.

Grants available for community groups

Volunteers needed to support summer reading challenge in local libraries

Community groups and social enterprises in South Gloucestershire are being invited to apply for council grants.

Area Wide Grants are available for community projects, services, events and activities that benefit residents in at least six of South Gloucestershire Council’s 14 Community Engagement Forum (CEF) areas. More information about CEFs is available at www. southglos.gov.uk/cef The maximum grant amount is £3,000, although there is flexibility for higher awards for both exceptional circumstances and budget availability.

The deadline for submitting applications is midnight on Wednesday 8th May. All organisations must complete registration details online and have these approved prior to application. outh Gloucestershire summer reading challenge was a South Gloucestershire Libraries are looking for friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to join the team More information for Libraries areReading looking for 2019. joy to see, and I was glad to be a running Space Chase, Summer Challenge applicants is available at www. friendly and enthusiastic part of that”.

Volunteers will spend their timethe supporting Summer southglos.gov.uk/AWG volunteers to join team children to do the More thanReading 5,000 Challenge, childrentalking with the books they’re readingSummer and helping at a range fun in activities in the library.

This is a great To view all the types of grantthem about running Space Chase, took of part last year’s Summer opportunity to develop skills in communication, team working and creative projects, whilst having fun and currently available through South Reading Challenge 2019.

Reading Challenge helped by 60 making new friends.

Gloucestershire Council, visit Volunteers will spend their volunteers. The theme of this www.southglos.gov.uk/grants time supporting children year’shelping challenge is Space Mason, who volunteered last summer said “I've really enjoyed out this summer.Chase It's been really good to develop my communication and problem-solving definitely to do the Summer Reading – skills our which superI know spacewill family, thebe invaluable for me inChallenge, the future. The excitement reading that children still have or had gained byhelp the end talking withofthem Rockets, need children’s to of the summer reading challenge was a joy to see, and I was glad to be a part of that”. about the books they’re reading track down books that have been and helping a range nabbed Aliens!helped As children More than 5,000 childrenattook part inof lastfun year’s Summer Readingby Challenge by 60 volunteers. The in the library. read library books over theme ofactivities this year’s challenge is Space This Chase is – our super spacesix family, the Rockets, need the children’s help to track down books opportunity that have been nabbed

by Aliens! As summer children read 6 library books over the summer they a great to develop they collect special to complete their mission. skillsstickers in communication, team stickers to complete their mission.

June magazine collect special working and creative projects, Volunteers must be aged 13 Deadline for contributions: The closing date for applications is 30 June. Volunteers must be aged 13 or over. For more information ask fun and making library, email or over.

The closing date for Monday 20th May a memberwhilst or visit of staffhaving at any South Gloucestershire libraryvolunteers@southglos.gov.uk new friends. applications is 30th June. www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries. info@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk Mason, who volunteered last For more information ask a Like us onsummer, Facebook www.facebook.com/sgloslibraries and follow us Twitter @southgloslibs said “I’ve really enjoyed member ofon staff at any South for the latest Space Chase mission updates. helping out this summer. It’s Gloucestershire library, email been really good to develop my libraryvolunteers@southglos.

As well as being delivered to 5,000 homes in Stoke Gifford parish communication and problemgov.uk or visit www.southglos. (north of the A4174), we leave a further 200 copies of this magazine solving skills which I know will gov.uk/libraries at public locations in Stoke Gifford and Little Stoke. These include definitely be invaluable for me Like ‘South Gloucestershire shops, doctors’ surgeries, takeaways and pubs. in the future. The excitement of Libraries’ on Facebook and follow reading that children still have @southgloslibs on Twitter for the Have your say: Reader letters or had gained by the end of the latest Space Chase updates.

Do you have strong views about something that’s happening in or around Stoke Gifford?

S

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Send your letter to letters@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk or post it to: Reader Letters, Stoke Gifford Journal, 83 Snowberry Close, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 8GB Please include a phone number, in case we need to contact you.

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Directory of Advertisers Accountants & Bookkeepers C & M Accountants, Page 24 Dunkley’s Accountants, Page 7 Beauty Salons Beautilicious Beauty Room, Page 26 Perfected Hair and Beauty, Page 2 Car Dealerships Motorline Toyota Bristol North, Page 18 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 30 Northavon Carpentry, Page 8 Child Care Banana Moon Day Nursery, Page 32 Chiropractic Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 More in directory on SGJ website Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 20 Driving Schools Visit directory on SGJ website Education & Learning Abbeywood Community School, Page 27 SGS College, Page 31 Electricians Paul Willcox, Page 29 More in directory on SGJ website Estate Agents Ocean Estate Agents, Page 1 Events Stoke Gifford Retirement Village, Page 16 Foot Care Sarah Williams Chiropodist, Page 29 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 Garage Services Bristol Caravans, Page 5 LCM Automotive, Pages 1 & 10 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 19 Painting Petals, Page 30 Smart Patios, Page 24 Gyms & Health Clubs Visit directory on SGJ website Hairdressers Perfected Hair and Beauty, Page 2 Healthcare Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Page 20

Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 12 Garolla Roller Shutter Doors, Page 17 Opticians Specsavers, Page 22 Painting & Decorating A. Worsfold, Page 30 Digby Decor, Page 30 Painting Petals, Page 30 Pet Services & Supplies Barking Mad, Page 4 Four Paws Pet Care, Page 29 Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 29 Physiotherapy The Physio Clinic, Page 17 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 Plasterers B & D Plastering, Page 10 Plumbing & Heating Bristol Plumbing & Heating, Page 6 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 29 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 29 Panache Plumbing, Page 29 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 29 Property Maintenance David Coombs Services, Page 29 Mark’s Gutter Cleaning, Page 29 Paul Willcox, Page 29 P.J.R Plastics, Page 29 Public Notices Stoke Gifford Parish Council, Page 15 Recruitment G4S Cash Solutions, Page 9 Restaurants Mercure Bristol North The Grange, Page 24 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 30 Self Storage Admiral’s Yard Self Storage, Page 25 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 13 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Slimming World, Page 11 Taxis & Private Hire Bradley Stoke Cabs Ltd, Page 29 Z Cars, Page 25

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