Stoke Gifford Journal, February 2020

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February 2020 • Issue 15

SPORT P16-17 | POLICE P19 | DIRECTORY P30

KEY DATES REVEALED Eight-month full road closure set to start on 6th March Nine-day railway closure over Easter New 4,500-tonne bridge set to be moved into position 14th-15th April

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GIPSY PATCH LANE: BRIDGE REPLACEMENT STILL ON TRACK FOR EASTER 2020

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PLUS , IN YOUR 32-PAGE STOKE GIFFORD MAGAZINE

(All dates provisional and subject to change)

Pages 12 & 13

Stoke Gifford shops

End of the road for Co-op store

Little Stoke Park sports facilities

P3

Award of £120k grant funding

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l Rabbit Roundabout: Roadworks bring delays of up to 40min l Bus boss critical of roadworks planning l Planning appeal upheld: Bradley Stoke set to get McDonald’s and Starbucks drive-throughs l Poppy Appeal success for local Legion branch l Latest news from Stoke Gifford Parish Council l Hundreds attend Butty’s memorial match at BSCS l Appeal for information following five burglaries in a single afternoon l Work starts on first new homes on airfield site l Pregnant women can now swim for free at local leisure centres l New orchestra on the lookout for members

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Members of a South Gloucestershire Council planning committee inspect the site of the former Parkway Tavern site in September 2013, ahead of permission being granted for external work on the premises.

The Co-operative store subsequently opened in October 2013.

Stoke Gifford Co-operative store staff raising funds for Children’s Hospice South West at a Family Fun Day held in September 2019.

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News

End of the road for Stoke Gifford Co-op store

T

he Co-operative Food store in North Road, Stoke Gifford (located in the former Parkway Tavern premises) is expected to cease trading on Friday 31st January.

As we went to press, notices announcing the closure were on display at the shop, with an additional message saying: “It’s been lovely serving the Stoke Gifford community”.

The North Road convenience store is one of two Co-op stores in the Bristol area that were due to be closed in January, the other being the one on Gloucester Road, Bishopston.

A spokesperson for Southern Co-op said the “difficult decision” to close the Stoke Gifford store had been made “after lengthy consideration due to challenging market conditions and a significant decline in performance over the last few years”.

The Co-operative Food store in North Road (near Parkway Station)

Southern Co-op will still continue to operate its 13 other retail stores in and around Bristol including the one in Long Down Avenue, Cheswick Village.

Simon Eastwood, Southern Co-op’s chief operating officer for retail, said: “Colleagues at

these stores are part of the local community and have done a lot to support local causes along with our other stores in Bristol. This is just one reason why we don’t take decisions like this lightly and only close a store when we have exhausted all other options.”

“As a food business, we continue to evolve and develop our offering to meet the changing needs of our customers, but unfortunately, market conditions and competition have had a greater impact on these two stores than others.”

“This does not in any way reflect negatively on the hard work and commitment of our colleagues.”

Of the 12 members of staff employed at the Stoke Gifford store, a spokesperson said: “Our aim is to work with all of them to transfer as many as possible to other Southern Co-op stores. However, we appreciate that it may not be feasible for [all] our colleagues so we’re currently discussing all possible alternatives.”

The North Road Co-op store began trading at the site on 17th October 2013. ● thesouthernco-operative.co.uk

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February 2020

News Roundabout roadworks bring delays of up to 40min

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

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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 2020. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

Have your say: Reader letters Do you have strong views about something that’s happening in or around Stoke Gifford?

Want to pass comment on something you’ve read in the Journal or another local publication?

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.

Our next issue: March 2020 • The advertising copy deadline is Friday 14th February • The article copy deadline is Monday 17th February • The magazine will be distributed from Saturday 29th February

he start of the construction phase of South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) £2.9m scheme of improvements at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout on Thursday 2nd January has brought peak-time gridlock to Bradley Stoke on a scale rarely seen since the notorious MetroBus roadworks of 2015-17.

Perhaps due to a staggered return to work after the Christmas and New Year break, the full impact on traffic only began to show itself from the second week in January, with BBC Bristol reporting delays of around 30min on Bradley Stoke Way southbound.

By Monday 13th January the delays were up to 40min, with traffic queued back to the Willow Brook Centre and beyond.

Commuters desperate to avoid the delays began to explore alternative routes, leading to the clogging up of Brook Way and Baileys Court Road during the morning peak. The former then impacted flows on another route out of town, Braydon Avenue.

And it’s not just private road users who have been affected – the flagship M1 MetroBus service has suffered immensely – partly due to the removal of the bus lane on the approach to Great Stoke Roundabout, but more so because the buses have found themselves locked in traffic queues on other sections of Bradley Stoke Way where bus lanes were considered unjustifiable on cost grounds.

The delays at Great Stoke Roundabout have also hindered students from the Stokes who attend Winterbourne Academy, including those who travel on the 963 school bus, which has additionally experienced operational troubles of its own making since the start of the new term (more on the BSJ website).

All this comes before SGC confronts road users with a second set of major roadworks in the area, the full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane at the railway bridge,

for eight months, currently expected to commence on 6th March (see page 12).

Addressing a number of issues raised by our readers on social media, including claims that, at some peak times, there has been only one live lane on the lead-up to Great Stoke Roundabout, an SGC spokesperson said: “We are at the start of a £160m investment in our roads to reduce congestion and emissions, improve cycling and pedestrian routes, facilitate faster bus journeys and future proof our road network. The purpose of this investment and, in particular, the timing of it, is to support and prepare for major new housing and business development coming to the area.”

“We are doing what we can to minimise the impact of the works but inevitably there will be some disruption and for this we sincerely apologise. Works have been planned carefully to try and keep everyone moving and we have brought forward, postponed and combined some schemes to keep disruption to a minimum. “ “We have started work on the Bradley Stoke Way southbound approach to the roundabout first to minimise the overlap with the closure of Gipsy Patch Lane.

The work at Great Stoke has not reduced the amount of usable road space and the current set up retains two-way traffic flow on Bradley Stoke Way. It also retains the two lanes leading up to the roundabout on the Bradley Stoke Way approach and this will be maintained during peak hours throughout the work.”

“The situation is constantly being monitored and following a site visit last week we have extended the lines on the approach to the junction to encourage traffic to use both available lanes.”

“We have now completed the preparation work and the lanes are in place for the construction phase.” ● See progress report on page 6.

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News RABBIT ROUNDABOUT QUEUES

Traffic congestion on the Bradley Stoke Way southbound approach to Great Meadow Roundabout on Thursday 16th January 2020, caused by roadworks at Great Stoke Roundabout.

Inset: The 963 Winterbourne Academy school bus stuck in traffic.

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www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk Great Stoke Roundabout Improvements Progress report from SGC (20th January 2020) Since work started on site on 2nd January…

We have moved several lighting columns along the footpath on Bradley Stoke Way, aligning them with a new footpath to make space for an extra road lane.

We have also been laying tarmac in the centre of the road at the Bradley Stoke Way junction with the roundabout to accommodate the narrow lanes which will soon be in place on Bradley Stoke Way while we undertake the rest of the improvement works at the roundabout.

We have started construction on both the northbound and southbound carriageways which will lead to increasing the number of lanes from two to three. This does mean the bus lane has been partially suspended to enable us to safely construct the additional lanes. The footpath here is also temporarily closed and a signed diversion route is in place.

We will be removing over 200 tonnes of material from the verge on the northbound exit of the roundabout onto Bradley Stoke Way to make space for the improvements. The excavated soil from Great Stoke will be processed and re-used.

Temporary pedestrian crossing signals are now in place on the B4057 Winterbourne Road west of the roundabout.

Work in February will continue on Bradley Stoke Way and include: • Removing existing kerb lines and grass verges to widen the road • Reconstruction of an underground BT chamber • Establishing the power supplies for the new traffic signals • Installing underground infrastructure for the new traffic signals

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February 2020

News

Bus boss critical of roadworks planning

T

he managing director of the bus company responsible for running the M1 MetroBus service has singled out the recently commenced roadworks at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout as an example of long-term infrastructure works that have been planned with insufficient consideration being given to maintaining public transport flows.

James Freeman, MD of First West of England, made the reference in an open letter on the effect that traffic congestion is having on bus services across Greater Bristol, but particularly in the so-called North Fringe.

What seems to have made Mr Freeman particularly annoyed is that his company had just introduced additional peak-hours capacity on the M1 service to cope with increasing demand from passengers in the Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford areas increasing the number of seats per hour from 450 to 600.

However, the day after the extra journeys were added to the timetable, South Gloucestershire Council closed the bus lane on the approach to Great Stoke Roundabout and introduced flow-throttling narrow lanes for general traffic.

Not only has this introduced delays of up to 40min on each journey through Bradley Stoke in the morning peak as the M1

James Freeman of First Bus

buses sit in traffic between the Willow Brook Centre and Rabbit Roundabout, it has also “totally disrupted the rest of the service straight through the morning, all the way to the very south of the city”.

Poor communication

Expanding on his statements in an interview with the Journal, Mr Freeman conceded that First was made aware of the upcoming roadworks, although he claims SGC failed to properly communicate the scale of the works and their likely effect on bus services.

Elsewhere in the North Fringe, traffic congestion on the A4174 Ring Road is having a severe impact on the reliability of the M3 MetroBus service. Here, Mr Freeman says there is a need to have dedicated bus lanes in both directions “all the way round to Keynsham”, doing away with

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News

An M1 MetroBus stuck in a queue of general traffic near Rabbit Roundabout

the current 2+ lanes which he describes a being a “complete cop out” and “unenforceable”.

Mr Freeman expressed regret that SGC doesn’t seem to be thinking along the same lines as Bristol City Council which has proposed a ‘Better Bus Deal’ concept – whereby bus operators agree to increase operating frequencies subject to the council introducing bus prioritisation measures and providing infrastructure improvements.

Returning to his open letter, Mr Freeman concludes it with a stark warning: “£230 million of public money was spent on creating MetroBus, on top of which the operators have invested £10.5m on top-of-the-range buses. It’s largely wasted if we can’t run the service properly or at all. Not only that, if our muchvaunted MetroBus system, by which so much store has been set, is not to be entirely discredited as an alternative to driving cars, then somehow the way has to be found to make these MetroBuses able to run through these areas of increasingly chronic congestion.”

“This approach has started to be recognised in Bristol but MetroBus can’t work if we don’t

realise that we must take urgent action…”

The Journal invited SGC to provide a statement on the impact of the Rabbit Roundabout roadworks on the M1 MetroBus service and a response to the concerns expressed by Mr Freeman. A council spokesperson replied: “We recognise there have been higher levels of congestion on the road network during the first few weeks of January.

This may be due to a number of reasons including the return to school and work after the Christmas break, bad weather as well as a number of incidents including breakdowns, accidents and an emergency road closure due to urgent electricity mains supply repairs. We are sorry people are experiencing delays and we are working hard to keep disruption to a minimum while we carry out a number of major highway improvement schemes.”

“We are investing £160m over the next four years on the network and unfortunately implementing these projects will lead to some disruption. We will continue to monitor journey times and do everything we can to minimise delays.”

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February 2020

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Representative image

Representative image

How the site looks today

Development Masterplan

Wheatfield Drive Closest residential property

Dewfalls Drive Access road brought closer to residential properties

Orange outline: Phase one

Bradley Stoke Way

Blue outline: Phase two This plan shows the proposed layout of the car park and access road at the end of phase 2.

For phase 1, the access road will remain as it is at present, except for the first right-hand turn being widened to allow easy access for delivery vehicles serving the two new food and drink units.

Starbucks McDonald’s Willow Brook Centre car park

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February 2020

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News

Timeline of planning application PT18/1491/O

Councillors’ decision overturned: McDonald’s and Starbucks drivethroughs allowed on appeal

B

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radley Stoke looks set to get two new drivethrough and sit-in fast food restaurants after a planning inspector allowed an appeal against South Gloucestershire Council’s decision to refuse permission for development at the town’s Willow Brook shopping centre.

The inspector’s decision means that ‘full’ permission has been granted for a two-storey McDonald’s restaurant and a single-storey Starbucks coffee shop, both to be located on the northern edge of the centre’s car park, approximately where the Waves hand car wash is currently positioned.

No restrictions have been placed on the trading hours of the two units, leaving open the possibility of 24-hour operation.

Once implemented, the development will result in a net loss of 80 parking bays within the shopping centre’s car park.

‘Outline’ permission has also been granted for two extra units to be added on the end of the centre’s existing ‘retail terrace’ (i.e. beyond the Poundstretcher store) and an associated reconfiguration of the car park and access road.

The application was strongly opposed by local residents in Wheatfield Drive and Dewfalls Drive, where the closest residential property is just 22m away from the proposed Starbucks outlet.

Bradley Stoke Town Council also registered an objection to the scheme following a unanimous vote at its Planning Committee. The application was subsequently rejected by two different planning committees at South Gloucestershire Council before being taken to appeal by the owners of the Willow Brook Centre.

Alongside the perceived impact on residential amenity, the local authority’s grounds for refusal were that the development was

contrary to national planning policy because it “fails to promote the economic, social and environmental character of the area”.

In the view of the fact that its own officers had recommended approval of the application prior to it being refused by elected councillors sitting on its planning committees, the council chose to employ an external consultant to put forward its defence during the appeal process.

In her seven-page ‘final decision’ report, published on 16th January, the planning inspector says the main issue she had to consider was the impact of the fast food units on the living conditions of nearby residents “with regard to noise, disturbance, fumes and odours”.

The inspector says she accepts the findings of a night-time noise assessment report submitted by the applicant and concludes that the development “would be acceptable in terms of its impact on the living conditions of nearby residents”.

Referring to complaints of noise and disturbance from users of the existing car park, as well as allegations of anti-social behaviour on the site, she adds that the 24-hour presence of staff within the fast food units “may deter anti-social behaviour in some regard”.

Concerns over fumes (from idling vehicles) and odours (cooking smells) are dismissed on the grounds that there is a “lack of substantiated evidence” provided by the council.

The inspector concludes: “Whilst I understand the apprehension of local residents, there is no substantive evidence to justify the dismissal of the appeal on the grounds of harm to living conditions or any other grounds that have been raised.”

Bradley Stoke town councillors, who objected to the application via their own planning

13th February 2018

Applicant notifies neighbours of a pre-application consultation

26th February 2018

Planning application received by SGC

25th March 2018

BSTC’s Planning Committee unanimously votes to object to the application

3rd January 2019

SGC case officer recommends approval

8th January 2019

Application is successfully ‘called in’ by councillors for determination at committee

24th January 2019

SGC’s Development Management Committee defers a decision & requests site inspection visit

8th February 2019

Members of the Development Management Committee inspect the site

21st February 2019

Development Management Committee votes 5:2:1 to refuse permission

21st February 2019

Case automatically referred to SGC’s Spatial Planning Committee

8th March 2019

Members of the Spatial Planning Committee inspect the site

19th March 2019

Spatial Planning Committee votes 8:0:1 to refuse permission

28th June 2019

Applicant lodges an appeal, meaning the application must now be determined by a government-appointed planning inspector

17th September 2019

Planning inspector visits the site

16th January 2020

Planning inspector upholds the appeal, meaning that planning consent is granted

Read all related articles on the Journal website: http://www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk/tag/pt18-1491-o/

Continued overleaf

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Willow Brook Centre planning decision Continued from page 9

committee, have expressed their disappointment at the outcome.

Speaking at a meeting on 22nd January, Cllr Theresa Cullen alleged: “This was a done deal from the very beginning.”

Cllr Keith Cranney urged members of the Dewfalls and Wheatfield Residents Association present at the meeting “not to give up”, advising them that there is likely to be a licensing application submitted for the two fast food units in due course.

Replying to a resident’s concerns that the planning inspector hadn’t imposed any additional conditions on the consent, such as restricting opening hours, Cllr Cranney added: “It’s almost as though she didn’t read the papers.”

Two planning applications for advertising signage on the proposed fast food units are still to be determined.

A spokesperson for the Brookmaker Limited

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February 2020

Statement from the Dewfalls and Wheatfield Residents Association (DAWDRA)

O

ur objections to this development have never been just about the type of businesses proposed. They have always been about the close proximity of these types of developments and the moving of the access road closer to our homes/gardens.

It is disappointing the way the Willow Brook management company has treated neighbouring residents and advised from the outset they would not negotiate any changes to their proposed plans.

In the light of this, coupled with the short-sighted views and poor decisions made by South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) planning department, we are surprised the Planning Inspectorate has gone along with this without due consideration of the impact on the town and neighbouring residents. The planning Inspector indicated that SGC’s planning department failed

Partnership, owners of the Willow Brook Centre, said: “We are pleased with the decision of the Planning Inspectorate and

to provide any technical evidence in their appeal statement, therefore they did not defend their councillors’ decision adequately.

This decision does nothing to improve or enhance the character of Bradley Stoke as a community town.

Despite many DAWDRA members living adjacent to this development and, agreed, they are mostly affected by this, DAWDRA has the overall improvement of the town centre in mind. This decision does nothing to support this.

Although the Willow Brook Centre claims to have received requests for more sit-down restaurants, ‘lounge-type’ restaurants would come to mind, not drive-through fast food/drink.

SGC’s planning department has blundered through this with error upon error, including noise, litter and environmental reports that we consider cannot be adequately

are now progressing with the next stage of the development.

We look forward to sharing further details in due course.”

backed up with facts. We included in our objection a report that confirmed this.

Examples are breaching data protection laws by publishing names and details of minors in a McDonald’s survey, applying unacceptable pressure towards the councillors to approve the decisions in planning meetings and dismissing their own environmental health officer’s recommendations to protect the bordering residents.

Councillors made it clear they had a duty to the public to consider impacts on all of Bradley Stoke, which we believe they successfully achieved by refusing the plans not once but twice.

It is disappointing to see there is nothing the general public can do to stop unacceptable development impacting them, their community, their families and their homes with the current UK planning legislation in place today.

The Journal invited South Gloucestershire Council to provide a statement, but the opportunity was declined.

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February 2020

News

Bridge replacement still on track for Easter despite piling delays Full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane set to start 6th March

T

he project to dismantle the narrow railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane and replace it with a much wider concrete structure is still on track to meet the looming deadline of a programmed nine-day closure of the railway line over Easter, according to Network Rail.

Piling work to create 24-metre deep foundations to support the four corners of the replacement bridge has been going on since 4th November but has encountered delays due to “unforeseen ground conditions”.

The piling was originally due to start in early October 2019 and take three months but will now not be completed until the second week of February.

In order to safely complete the piling on the north-east corner, it was deemed necessary to close the southern end of Station Road for two weeks in January. The closure was originally planned to start on 6th January but was

postponed to 13th January. As we went to press, it was announced that the closure would continue into a third week.

In parallel with the piling work, construction of the new bridge has continued within the Alun Griffiths site compound within the Horizon 38 business park (see photo on facing page).

The bridge is being cast in three sections, (north abutment, south abutment and deck) each requiring a non-stop pour of concrete over many hours. The pour for the north abutment took place on 21st January, requiring 300sqm of concrete, brought to the site in 27 deliveries. Pouring of the south abutment and deck are scheduled to take place in February (see panel, right).

Once completed, a ‘curing’ period of up to four weeks is required for the bridge to achieve full strength.

The 4,500 tonne bridge is currently scheduled to be

Piling work on NE corner in January

manoeuvred into position, after the old bridge has been demolished, in the early hours of 15th April. This will be achieved using a 176-axle self-propelled modular transport unit.

The nine-day railway blockade is due to start on 11th April, with Network Rail scheduled to make a final ‘go, no go’ decision four weeks earlier.

Ahead of this, it is anticipated that Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed to all traffic at the railway bridge from 6th March, for a duration of eight months.

The period after the bridge installation is required for lowering the road surface and other highway works.

Network Rail says it hopes to be able to reopen a route under the bridge, for pedestrians and

cyclists only, six to eight weeks after the end of the railway blockade.

A shuttlebus service will operate for the period of time when the bridge is closed to pedestrians. This will operate a service from one side of the bridge to the other, using the shortest road route, without additional stops in between.

Status report (24th January) Bridge build The bridge is being built within the compound, ready to be moved into place. The steel reinforcement has continued on both the north and south abutments, the north abutment has been poured, the pour of the south abutment is scheduled for early February with the deck to follow at the end of February.

This will complete the bridge build within the compound.

Piling Sheet Piling – All of phase one sheet piling was complete before Christmas and phase two sheet piling works are due for completion early February.

Bored Piling – The south-west corner was completed prior to Christmas; the south-east was completed last week and the north-east corner is due for completion this week. The north west will take two weeks from next week.

Utility works We are meeting with utilities on a regular basis to plan for the forthcoming works. Wales & West have been working to complete works on the west side of the bridge. Further utility diversion works are scheduled for March with WPD, BT and Bristol Water.

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February 2020

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13

NEW BRIDGE TAKES SHAPE

Aerial view (looking north-west) of the new bridge under construction in the Alun Griffiths site compound. The Gipsy Patch Lane railway crossing (to where it will eventually be moved) is at the mid-point of the right edge of the photo.

The new bridge is 41.5m long, 27.6m wide, 6.4m high and will weigh 4,500 tonnes when complete.

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February 2020

News

Councillor Column On local roadworks, Hambrook lights & more

T

he new year, 2020, is now a reality, and many of us are struggling to cope with the unprecedented amount of roadworks that are taking place in our area.

The work on widening and increasing the clearance under the Patchway Bridge is well under way, and soon Gipsy Patch Road itself will be totally closed for several weeks while the old bridge is demolished and the new one swung into place. We are aware that many local residents in Bush Avenue and near the Kingsway shops are concerned that employees of the various businesses on the far side of the bridge will cause chaos in the area by parking their cars on the eastern side of the bridge and (when possible) cross on foot to go to work.

I have written to the project manager concerning this issue and asked for assurances that the parking problem will be addressed.

All three Stoke Gifford councillors are questioning the need to remove the mature trees on the southern side of the beautiful and unique avenue of trees along Gipsy Patch Lane.

We have been told that this is necessary in order to create a bus lane along the northern side of Gipsy Patch Lane from the new bridge eastwards, in the Winterbourne direction. This will in turn make it necessary to push the normal line of the road slightly to the south, necessitating the removal of the existing trees. Is the new bus lane essential?

At the same time, roadworks have commenced at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout on the Winterbourne Road, adding to the traffic congestion on Great Stoke Way. The consultation period concerning the experimental changes to Hambrook traffic

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lights on the A4174 is due to end in early February and I have written to the executive member for transport Cllr Steve Reade condemning the experiment for causing increased traffic congestion and increasing traffic through Winterbourne and through Frenchay. I encourage residents who are similarly concerned to also write to Cllr Reade.

May I now turn to the pressing concern regarding the environment and climate change. Here in the UK we are doing what we can to reduce our carbon emissions and to plant more trees etc., but there is one activity that I see increasing almost daily and which does worry me. Far too many residents are digging up their front lawns and either laying tarmac or covering the area with paving slabs. That will in time alter the underlying water table, and perhaps even more importantly destroy the food, grubs and seeds, that our native birdlife relies on. Please do consider that before you dig up your lawns!

Cllr Brian Allinson Stoke Gifford parish councillor and South Gloucestershire councillor for Stoke Gifford ward

Find contact details for all South Glos councillors at bit.ly/sgc-members

Write to your politicians, national or local, for free.

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Poppy Appeal success for local Legion branch

Launch of the local 2019/20 Poppy Appeal at Parkway Station in October

T

he Stoke Gifford Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) is having another good year with the Poppy Appeal, reports branch press officer Tony Peters.

So far this year (2019/20), we have raised over £45,000. If we include Cribbs Causeway and Almondsbury – new areas in which we helped out – it is over £65,000!

Our branch chairman Ian Harrison, and the Poppy Appeal organisers John Moloney, Tony Peters, Billy Wilde and Terry Webber would like to thank the public, branch members and volunteers, business and other organisations for their help and generosity throughout the appeal.

A special mention to the poppy knitters, who in some case knitted up to 600 poppies and have already knitted hundreds for the next poppy collection later this year. Thank you also to our local media who do so much to help us raise so much money and help us raise the profile of our work so we can reach more people who need our help.

The money raised through the Poppy Appeal goes to help the RBL’s Welfare Fund, which is used to give help and support to current and ex-service personnel and their families.

If you or someone you know need(s) help from the Royal British Legion, please contact the National Help Line on 0800 802 8080.

The Stoke Gifford Branch RBL branch is always looking for new members - you do not have to have served to join the branch. Volunteers for poppy selling and poppy knitting are all ways needed. You can contact us for volunteering or joining on rblstokegifford@gmail.com Locally, we recommend a Veterans Breakfast held in the café at ASDA Abbey Wood held on the last Tuesday of the month, between 9.30am and 11am. Recently, the Royal Air Forces Association at 38 Eastfield, Westbury-on-Trym BS9 4BE has started an All Services Veterans Lunch held on the second Wednesday of the month between 12noon and 3pm.

Both events are designed to get veterans out, mixing and talking with fellow veterans who can understand some of the problems encountered in civilian life, often years after serving one’s country.

If you need further information on helping with the Poppy Appeal, or Veterans Breakfast or Dinner, please contact Tony Peters on 07971 242845 or anthonyv.peters@btinternet.com

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Parish Council Updates John Rendell, new Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO)

Welcome to John Rendell (Parish Clerk and RFO) I am very honoured to have successfully got through the gruelling interview process and am excited about getting stuck into the role with Stoke Gifford Parish Council. I have worked in local government for the past 20 years and with Bradley Stoke Town Council for the past 17, where I have witnessed first-hand the town grow substantially. I am proud to have overseen the design and build of the Town Council’s new offices where it was moved into the heart of the town, along with various other Community Centre extensions.

I am very much looking forward to settling into my new post meeting the residents, staff, hirers and contractors and will endeavour to build on the foundations and infrastructure that have been put in place by Steve Shield previously.

STOKE GIFFORD PARISH COUNCIL OFFICE Little Stoke Community Hall

Rachel Madden, new Admin Assistant at Stoke Gifford Parish Council

Welcome to Rachel Madden (Admin Assistant) Hi, my name is Rachel Madden and I have recently started working in the office at Stoke Gifford Parish Council. I previously worked at South Gloucestershire Council as part of the Democratic Services Team. After 17 years with the Council I am looking forward to learning some new skills and meeting the residents of Stoke Gifford Parish.

Little Stoke Community Café Opening times: • Tuesday to Friday 8.30am to 3pm • Saturday 8.30am to 4pm • Sunday 9am to 4pm For further information, phone 07751 194510 or visit the Little Stoke Community Café page on Facebook.

Community Café special events in February Thu 6th Card & Cuppa, 11.15am to 12.30pm Thu 13th Pottery Fun, 9.30am to 11.30am Fri 21st Marshall Breakfast (Paw Patrol),

9.30am to 10.30am Sat 22nd Pottery fun, 1.30pm to 3.30pm

Green Dog Walker Scheme The Parish Council has joined the Green Dog Walker Scheme, a friendly way to tackle dog fouling issues.

The idea is that responsible dog owners sign a pledge to say that they will clear up after their dogs and will carry spare bags with them which they will offer to anyone they see not clearing up. They will wear a very distinct arm band to identify them as a Green Dog Walker. This is a non-confrontational friendly way to approach those who haven’t cleared up after their dog.

If you see someone wearing the Green Dog Walkers armband, it means that they have “Taken the Pledge” to: • Always clean up after their dog • Carry extra dog waste bags • Gladly give you a bag for your dog – just ask Local Residents can contact the Parish Council Office or pop in to see staff for more information and to pick up an armband and/ or dog waste bags.

HALL FOR HIRE RATE FOR 3-HOUR CHILDREN’S PARTIES IS £64.00

PUBLIC ACCESS TIMES MONDAY 9am – 12 noon & 2pm - 4pm

FORTHCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS

TUESDAY 9am – 12 noon

All meetings to take place at 7pm unless stated but may be subject to change.

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.

Please refer to noticeboards and Parish Council website.

FACILITIES AVAILABLE: LARGE SPORTS HALL, KITCHEN, ENTRANCE FOYER WITH POOL AND FOOTBALL TABLES (FREE OF CHARGE) BOUNCY CASTLE (SMALL ADDITIONAL CHARGE REQUIRED)

Venue: Little Stoke Community Hall FULL COUNCIL Tuesday 11th February 2020 PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE Tuesday 25th February 2020

VENUE: THE STOKES YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CENTRE, LITTLE STOKE LANE, LITTLE STOKE, BS34 6HY. PLEASE CONTACT THE PARISH COUNCIL FOR MORE DETAILS

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

16

February 2020

Hallen AFC

Little Stoke FC

Stokeside FC

Patchway Town FC

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17

Sport

Hundreds attend Butty’s memorial match at BSCS Fundraiser for family of popular local footballer and café manager who tragically died in collision on M32

A

frosty January morning saw hundreds of players and supporters from the local amateur and semiprofessional football scene descend on Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) for a series of games being held to raise funds for the family of Darren Butt, widely known as ‘Butty’.

The event, on Sunday 19th January, was staged just two weeks after Darren, 40, had tragically lost his life in a multiple-vehicle collision on the M32 motorway.

A hugely popular figure in local football circles, Darren was well known for his sense of humour, outlandish dress sense and wacky hairstyles.

Over a period spanning more than 20 years, he played for many local clubs, including Patchway Town FC, Hallen AFC, Patchway North End FC and, most recently, Stokeside FC, where he was club captain. He also held the position of reserve team manager at Hallen AFC. As a schoolboy, he played for Swindon Town FC and is said to have come close to making the England squad.

Off the field, he was well known as a café manager, and was for a while involved with the former Café Lounge in Pear Tree Road, Bradley Stoke (now Vee’s Kitchen). More recently, he ran Redcliffe’s café in Bristol.

Simon Strachan, a stalwart at Patchway Town FC who knew Darren for many years, told the Journal: “He was very popular in the clubhouse after games and always had an amusing story to tell. He could find fun in most people and was the life and soul of the party.”

“He often wore brightly coloured and patterned shirts and was always very ‘out there’ with his hairstyles, whether it be Mohican or having it dyed in

Darren Butt, as captain at Hallen AFC

multiple colours.”

Following the crash, friends established an online fundraising page to benefit Darren’s family and the amount donated in this way is currently over £11,000.

The memorial match at BSCS consisted of two games: The first between ‘select XI’ teams nominally representing Patchway Town FC and Hallen AFC XI and the second between representatives of Little Stoke FC and Stokeside FC. With so many wanting to play, a system of rolling substitutions was used, with every player donating £10 to Darren’s fund.

After the on-pitch activity, the players and supporters moved on to enjoy a buffet and drinks at a packed Patchway Sports & Social Club, where further fundraising activities included an auction and a raffle.

The organiser of the two events reports that more than £13,000 was raised on the day.

Darren’s memory was also honoured at the start of many local league games in the days following his death through the staging of a minute’s silence before kick-off.

RIP Butty.

Re Las m tF ain ew in g!

Don’t miss your chance to be part of

Stoke Gifford Retirement Village Whether you are considering downsizing for yourself or a loved one, don’t miss out on the chance to own a brand new apartment at Stoke Gifford Retirement Village.

There are only a few apartments left, so don’t hesitate to come and see us.

Our beautiful show apartment is open between 10.00am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday.

Call 0117 440 3590 to arrange a viewing.

Stoke Gifford Retirement Village provides a vibrant community for later living with affordable apartments and a range of wonderful facilities. Residents can enjoy access to: Gym Bar Bistro Shop Hair and beauty salon Stoke Gifford Retirement Village Off Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1EJ Registered Charity No. 327816

Village hall Hobby and craft room IT suite and library Greenhouse

 stokegifford@extracare.org.uk  stokegifford.extracare.org.uk  facebook.com/stokegiffordvillage

February 2020

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19

Police

Appeal for information following burglaries in Stoke Gifford, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge

P

olice are asking residents of the Stokes to be mindful of their home security following a number of recent burglaries in the area.

A total of five burglaries were reported to have occurred at properties on Hambrook Lane in Stoke Gifford, Dorcas Avenue in Stoke Gifford, Bibury Avenue in Stoke Lodge and Bush Avenue in Little Stoke – all between 2pm and 8pm on the same day, Thursday 16th January.

In each incident, the burglar(s) went around the back and entered the property by either forcing or smashing the rear door.

A number of items were stolen including jewellery, electronic items and cash.

Police are appealing for members of the public who were in the area at the time to get in touch if they noticed any vehicles or individuals acting suspiciously. They are also asking local residents to review any private CCTV footage or dashcam footage that might be able to

Burglary prevention advice from Avon and Somerset Police

assist in their investigations.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 5220012476.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 percent anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their anonymous online form.

No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court or have to speak to police when contacting Crimestoppers.

• Lock up and set the alarm, if you have one, at night as well as when you go out • Lock all your windows and doors every time you leave your house – even if you are just in the garden – and remembering to double lock uPVC doors • Make sure your door is locked by turning the key – some ‘paddle and stub’-handled doors might seem to be locked by lifting the handle, but can still be opened from the outside • Hide all keys, including car keys out of sight and away from the front door letter box and consider fitting a letterbox cage • Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows • Hide any high value items such as jewellery, handbags/wallets and passports etc. and where possible store them in a properly secured and hidden safe or bank vault • Keep entrances to your property easily visible by ensuring nearby hedges and trees are well maintained • Ensure any side gates are securely locked to prevent unwanted access to the rear of your property • Make sure boundaries to your property, including fencing and walls, are in a good state of repair • If possible, install a visual burglar alarm • Where possible, install an outside security light, many of which are sensor activated

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February 2020

News

Work starts on first new homes on airfield site

A

Cllr Toby Savage, fifth from left, with other guests at the celebratory event held on Tuesday 7th January 2020

Funeral Directors and Cemetery Tel: 01454 414999 • Email: admin@memorialwoodlands.com

ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction on the first homes at Brabazon, the new neighbourhood being built by YTL Developments on the site of the former Filton Airfield.

The event, on Tuesday 7th January, was attended by Cllr Toby Savage, leader of South Gloucestershire Council.

With the necessary enabling works having been completed in 2019, Cllr Savage was joined by the leaders of Filton, Patchway and Almondsbury councils to celebrate as the first foundations were dug on what will ultimately be a £2 billion project.

Also attending were local community leaders, including the CEOs of Southern Brooks Community Partnership and the Southmead Development Trust, while the local business community was represented by staff from Airbus and Network Rail.

Unhurried, individually crafted services for Cremations and Burials

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February 2020

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21

News

Continued from facing page

Subject to funding and regulatory approval for the MetroWest Phase 2 project to reopen the Henbury Line to passenger traffic, Network Rail will be building a new station within walking distance of the new homes at Brabazon.

Cllr Savage commented: “Filton Airfield is steeped in history. Today this part of South Gloucestershire is a worldleading hub for engineering and innovation. The new neighbourhood at Brabazon will provide the homes, offices and infrastructure to allow that amazing commercial cluster to continue to grow.”

“This is a major investment into our local community. The project will create new homes and new opportunities and our shared vision is that it will be a place that all local workers, residents and visitors will feel proud of.”

There will be 278 homes within the first phase of this new urban community, which aims to set a new standard for quality development in the region.

Jon McDiarmid, director at YTL Developments, said: “The former Filton Airfield was the birthplace of Concorde. We want to make sure that Brabazon lives up to that legacy.”

“The iconic aircraft that were built here were known for their considered design details, timeless styling, and cuttingedge technology. Our aim is that people will feel the same way about these new homes” “Our vision is to create a thriving new neighbourhood for North Bristol so it’s very special to be joined by leaders from across the local community to mark this major milestone as we dig the first foundations.”

Elsewhere on the former airfield site, YTL Developments recently submitted a planning application to transform the historic Brabazon Hangars into a new arena complex for Bristol.

The first homes at Brabazon will go on sale in autumn 2020, with the first residents expected to move in early in 2021. ● To find out more, visit www.brabazon.co.uk

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Market snapshot Stoke Gifford NATIONAL MARKET

LOCAL MARKET ROUND UP

JANUARY 2020

Over the last 12 full months there have been 114 sales in Stoke Gifford. This is a –18% change on the previous 12 month period. The average sales price was £280,824.

Transactions by price band over the last 12 months NATIONAL

STOKE GIFFORD less than £100k

Ocean bring you the latest trends in the UK's housing market, with a detailed focus on Stoke Gifford.

£100k-£250k £250k-£500k

House prices

£500k-£750k

Property prices are rising at their strongest level in a year according to the latest UK House Price Index. At £235,298 the average price of a property in November is 2.2% more expensive than a year ago, the highest rate of annual growth since November 2018.

£750k-£1m £1m-£2m £2m-£5m £5m+

House price growth

Top transaction

over 1 year and 5 years

in last 3 months

£378,000 –5%

+24%

BARN OWL WAY BS34

Economy UK inflation unexpectedly fell to its lowest level in over 3 years in December. According to the ONS consumer prices rose just 1.3% in December, the smallest increase since November 2016. The fall is likely to fuel expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates.

Transactions It is estimated that 102,050 sales took place in November, according to the HMRC, 1.9% higher than a year ago. This would mark the first positive year-onyear increase since 2017. However in recent months sales volumes have been revised downwards in subsequent data revisions.

Average prices over last 12 months £400,000 £300,000 £200,000 £100,000 0 Flat/Apartment

Stoke Gifford

Terraced

Semi-detached

Detached

South West

Source: Dataloft, Land Registry

Stefano Missiato Ocean estate agents E: s.missiato@oceanhome.co.uk

Disclaimer: This report is produced for general information only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, Dataloft Ltd accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any nature arising from its use or from any changes made to Dataloft content by Inform users. Reproduction of all or part of the report in any form is prohibited without written permission from Dataloft Ltd. Report edited by Inform user and published on 2020-01-17.

Pop into our Willowbrook centre office if you'd like to know more or discuss your property, we'll be happy to help......

February 2020

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23

News Consultation on potential changes to adult social care fees and charges

S

outh Gloucestershire Council has launched a consultation to hear residents’ views on potential changes to the charges paid by people newly accessing the care system and who fully fund their own social care in the district.

There would be no changes to the eligibility for care support; the changes would not impact someone living in a care home; and those who are already receiving a care support package will continue to do so under the existing arrangements.

The changes would replace three existing price bands for day care with a single cost and introduce an arrangement fee and annual charge for those who are able to arrange their own care, but who request that the council does this for them.

The council already provides information about support for people in their own homes, known as ‘domiciliary care’, as

well as the drop-in and daycare support available; and an increasing number of residents and their families are choosing to use that information to make their own arrangements. Around 100 new self-funding residents each year would be affected by the proposals, but those already receiving a service will not be

affected while that continues.

The key changes proposed would affect those who have not received any community-based services purchased for at least three months, who live at home or in Supported or Extra Care Housing and who are self-funders of their care, can fully pay for their care i.e. those assessed as

having more than £23,250 in savings, not counting the value of their home. The services covered include domiciliary care (home care), attendance at day care services and mentoring services.

There are three changes proposed: • New users of dementia, learning disability and specialist day care would be charged £96.30 per day • New purchasers of communitybased services would be charged a £295 one-off arrangement fee and an annual charge of £75 • Service users may also become eligible for a £295 fee if they decide to change providers (and ask the Council to arrange it) for a reason not related to their care needs More information about the proposed changes and how to respond to the consultation is available on the council website at consultations.southglos.gov.uk or by phoning 01545868154.

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February 2020

Letters

News

MP to be made aware of Little Stoke bus issue

Pregnant women can now swim for free at local leisure centres

I often travel by bus between Bristol Parkway Station and Farley Close, Little Stoke Lane.

Not all that long ago, on this section there were five buses per hour, raggedly spaced.

Now there are just three per hour, bunched over 13 minutes at off-peak times: XX:57, XX:59 & XX:10, and then a 47-minute gap.

I will be communicating with our MP, Jack Lopresti about this.

Perhaps others affected and otherwise interested parties would do this too?

John Grose, Little Stoke

Readers’ letters

Do you have strong views about something that’s happening in our distribution area?

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

F

rom 1st February, pregnant women living in South Gloucestershire will be able access free swimming as part of a year-long pilot scheme from the district’s Active Lifestyle Centres.

The scheme is being run as a joint partnership between Circadian Trust, the not-forprofit organisation operating the Active Lifestyle Centres, and South Gloucestershire Council.

The pilot will run for a year, which will be monitored and reviewed, and the findings used to inform any future decision.

Swimming is a highly beneficial way to stay active during pregnancy and can be performed safely in all three trimesters. Widely recognised as a low-impact method of aerobic exercise, swimming provides a more comfortable environment for expectant mothers to maintain their physical health – as the water both keeps them cool and supports the additional weight.

In addition, researchers are now discovering that regular aerobic exercise during pregnancy has the potential to improve the mental and physical health of children well into adulthood.

To be eligible for the scheme, women will need to present their Maternity Exemption Certificate, supplied by their doctor or midwife, and will also need to show proof of address before their first session.

Cllr Ben Stokes, South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet member for adult and public health, said: “We are committed to helping our residents at key moments in their lives, to

encourage an active and healthy lifestyle and we are very pleased to be able to offer this free service for all pregnant women in South Gloucestershire. It’s hoped that by supporting expectant mothers to be active at this critical stage, they will continue to exercise regularly with their child in their early years.”

There are five Active Lifestyle Centres across South Gloucestershire – in Bradley Stoke, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Thornbury and Yate – and eligible customers will be able to access the sessions at any of the locations. ● For more details on the swim facilities, visit: activecentres.org/ facilities/swimming

Send us your news!

March magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 17th February

m ve Get things moving with Ocean Bradley Stoke Book a free valuation today…

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February 2020

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25

News

£120k of grant funding for Little Stoke Park

S

toke Gifford’s three district councillors have welcomed the news that sports facilities in Little Stoke Park are set to benefit from more than £120,000 worth of improvements, through funding that South Gloucestershire Council has secured from local developments.

The grants are part of a package of more than £310,000 that is being invested across South Gloucestershire, thanks to funding secured via Section 106 agreements with developers.

The money to be invested in Little Stoke Park has come from the developer of Northfield Park, Charlton Hayes. Of this, £23,307 will go to Aretians RFC to improve drainage on the grass rugby pitch, while Stoke Gifford Parish Council will receive £97,840 to construct a new storage building, install floodlighting around the main football pitch and make enhancements to the

L-r: Stoke Gifford Cllrs Brian Allinson, Ernie Brown and Keith Cranney in Little Stoke Park

BMX pump track.

The grant to the parish council is subject to the award of planning consent for the relevant elements of the proposals.

Further details of the two Little Stoke Park grants can be found in the panel below.

Elsewhere in the Bristol North Fringe, £46,619 is going to Bristol BMX Club to improve facilities at The Tumps BMX track in Patchway, £7,000 to

Patchway Town Council to enhance the basketball court at Blakeney Road Playing Field; £95,000 to Filton Town Council to convert two tennis courts in Elm Park to multi-use games areas; £11,367 match funding towards improving the changing rooms and kitchen area at Almondsbury Sports and Recreation Centre; and £11,367 to North Bristol Rugby Football Club for car park improvements

at Oaklands, Almondsbury.

Cllr Rachael Hunt, Cabinet member for communities and tourism, said: “I am delighted that South Gloucestershire Council has been able to negotiate this funding from developers, which help deliver a number of improvements to open spaces across the area. It is important to provide spaces for people of all ages to be active and enjoy the outdoors.

As a council we are committed to improving our communities, with almost £10 million having been invested into our open areas and green spaces since 2015.”

Conservative councillors Brian Allinson, Ernie Brown and Keith Cranney, who represent the Stoke Gifford ward, including Little Stoke, said: “With our area set to expand over the coming years, it is fantastic that we can continue to say our local facilities are fit for purpose and ready to meet the demand from people of all ages.”

Extracts from the officer report to the SGC Cabinet member Aretians RFC: Proposal for £23,307.89 capital funding to improve drainage on the grass rugby pitch at Little Stoke Park, Little Stoke.

The club would like to install a French drain along the length of the first team pitch to solve drainage issues. The pitch is prone to flooding during the wet winter months which leads to a loss of training and match opportunities for all participants. This has a knock on effect on income which can destabilise the club. The new drainage system should alleviate the waterlogging by carrying water away from the pitch into a nearby ditch, reducing the number of hours lost due to the pitch being unplayable. Funding will come from the S106 agreement for PT14/5028/O – Northfield Park, Charlton Hayes, which states – “a contribution for off-site provision/ enhancement and for off-site maintenance.” Improvements to the pitch drainage will meet the S106 requirements and it is proposed to award £23,307.89 capital to this project.

Stoke Gifford Parish Council: Proposal for £97,840.35 capital for various improvements at Little Stoke Park, Stoke Gifford including construction of a storage building for sports and grounds maintenance equipment to increase the limited existing storage facilities on site; New rugby and football goal posts which will be kept in the proposed storage building in between matches, reducing the amount of wear and tear on grass pitches due to informal use; Installation of floodlighting around the first team football pitch to increase the match and training opportunities within the park; and the redesign of the BMX pump track including tarmac corners to enable the track to accommodate all ages and abilities. Funding will come from the S106 agreement for PT14/5028/O – Northfield Park, Charlton Hayes, which states – “a contribution for off-site provision/enhancement and for off-site maintenance.” The facilities improvements will meet the S106 requirements and it is proposed to award £97,840.35 capital to this project subject to the award of planning consent for the relevant elements of this project.

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Get well · Stay well

S

February 2020

by Craig de Groot, chiropractor at Willow Brook Clinic

Back pain and depression

uffering from the winter blues? Rain and cold weather getting you down? You may have failed to maintain your January resolutions and are stuck back in your old habits. But have you asked yourself why?

Sometimes it’s your mental state together with your physical health that stops you from being you.

Feeling unhappy and links to depression are more commonly seen in patients with chronic back pain than in patients with pain that is of an acute, short-term nature. How does depression develop in these cases? This can be understood by looking at the symptoms often experienced by the person with chronic back pain or other spine-related pain.

• The pain often makes it difficult to sleep, leading to fatigue and irritability during the day.

• Because patients with back pain have difficulty with movement, they often move slowly and carefully, which can lead to social isolation and a lack of enjoyable activities.

• Sometimes the inability to work may lead to financial difficulties that begin to impact the entire family.

• Beyond the pain itself, there may be gastrointestinal distress caused by anti-inflammatory medication and a general feeling of mental dullness from the pain medications.

• Pain is distracting, leading to memory and concentration difficulties.

Understandably, these symptoms accompanying chronic back pain or neck pain may lead to feelings of despair, hopelessness and other symptoms of depression.

Studies have investigated the family consequences of chronic back pain. Patients reported a wide range of limitations on family and social roles including: physical limitation that hampered patients’ ability to do household chores, take care of the children and engage in leisure activities.

Spouses and children often took over family responsibilities once carried out by the individual with back pain.

These changes in the family often led to depression and sometimes anger and add to stress in family relationships.

Investing in your back health can help to prevent a downward spiral in general health and wellbeing. A visit to a chiropractor can resolve musculoskeletal problems that trigger back pain and regular maintenance appointments can keep you functioning the best you can.

Willow Brook Clinic www.willowbrookclinic.co.uk

● See our advert on page 9.

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February 2020

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27

News

New orchestra on the lookout for members

By Emma Creasey, secretary of The Gifford Ensemble

D

o you like playing classical music and live in the Filton and Bradley Stoke area? If so then The Gifford Ensemble might be for you!

We started up in September 2018, when local residents, realising there was no local orchestra for the Stokes area, decided they’d better start one.

We gave our first informal concert in March 2019 to an appreciative audience of friends and family.

A second concert in October established the group, now newly branded as the ‘Gifford Ensemble’, as a welcome provider of accessible classical music (and cake!) to the local community.

The Ensemble is currently small, but our ambition is to grow into a full orchestra. We are looking for players of Grade 7 or equivalent standard, particularly

strings. If you’re interested, please get in touch and come for a trial rehearsal – it’s a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere with an emphasis on enjoying the music.

Rehearsals are at 7.15pm on Sunday nights in the Trust

Hall, North Road, Stoke Gifford BS34 8PE. Members pay £4 per rehearsal to cover venue hire costs – but we hope to reduce that as our membership grows.

You can find out more – and hear some live recording of our

playing – on our Facebook page.

If you’d like to get in touch, then please call or text Cathy on 07528 172228, or email Emma on secretary@giffordensemble.uk We look forward to meeting you!

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February 2020

In Brief Stoke Gifford WI January meeting President Sue welcomed members and many new guests to the first meeting of the year, and we sang two verses of Jerusalem, writes Carolyn Snell.

Our speaker for the evening was Reg King, who gave an amusing and interesting talk on ‘The History of Keeping Warm in Bed’.

We were reminded of future events, to include group skittles on 29th February, the group meeting at the Vassall Centre on 11th March and the group quiz on 27th March.

Our fundraising events for the year will include a pancake tea at Sue’s house on 25th February, skittles at Hambrook Cricket Club (date to be advised), a cake stall at the Stoke Gifford Fête on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, and a fashion show.

Our social events for the year will be a brunch and afternoon tea, and we are hoping to arrange

a trip to Chavenage House near Tetbury. Details will be announced later.

Our next meeting will be on 5th February. Our speaker for the evening will be Dr Carolyn Morton, ‘The Scientific Detective’.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm, at the Trust Hall, North Road, Stoke Gifford. You will always find a warm welcome so please come along and join us.

Stokes Singers have eyes set on summer concert Stokes Singers have started rehearsing for their summer concert which takes place on 27th June, with the theme of ‘Modern Musicals’, writes Gillian Rowles.

Led by musical directors Sian and Phil, rehearsals are fun and enjoyed by all. It’s not too late for new members to join us, we meet on Thursdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Coniston Community Centre, Patchway BS34 5LP, and

Enforcement of weight limit on Braydon Avenue

there are plenty of parking spaces available.

We don’t hold auditions, but if you’re not sure of your voice pitch, an assessment will ensure you are assigned to the correct section of the choir.

You don’t need to be able to read music and the first two rehearsals are free of charge.

If you like singing, having fun and raising money for charitable causes, then why not give Stokes Singers a try?

Please call or text Gillian on 07790 909726 prior to coming so that we can welcome you at the door. Our website is www. stokessingers.org.uk where you can find further details.

We look forward to seeing you.

Ahead of the planned full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane from early March, Trading Standards and the police will be undertaking two joint operations a week, checking that vehicles are not breaching the weight limit on Braydon Avenue.

These operations will be targeted at times and places when/where intelligence suggests infringements are most likely to take place. Initially the police will issue Fixed Penalty Notices, but there will be an option for a Trading Standards prosecution if the circumstances warrant it.

Trading Standards are happy to receive intelligence on potential breaches but to make this manageable reports need to be emailed to trading. standards@southglos.gov.uk detailing days, times, location and any branding / identification marks on the vehicles. These reports will help to inform future enforcement operations.

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February 2020

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29

News

Where have all the frogs gone? …asks local history enthusiast Adrian Kerton

C

onservationists are worried that the UK is losing much of its wildlife through loss of habitat and that certainly seems to be the case in Stoke Gifford ‘village’. In the past, builders filled in inconvenient ponds, though today, the new Harry Stoke development has had to cater for the protected great crested newt colonies.

Rainfall used to fall on the fields around us and drained into the streams and ponds that had been established centuries ago.

Now the acreage of open ground has been replaced by housing, so the rain now falls on roofs instead and is transported away through the drainage systems.

In 1985 an older lady enthused with me about the watercress that could be found in the stream that was fed by a spring at the bottom of Mead Road. The spring is now dry and the stream no longer flows. Luckily, some homeowners have established ponds, so some of our frogs still have a home.

Stoke Gifford has lost sixteen ponds since 1889. Some of these were quite substantial and unfortunately were deep enough for two poor souls to end their lives. Today, only one of the old ponds survives, but in 2016 it was drying up and may well be gone by now. It isn’t due to lack of

rain. The Met Office rainfall data for England and Wales since 1766 shows no appreciable change. It seems to vary from year to year as it has always done.

Although some of these ponds and springs seem to be lost, there is evidence that they can still cause problems as one unlucky householder found when the foundations of a new extension started to sink into the ground.

Although people who had lived along North Road all their lives hadn’t known about it, the underground spring that caused the problems had been addressed by the farmer of the St Michael’s school field on Ratcliffe Drive.

Aerial photos show the fishbone pattern of drainage pipes that were installed so the crops wouldn’t be water logged.

It is possible the recent problems with the war memorial on The Green were caused by a lost spring. The 1889 map shows a well at the same place and in her history of Stoke Gifford, Ros Broomhead writes that’s where the ‘ducking pond’ used to be.

So please put a pond in your garden and give a frog a good home! ● To find out more about the history of Stoke Gifford, visit Adrian’s comprehensive website at stokegiffordhistory. wordpress.com

LEAFLET DELIVERY

Above: Ponds lost in Stoke Gifford ‘village’ since 1889. Below: St Michael’s School.

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Directory of Advertisers Accountants & Bookkeepers C & M Accountants, Page 7 Dunkley’s Accountants, Page 32 Beauty Salons Beautilicious Beauty Room, Page 2 Car Dealerships Motorline Toyota Bristol North, Page 11 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 30 Northavon Carpentry, Page 21 Child Care Ambourne House Day Nursery, Page 26 Banana Moon Day Nursery, Page 1 Chiropractic Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 Dentists Stoke Gifford Dental Surgery, Page 7 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 19 Driving Schools Visit directory on SGJ website Education & Learning Abbeywood Community School, Page 23 Estate Agents Ocean Estate Agents, Pages 22 & 24 Financial Services Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 2 Foot Care Sarah Williams Chiropodist, Page 29 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 Funeral Services F. Woodruff Funeral Directors, Page 26 Memorial Woodlands, Page 20 MW Funeral Directors, Page 28 Garage Services Bristol Caravans, Page 27 GH Motor Services, Page 31 LCM Automotive, Pages 1 & 25 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 12 Painting Petals, Page 30 Smart Patios, Page 16 Gyms & Health Clubs Riverside Leisure Club, Page 8 Healthcare Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Page 7 Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 21 Garolla Roller Shutter Doors, Page 21

PAINTING & DECORATING

Launderettes Wash Shop Patchway, Page 30 Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 2 Opticians Specsavers, Page 5 Painting & Decorating Digby Decor, Page 30 Painting Petals, Page 30 More in directory on SGJ website Pet Services & Supplies Four Paws Pet Care, Page 31 Perfect Paws Pet Care, Page 31 Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 31 Pest Control Services Aman Pest Control, Page 31 Physiotherapy The Physio Clinic, Page 19 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 9 Plasterers B & D Plastering, Page 21 Plumbing & Heating Bristol Plumbing & Heating, Page 10 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 31 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 31 Panache Plumbing, Page 31 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 31 Property Stoke Gifford Retirement Village, Page 18 Property Maintenance David Coombs Services, Page 29 Mark’s Gutter Cleaning, Page 31 P.J.R Plastics, Page 31 Public Notices Stoke Gifford Parish Council, Page 15 South Gloucestershire Council, Page 6 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 30 Self Storage Admiral’s Yard Self Storage, Page 6 More in directory on SGJ website Shopping Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 16 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Slimming World, Page 13 Taxis & Private Hire Z Cars, Page 4

Visit our online directory: www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk/directory CARPENTRY & JOINERY

February 2020

LAUNDERETTES

WASH SHOP Launderette 11 The Parade,Patchway Bristol BS34 5LP Tel : 0117 947 0284 www.patchwaylaunderette.co.uk

Self service, Service washes, Duvets, Bedding, Curtains, Sleeping Bags washed, Dry cleaning. Fast winter drying, Ironing service. Free parking. Mon - Fri 10am to 4pm, Sat 10am to 1pm. (last service 1 hour prior to closing times)

Tell advertisers you found them in the Stoke Gifford Journal!

RUBBISH CLEARANCE

Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance Licensed waste carrier We load and clear Same day service Household, garden, garage & sheds cleared Single item jobs Cheaper than a skip No VAT Contact Stuart or Sue on 0800 0234 995 (Freephone) or 07770 944727 stuart.thistlewood@yahoo.co.uk

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February 2020

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PLUMBING & HEATING

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

GARAGE SERVICES

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PEST CONTROL SERVICES

PET SERVICES

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Bradley Stoke based pest control expert ● Rats and mice ● Bed bugs ● Carpet moths ● Flies and all other insects Member of the National Pest Technicians Association

www.amanpestcontrol.ltd

Tel: 07400 000084 Advertise in this section for just £16 per month

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc….

OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

0117

957 5092

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PANACHE

BATHROOM, SHOWER & PLUMBING SPECIALIST

• Complete bathroom refurbishment • Ceramic tiling • Heating & general plumbing services • Clean & tidy workmanship • Competitive rates

“Always on tap”

Call Darren on 07901 910361

Find Panache Plumbing on Facebook & FreeIndex

www.panacheplumbing.co.uk

GUTTERING, DOWNPIPES & FASCIA

Advertise in this section for just £16 per month

Mark’s Gutter Cleaning • Gutter clearing • Gutter cleaning • Fascia cleaning • Patio cleaning

Call or book online

Gutter Clearing Gutter Cleaning Fascia Cleaning Call or Book online

www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk Tel: 8528 Mob: 056558 Tel:0117 0117 370 3708528 Mob: 07543 07543056558 Serving North Bristol &Bristol South Glos Based in Downend, Advertise in this section for just £16 per month

P.J.R. Plastics

Replacement and Maintenance: ● Guttering, Downpipes ● UPVC Fascia Boards ● Soffits and Cladding ● Unblock & Gutter Cleaning All work guaranteed

Call Paul for free quote 01454 850201 or 07980 001109

Tell advertisers you found them in the Stoke Gifford Journal!

PERFECT PAWS PET CARE Tel: 07375 473728 • Dog walking (solo or group) • Pop-in home visits for your pet Based in Stoke Gifford and covering all adjoining areas of North Bristol www.perfectpawspetcare.co.uk

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