Thornbury Voice November 2021 by Thornbury Voice

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November, 2021 Issue 54

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Have your say on new Council budget South Gloucestershire Council wants local people to have their say on its new draft budget for 2022 to 2023. The council provides hundreds of services from looking after vulnerable people, keeping the streets clean and collecting our waste to maintaining the road network and investing in our schools. The total net budget is more than £360 million in 2022/23 and proposals include increases to children’s services funding worth more than £10 million over the next four years. There are also proposals for continuing financial support for those hit by the impact of Covid-19, and investing in facilities and infrastructure to improve communities and travel. The moves are part of the council’s focus on supporting residents as the country emerges from the pandemic.

Social care

The budget includes a 1.99 percentage point rise in general Council Tax, and a two-percentage point Adult Social Care Levy. This will specifically help contribute towards the increasing demand for social care services. These services include helping older South Gloucestershire residents live safely and well in their own homes, or recover from a hospital stay.

Savings

The council is committed to making savings and ensuring it delivers value for money services to residents. It aims to make savings of £18 million over the next four years by: · Adapting to different ways of working, building on what the council has learned by working flexibly over the past two years.

· Adopting new technologies and automating systems where this can improve the way it works and improve its online offer, for example, so that more residents can access the support they need at any time. · Ensuring council charges reflect the cost of delivering services and are comparable with other local authorities’ charges, for example how it charges utilities companies to compensate for disruptive roadworks on commuter routes. · Implementing improved cost recovery, where the council can charge to cover the cost of providing some services, such as recovering its full overheads against pre-application planning fees on large developments.

View from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Toby Savage

Help to thrive South Gloucestershire Council Leader Cllr Toby Savage said: “These budget proposals outline in considerable detail how we will work to ensure that young people in South Gloucestershire get the best start in life; how we will work with communities, the voluntary sector and individuals to help them to help themselves to thrive; how we will promote sustainable, inclusive communities, supported by the infrastructure and growth they need; and how we will do this while continuing to demonstrate that we can deliver value for money. “We aim to do all of this while tackling the biggest challenges of our time, namely responding to the climate and ecological emergencies and to playing our part in eliminating the inequality gaps that exist in our society.”

WELCOME - We’re proud to partner with The Voice, a great local publication, for an autumn special edition that brings you our latest news. You can read about our new draft budget and how you can have your say, the work of our fantastic StreetCare teams, our record school buildings investment programme, and other important council news. We are looking forward positively to a post-pandemic future where we continue to support local residents, businesses and communities across the district. The draft budget is a significant part of planning how we will meet the needs of people in South Gloucestershire in the years ahead, so your feedback is important. Last year, residents’ comments made through our budget consultation also informed our new Council Plan priorities. We will continue to ensure that we fulfil our Council Plan commitments and work towards the priorities that you helped to shape, in ways that represent value for money. Please let us know what you think.

How to have your say on the draft budget: View the budget at www.southglos.gov.uk/ budget and then send your comments by 9 January 2022: • By email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk

• By completing an online survey or download from the council website: www.southglos. gov.uk/budget • By writing to: Freepost RTXL-YJXJ-BXEX, South

Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Council Offices, Badminton Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5AF • By telephoning 01454 868009.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Sprucing up our streets Progress on potholes South Glos Council’s StreetCare teams have filled in almost 12,000 potholes in the last year. Thanks to quieter roads, they were able to fill in more than ever during the pandemic. Of the 11,868 potholes filled in 2020, nearly 3,000 of these were completed as a priority, in 24 hours, with around 6,000 filled within 14 days Local resident Pete meets and thanks the South and the less urgent Glos Council StreetCare team who fixed potholes in his area within 24 hours. within 12 weeks. Speedy potholes work has impressed local people. Pete from Patchway said: “I was delighted after reporting two potholes very recently that they were both fixed within 24 hours. I had spotted them while walking around Patchway and was concerned particularly for cyclists.” A pothole in the road needs to measure at least 300mm by 300mm and be 40mm deep to be considered in need of attention. The council is investing a record £174m in highways over the next four years.

Council StreetCare services: value for money It’s official! An independent study has found that the council’s StreetCare services provide ‘value for money’. The report also highlighted the resilience of the services which adapt to residents’ needs. The research, by the Future Highways Research Group, included analysis of StreetCare’s activities, compared Cabinet Member for Comwith other local authorities, along munities and Local Place with an independent peer review. The Cllr Rachael Hunt litter picking in Kingswood Park. group was especially impressed with the ‘one team’ approach and close collaboration with partners. Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place Cllr Rachael Hunt said: “I would like to send a big thank you to all of our StreetCare staff for their ongoing efforts across South Gloucestershire which have resulted in these positive findings. We constantly strive to deliver high quality services at the very best value for money for our residents, so it’s fantastic to see that our StreetCare division’s hard work has been recognised as helping deliver such a well-respected, effective and proactive service.”

Keeping our communities clean and tidy From overgrown to gleaming, Tower Road South in Cadbury Heath gets a makeover! Cleaning up the little roads is a really positive step for local residents. The council has a Clean Team dedicated to keeping South Gloucestershire’s neighbourhoods and major routes neat and tidy.

A path on Tower Road, Cadbury Heath: Before and after.

First ‘through-about’ opens up South Gloucestershire’s first ‘through-about’, the conversion of the Wraxall Road roundabout on the A4174 Avon Ring Road, is opening up to traffic. The through-about (a round-about with three lanes for traffic through the middle), will reduce congestion and increase traffic flow at the busy junction, helping to reduce delays at peak periods by managing the volumes of traffic. It will also improve air quality near the roundabout and future proof the roads network for the additional housing and development schemes coming forward in the area. Work started on the £5.9m project in summer 2020. Both approach roads have been widened. There are also additional traffic lights, a resurfaced junction with new road markings, safety barriers and acoustic fencing. The council will pause to monitor the performance of the new junction layout before deciding whether to roll-out these improvements to more areas.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade at the new ‘through-about’.

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November, 2021 Issue 54

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Here to help

FREE EVERY MONTH IN THORNBURY AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Thornbury says Hello Yellow Tennis mum to the stars

A FORMER Thornbury head teacher has spoken of 'the world's most fun job' helping British tennis stars. PAGE 8

High Street legal action

YOUTH clubs run by Thornbury's Krunch South West held events in support of charity Young Minds' Hello Yellow campaign on World Mental Health Day. Full story: Page 17

New homes will 'tower over Thornbury'

UNPOPULAR plans for 336 homes in Thornbury have been approved, despite residents’ insistence they “breach” conditions set by a planning inspector. The detailed designs for the Cleve Park site were submitted by Miller Homes after it bought the land, along with outline planning permission, from another developer last year.

The original outline consent included conditions governing the height of the houses to be built on the prominent site, overlooking the town off Morton Way. But residents and local councillors objected to Miller Homes’ designs, claiming they were too tall to fit the restrictions. Turn to page 4

THORNBURY residents have voted to investigate legal action against South Gloucestershire Council over its decision to close the town's High Street to through traffic. PAGE 6

Fusion jobs hope

SITES near Thornbury are on the shortlist to be the home of a revolutionary prototype nuclear power plant. PAGE 5

Driver shortage hits buses A SEVERE bus driver shortage is forcing operators to cancel some services for Thornbury. PAGE 21

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An image from Miller Homes predicting what the development will look like after 15 years.

'Grave concerns' over housing plans From page 3 Opponents also said that a woodland wildlife corridor at least 15m (50ft) wide in the plans, which had been highlighted as important by a planning inspector, was now too narrow. The conditions had been set at an appeal in 2018, where the inspector overturned a decision by South Gloucestershire Council to reject the plans for the site, which at 22 hectares (54 acres) is around the same size as 17 football pitches. Residents repeated their concerns at a meeting to consider Miller Homes' detailed plans on October 14. Members of the council's strategic sites delivery committee heard Miller Homes had reduced the height of the tallest building in the centre of the development, which now met the 12m (39ft) height limit for that part of the site. Six homes were still “slightly” higher than the height limit in the 9m zone, by up to 0.4m (about 1ft 4in). Planning officers recommended the designs for approval, saying the "small increases" over the height limits "would have no significant impact". Ecology and landscape officers had not raised any objections about the wildlife corridor, which Miller Homes plans to make between 9.3m and 12.3m (30 to 40ft) wide. Miller Homes planning director Helen Dawkins said an entire landscaped area, including the woodland strip, ranged from 32m to 35.3m “in full accordance with the approved parameters”. She said the purpose of the height restrictions was to “protect wider views to and from the town” but the planning inspector had concluded that any harm to views caused by the tallest buildings was “very limited indeed”. Speaking on behalf of Thornbury Town Council, councillor Jayne Stansfield said: “This site is towering over Thornbury. "The inspector had very good reasons for insisting there was an absolute height restriction on the properties that are built.” Colin Gardner of campaign group Thornbury Residents Against Poorly Planned Development said their analysis showed “almost half” the properties exceeded the height restrictions. He said: “Residents expect to receive the protection of this committee to defend the condition set on appeal and it is clear to us that you must reject this application, both on grounds of height infringement and on the inadequacy of the wildlife corridor. Thornbury ward councillor Maggie Tyrrell said the campaigners’ evidence raised “grave concerns” and joined Mr Gardner in calling for an independent professional assessment of the designs. The nine-member council committee voted six-three in favour of the plans, but added a condition on the consent requiring officers to check the houses during building to ensure they comply with what was agreed. Conservative councillor June Bamford said: “I am happy with the report, that now there is not going to be any dwellings above 12 metres.” Liberal Democrat member Tristan Clark said he found it “remarkable” that officers could be “so nonchalant about conditions not being complied with”. By Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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A cutaway computer image of how the nuclear fusion plant could look, with the reactor at the bottom. Picture: UK Atomic Energy Authority

Oldbury on fusion power plant shortlist SITES near Thornbury are on the shortlist to be the home of a revolutionary prototype nuclear power plant. The decommissioned power stations at Oldbury-on-Severn and nearby Berkeley in Gloucestershire are on a list of five possible sites for an attempt to create the world’s first working nuclear fusion plant. If successful the reactor would generate almost endless clean energy – and create thousands of highly-skilled jobs. British scientists are trying to recreate the process that creates energy in stars, using a super-heated chamber to fuse atoms, which could release nearly four million times more power per kilo of fuel than burning coal or gas if it can be made to work. The Government has so far invested £222 million into the STEP – Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production – project by the UK Atomic Energy Authority to design and build a working prototype which could pave the way to commercial nuclear fusion, and help to solve the world’s energy problems as a result. It hopes to begin operations in the early 2040s. The 15 locations first put forward have been cut down to a final five, with the 'Severn Edge' Oldbury/Berkeley bid up against Ardeer on the west coast of Scotland, Goole in East Yorkshire, Moorside in Cumbria and Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire. The winning site will also have research and development, businesses and training facilities and support a vast supply chain across a wide region. South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage said: "The Oldbury site is a large site offering maximum flexibility but also a skilled, knowledgeable and supportive local community. "I hope that the opportunity to combine with the site at Berkeley and the strength of our supply chains continues to present a compelling case to the UKAEA and a long-term investment in safe, renewable energy in South Gloucestershire." Professor Tom Scott, co-director of the South West Nuclear Hub at Bristol University, said: “We have the site and the skilled people to deliver this fantastic world-leading project that will ‘level up’ for the South West and wider geography in terms of jobs and prosperity.” The STEP works by heating atoms to 10 times hotter than the centre of the sun, forming a plasma in which they smash together – the process of nuclear fusion – to produce heavier atoms. The energy released is converted to power a turbine and generate electricity. Giant magnets keep the super-heated plasma away from the Tokamak’s edges, stopping it from melting, and the system is said to be fail-safe. Fusion is different from the fission process used in traditional nuclear power stations, where atoms are split apart to release energy. By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

LUKE HALL MP MP for Thornbury, Yate and the surrounding villages

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Residents vote for legal challenge as High THORNBURY residents have voted to investigate taking legal action against South Gloucestershire Council over its decision to close the town's High Street to through traffic. The vote was taken at the second of two public town meetings called to debate the changes to the High Street, which was attended by around 200 people. Those who attended heard that moves to set up a residents' association for the town, which would spearhead the legal challenge, had started. Details of people interested in joining the group were collected at the meeting, which was held at Thornbury Leisure Centre on October 6. It was called after more than 100 residents were turned away from the earlier town meeting in September, when the room booked for it exceeded its safe capacity limit.

Once again, people waited in turn to protest the changes to the High Street, with all but one of the speakers opposing them. Objections ranged from people with mobility issues being unable to access the street by bus or car to increased pollution in surrounding roads and problems for firefighters reaching the town's fire station through congested traffic. The meeting also heard a pledge from West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who has a role in shaping regional transport policy and spending. He said: "I'm probably going to be asked to fund High Street work. I will not be agreeing to that unless I'm absolutely sure that there has been a full, thorough and respectful public consultation that truly reflects the opinion of local people." The meeting heard accusations that South Gloucestershire Council had

Clive Washbourne, who called the public meeting, in front of the audience at Thornbury Leisure Centre ignored the will of residents in its official consultation. Jill Cyphus, who is helping set up the residents association, said: "The people who should be representing us haven't, and are still not listening, despite an overwhelming percentage being

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against the closure – over 65% of those completing the survey. "We have been forced into this position by South Gloucestershire Council and they need to feel the weight of opinion against the closure. "There will be no way back

Lib Dems 'angry' at changes THORNBURY'S Liberal Democrats have issued a statement on the changes to the High Street. The party holds all the seats on the town council, which has been criticised at two public meetings for not opposing South Gloucestershire Council's decision to close the street to through traffic and part-pedestrianise it. Thornbury & Severnvale Liberal Democrats say they were "taken completely by surprise by the decision by South Gloucestershire Council to close our High Street, and angry that they hadn’t asked us in advance". They added: "We were told that this was a temporary experiment to provide better social distancing for shoppers because of covid, and that the people of Thornbury would then be invited to have their say. "Most of us were prepared to accept it on that basis – we could see some benefits of a traffic-free area, but were concerned about the impact it would have on the businesses in the town centre. "We could also see the impact this was having on traffic flows around the town, particularly in Rock Street, and wrote to South Gloucestershire Council, strongly recommending that these be investigated before any final decisions were made. "However, SGC chose to ignore this suggestion, and in June the 5-person Conservative cabinet, none of whom represent Thornbury, declared that the High Street will remain pedestrianised. "Since then, they have made it clear that whilst this decision is final and irrevocable, they are prepared to discuss the details of how the scheme might work. We have therefore been working with South Gloucestershire officers to make the make the best of it." The councillors say they have asked South Gloucestershire to "look at allowing some buses" but have not yet had a response to this request.

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Street anger continues to boil unless we act now." John Riddiford, who runs the High Street's grocery shop, said some customers had arrived at the shop "in tears" because of problems getting to there. Mr Riddiford is also watch manager for Thornbury's retained firefighters, volunteers who drop everything to respond to emergency calls. He said later that many of his colleagues were taking longer to reach the fire station to respond to calls because of jams in Rock Street, with some even using electric scooters to beat the queues. Adrian Savery, whose locksmith business is on The Plain, said the High Street had been "empty" since the changes, adding: "My customers say 'we don't come to Thornbury any more – you can't park, it's too much hassle'." Willie Grey told the meeting he had resigned his lifelong

membership of the Conservative Party because of the changes introduced by the Tory-run council, adding: "It's a disgrace what's being done to our town." Jill Davis told the meeting she was a stroke survivor who used to visit the High Street all the time but said: "Now it's so difficult for me to get disabled places, and it's too far for me to walk." Midland Way resident Frank Brady said pollution outside his home had increased so badly, "we can't open our front windows and we've had to get an air purifier". Liam Williams spoke in favour of the changes, saying many supporters "don't feel able to speak out" in a "polarised community". He said something had to be done to reduce carbon emissions in the town and that the High Street couldn't go back to how it was before the pandemic, which

"wasn't that great". Mr Williams said pedestrianised towns "do work" and called on people to work together to resolve issues. A motion to form a residents association was put to the meeting and carried unanimously, followed by a vote to investigate legal action. Clive Washbourne, who led the process of calling the town meetings and ran a petition against the changes last year, received a standing ovation at the end of the meeting. He told residents that taking on solicitors to investigate legal action would cost £2,400 but a full legal challenge could cost up to £70,000. He also said he would contact the Local Government Ombudsman, who can investigate complaints of maladministration by councils. A spokesperson for the council's ruling cabinet said no

John Riddiford speaks at the meeting members had been invited to attend the second public meeting and they had declined to attend the previous one because official council "engagement sessions" on the plans were being held on the same week. The spokesperson said council leader Toby Savage and officers had met with Mr Washbourne and a "small delegation" after the September meeting.

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n NEWS A FORMER Thornbury school head teacher has lifted the lid on her time as 'tennis mum' to some of the sport's leading British stars. Janet Raven would probably still be working with Britain's top junior players had the coronavirus pandemic not cut short her role. She might have been in California in October to watch Cameron Norrie, a former charge and England's new number one, win the men's singles at Indian Wells – the first Briton to do so. Janet said: "He's on fire this year – he even has an outside chance of making the year-end finals." Had she been there – rather than watching on television – Janet, 64, could also have helped pick up Emma Raducanu, who crashed out in the first round. Defeat for Britain's new top woman player marked the end of a whirlwind month for the 18 year old, another of those to whom Janet was a "tennis mother" in her role as pastoral care supervisor for British Tennis. Describing Raducanu's achievement in becoming Britain's first female Grand Slam winner for over four decades, Janet said: "What made Emma's US Open win so exceptional is that her level went up and up so quickly. "It was just fantastic. I could see her getting better and better. "I was really chuffed for her when she won and also for all the other people who worked with her behind the scenes." Janet believes she must have worked with more than 300 young people at the national tennis centre at Roehampton. She described her eight years as pastoral care supervisor as "the world's most fun job". The former head teacher of

November, 2021

Meet Thornbury's 'tennis mum' to the stars Crossways Junior School was "quite sad" when the role came to an end last year. Along with so much else, the pandemic prevented promising young players from getting together to train. Janet, a "proud Scot" who grew up not far from Andy Murray's birthplace in Dunblane, worked with players from nine to 18 at the centre, close to Wimbledon, and at international training camps. Her role required her to look after players when they were away from home, helping them with everything from homesickness or schoolwork to getting over sporting disappointments, which is where Tiny Tim came in – Janet would hold up the little teddy bear, with Union flag paws, ears and tie, if she thought young players were getting over-anxious on court. She said: "Everybody wanted to have their picture taken with him." Janet is proud of the work she did with Norrie, Raducanu and her predecessor as Britain's top female player, Johanna Konta, as well as others of whom we have yet to hear. But now the former music teacher is focussed on a project closer to home. Janet, a member of Thornbury United Reformed Church, said: "All my working life I have organised Christmas concerts and I'm thinking we could raise some money for charity from carol singing in December."

Janet with Johanna Konta

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Janet with Cameron Norrie, who won the men's singles at Indian Wells in October

Emma Raducanu with Janet Raven's Tiny Tim bear

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Recycling collections won't be back to normal for months

RECYCLING collections in South Gloucestershire will not return to normal for “a couple of months”, the leader of the council has said. Driver shortages that are partly behind the recent fuel crisis have also affected the ability of South Gloucestershire Council to collect rubbish from people’s homes. Garden waste collections resumed at the start of August, after disruption in some areas during the last two weeks of July. But contractor Suez is still mixing up recyclables when it collects them from the kerbside, because the driver shortage Council leader means it cannot send out as Toby Savage many vehicles. Council leader Toby Savage “We’re very keen to get provided an update on the back to normal. I think there’s situation during an interview still a couple of months to go with the BBC, in which he before we’re able to get back assured residents that Suez was to a normal waste collection sorting out the items back at the system, and that’s because the depot at its own cost. drivers are currently being He said: “Instead of having a recruited. And in turn, their pay whole range of vehicles doing the and their conditions have been collecting and properly sorting it significantly improved. out at the kerbside, we’ve having “We are now seeing those to put it all into one vehicle and extra people coming forward then sort it back at the depot. wanting 21:14 to be drivers WB Generic AW.qxp_Layout 1 15/09/2020 Page 1but they

do need to be trained, so it’s a solution that we’ll see in the next couple of months but it isn’t an immediate solution.” Cllr Savage said he could not guarantee that the extra cost to Suez of sorting recyclables at the depot would not ultimately fall on council taxpayers. Contractors such as Suez could try to recoup any extra costs caused by the driver shortages when they renegotiate

their contracts with the council, which could ultimately mean residents pay more. Cllr Savage said: “I can’t say for certain whether they will or whether they won’t, because what we don’t know is how long the current difficulties are going to last and ultimately how much is going to cost. “But in terms of waste specifically, we have a contract with Suez that runs until 2025, so I would not be expecting any significant renegotiation of that contract in advance of that date.” Cllr Savage said people with green bins will have their subscriptions extended to make up for the disruption, rather than getting a cash refund. He said people "shouldn’t lose out". By Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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n AUCTION SALE REPORT

Artists' figures, paintingsandautographsareauctionhits THIS group of five artist’s lay figures was just one of a number of private collections which saw outstanding results at the Stroud Auctions October sale. The official definition of a lay figure is "a jointed mannequin of a human body, used by artists" but this simply does not do them justice. The complete mobility of lay figures meant they could be positioned naturally, dressed and posed, adopting the persona of the sitter for a portrait or subject of a painting. Dating to the Victorian era, the collection sold for a total of £10,769. Raising a very pleasing total of £45,980 was a fascinating group of personal items, including sketchbooks, paintings and mountaineering items, belonging to the late Theodore Howard Somervell OBE, FRCS. Somervell was a surgeon, mountaineer and recipient of an honorary Olympic gold medal for Alpinism, whose sketchbooks and

These Victorian artist's lay figures sold for a total of more than £10,000 personal photographs chronicled his experiences in the First World War. A Somervell oil on canvas painting of Mount Everest from base camp sold for £7,500, despite some damage to the canvas. A Pre-Raphaelite style watercolour of two young maidens by Walford Graham Robertson (1867-1948) sold for £3,146. Beatles-related items continue to be extremely sought after, as

the lot which achieved the highest price at the sale proved. Consigned by a private vendor whose then boyfriend gave her the signed album for Christmas in 1963, the With The Beatles album cover was hotly-contested by several phone bidders but was won by one of the sale's 1,082 online buyers, this one from the USA, with a hammer price of £18,755, once again proving the value of bids from around the world.

The 1,499 lots in the October auction also featured books, stamps, ephemera, vinyl records and furniture, and excellent prices were achieved across the board. A collection of vintage Star Wars toys including a Millennium Falcon, was the surprise lot, selling for £726. Next sale November 3rd & 4th – the November auction will feature guns and weapons, sporting items and taxidermy, ceramics and glass and of course classic cars and motorcycles. The catalogue will be available online from a week before the auction date. Entries are still being invited for Stroud Auctions’ December sale – this pre-Christmas auction is always very popular and as usual will include jewellery, silver, watches, coins and fine wines and spirits. If you have anything you may wish to consign please contact us, or send images to valuations@ stroudauctions.co.uk. Valuations are completely free and without obligation.

STROUD AUCTION ROOMS Free valuations every Friday 9am-4pm at our saleroom, free home visits or email valuations@stroudauctions.co.uk

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November, 2021

n NEWS

School wins gold award for scarecrow trail STAFF and pupils at Manorbrook Primary School were bursting with pride after receiving Thornbury in Bloom’s Gold Schools competition award. The school’s Friends of Manorbrook PTA team collected the Joan Tuck Schools Cup for the Scarecrow Trail fundraising event they organised in the summer term. Families and other supporters of the school in Park Road created scarecrows on the theme of ‘Heroes’ and displayed them in their gardens. Residents and visitors then went around the trail, discovering the different creations as they spotted superheroes, nurses, movie characters and more all around the town and the surrounding area. Deputy Head Elaine Drayton said: "As well as achieving the schools award, the event raised over £350, which has supported the school in buying new laptops for the children to use." Thornbury In Bloom is celebrating its own success after winning a gold medal and overall trophies in this year's South West In Bloom awards, which took place in October in Weston-super-Mare. Thornbury triumphed in the Sargent Cup

Pupils at Manorbrook Primary School with their trophy and certificate. in the class for towns of its size, narrowly beating Tavistock in Devon, which also won a gold medal. Thornbury In Bloom was also given a discretionary award for outstanding

community effort after impressing judges with the number of people and groups that support the effort, and the Sponsors Trophy for the overall best entry.

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n NEWS PEOPLE are being encouraged to have their say on plans for a new railway station in Charfield. The Voice reported last month that a multimillionpound bid for the station is being submitted to the West of England Combined Authority by South Gloucestershire Council and Network Rail. The aim of the scheme is to improve access to jobs, education and services, and enable more sustainable travel to and from the village and surrounding area. The new station would have two platforms linked by a pedestrian footbridge, a public transport interchange, covered cycle parking and car parking. Services would connect Charfield to key locations for employment and education via stations in Filton and Patchway, Bristol and Gloucester. A 12-week consultation on the proposals has now been launched and will run until January 10 next year. As it announced the consultation, the council released a computer-generated image of what the new station is expected

November, 2021

Consultation on Charfield Station plans opens

What the new station could look like. Picture: Network Rail to look like should the scheme go ahead. It is looking for feedback from residents, businesses and other organisations to shape the station proposals and influence the final designs. The council aims to have a planning application for the scheme ready for the spring of next year. A series of public drop-

in events will be held in the Charfield area for people to learn more about the proposals and talk to members of the project team. The first is on November 8 from 3pm to 7pm at Wotton Town Hall in Wotton-underEdge, the second is on November 10 from 2pm to 5.30pm at Charfield Memorial Hall and the third is at the same venue on

November 13 from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Council cabinet member for strategic infrastructure Steve Reade said: “A new railway station for Charfield has been talked about for many years and it is really exciting to see that deliverable plans are coming forward. “I would encourage people living in Charfield and the surrounding villages to take part in the consultation and have their say on the proposals." Information about the scheme can be found by visiting www.southglos.gov.uk/ charfieldstation and people can give their views at the consultations section of the council's website. Anyone who is not online can call 01454 868000 for more information.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Pupils see new opportunities at the beach WHEN pupils from a Thornbury primary school went for a day at the Weston Beach Race it wasn't just to see bikes tearing up the course. The children from Gillingstool Primary School also found out how major events like the beach race, which is in its 38th year, provide all kinds of careers from managing the site and marketing to health and safety. At the event's annual schools day in Weston-super-Mare they found out how the beach was transformed into a six-mile course, with some impressive dunes for riders to tackle, went on a walking tour of the start straight along the beach and were able to take a picture at the top of one of the many jumps planned into the course. They found out how the track crew move an impressive 200,000 tons of sand to construct the course for October's race weekend while being considerate of the surrounding environment – and also got to see some riders demonstrating their driving skills on sections of the course. Staff and pupils from years 5 and 6 met key members of the RHL Activities team which runs the event, who gave talks about their chosen careers within the industry, with question and answer sessions to show how

Gillingstool Primary School children on one of the jumps at the Weston Beach Race. there is more to working in the sport than simply racing. The Gillingstool children also took part in a writing competition to win a family set of tickets to the race weekend. Head teacher Caroline Carter said: "The children left the day with gift bags from the sponsors of the beach race and a renewed

excitement at the prospect of entering a career with a company such as RHL activities. “Opportunities for our students to go out into the working world and see what career paths are open to them in the future is so valuable and I know our students return feeling inspired from days such as these.”

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MBST Bristol: A real game changer MBST: an award-winning innovation designed to manage long-term injury, osteoarthritis and elite sports injuries MBST is a therapeutic adaptation of MRI used to treat osteoarthritis and soft tissue damage. Unlike an MRI, MBST doesn’t create an image but it does use the same energy to stimulate a James Scrimshaw and Jonathan Webb (Consultant Knee Surgeon) at Cura’s MBST Clinic in Westbury-on-Trym significant repair response in damaged tissue and joints. Here at Cura’s Westbury-on-Trym clinic, over 90% of the patients we’ve treated have improved levels of pain, joint mobility and stability. Cura’s patients range in age from 21 (generally with trauma or sports injuries) to those in their 80s. Many patients have osteoarthritic change in necks, backs, hips, knee or ankle joints. Most often, these patients are not yet ready for surgery but are suffering with mild to moderate stage of joint damage and some considerable pain. For this group, the results from MBST treatment really are extremely impressive. This month, we speak with Angela and Jennifer who have both recently completed a course of MBST at Cura Clinical with James Scrimshaw. Meet Jennifer, who came to James with severe constant sciatica in her left leg. She was stooped in pain – around an 8 out of 10 in intensity, and she found simple day-to-day tasks such as standing, climbing the stairs and lying in bed very difficult. Osteoarthritis

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November, 2021

n NEWS THE owner of an alpaca which was killed by government vets after a legal battle says a postmortem has proved he did not have bovine tuberculosis. Helen Macdonald fought a four-year campaign to prove that Geronimo did not have the disease and that tests carried out when the animal was imported from New Zealand were flawed. But after a High Court judge ruled against her, government vets accompanied by police went to the farm in Wickwar where Geronimo was being held in quarantine and took him away in a horsebox on August 31. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs later said that the alpaca had been put down, in accordance with a court warrant. However Helen and her supporters say a new detailed post-mortem report carried out by Defra confirms that Geronimo did not have bTB. Helen said: "I fully expected the post mortem results to be negative for bTB but there is no joy in being proven right. "I am outraged and

Owner says tests show Geronimo did not have TB devastated by the way Geronimo and I have been treated. "As we have been saying for four years, DEFRA have never had any credible evidence to support a suspicion of disease in Geronimo. They knew this yet forced his death regardless. "It is a well-documented fact that Geronimo was never exposed to bTB in New Zealand and that the only test relied upon by DEFRA was entirely unvalidated in alpacas, and known to cause false positive results following injections of tuberculin." Helen's veterinary scientific advisor Dr Iain McGill said: "Simply put, there is not one shred of evidence from this report to suggest that Geronimo had bovine TB. "If Geronimo had died naturally, and this post mortem had been carried out and

yielded these same results, any veterinary surgeon or pathologist would state that there is no evidence of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) at all." Defra insisted that "failure to ‘confirm’ the disease by postmortem examination does not prove the animal was free of TB infection", adding that in the "early stages of bTB", lesions in the affected organs were often microscopic. Geronimo’s long-standing vet Dr Bob Broadbent said that if Geronimo had had bTB for over six years there would have been clear evidence in his tissues - but nothing had been found which could be identified as characteristic of the disease. Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said: "A number of TB-like lesions were found and in line with standard practice these are now

Helen Mcdonald with Geronimo shortly before the alpaca was killed. undergoing further investigation. "These tests include the developing of bacteriological cultures from tissue samples which usually takes several months – we would expect to complete the full post-mortem and culture process by the end of the year."

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Yellow fundraiser for mental health THORNBURY youth service Krunch South West held an event supporting World Mental Health Day at its clubs at the Turnberries Community Centre. The Young Minds Hello Yellow campaign encouraged people to wear something yellow for the mental health charity in October. Young Minds provides advice, information and support for children and young people who are struggling with how they feel, as well as their parents. Krunch project manager Penny Baker said: "We asked all the young people to come along to club wearing something yellow and we donated all the subs from that week to Young Minds. "Young people’s mental health and emotional well-being is something we feel passionately about, as we are seeing more and more local young people struggling with anxiety and stress because of the pandemic. "Our youth clubs offer a great place for young people to find support with their mental health and we run many activities to promote positive physical and emotional well-being. "Our youth workers are always available for a chat and a listening ear." Krunch clubs at Turnberries are now back in full swing after the summer break.

There are two clubs a week during term time, supported by Thornbury Town Council: Wednesday for school years 6, 7 and 8, and Thursdays for school years 9, 10 and 11. Both take place form 6.308pm and admission costs £1 per child. A range of activities are provided including pool, games consoles, crafts, cooking, music and sport, as well as trips out and activities during school holidays. Young people are also welcome just to come along and socialise with their friends. Penny said: "We’re excited about opening up again for this new term and our fantastic team of experienced youth workers have planned some fun and engaging activities for this age group. "All young people are welcome, and the clubs provide a safe space for young people to hang out in a supportive and accessible environment." People can come along to the clubs without booking. For more information and a registration form visit the website krunch.org.uk/krunchsw/services/youth-clubs. Krunch South West will also be running some activities during the October school holidays, with updates posted on the charity's social media channels.

Leaders and young people at Krunch youth clubs marked World Mental Health Day by supporting the Hello Yellow campaign

Castle staff and students go yellow STAFF and students at Thornbury's Castle School joined in with the Hello Yellow charity fundraiser for World Mental Health Day. They wore something yellow in return for making donations to Young Minds on October 8. Young Minds is described as the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health. The charity says its vision is "to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and all young people get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what". The charity aims to provide help of all kinds as quickly as possible, including "a reassuring conversation, specialist mental health support, or simply the knowledge that they are not alone in how they are feeling".

To find out more about Young Minds visit the website at youngminds.org.uk

Castle School pupils wore yellow for youth mental health charity Young Minds.

To advertise, contact Richard on 01454 800 120

Email: contact@thornburyvoice.co.uk

n NEWS A CHARITY which helps families with children who have additional needs held a grand opening to its new venue in Thornbury's St Mary Centre. JIGSAW supports nearly 200 families from across South Gloucestershire and further afield. With support from Thornbury Town Council, the National Lottery and the community, JIGSAW has been able to open its new base as a place to connect. The opening event on October 2 gave supporters a chance to visit and find out about the charity’s plans for the future and was also part of the Fun Palaces national campaign to promote community activities. Chair of trustees Hattie Clayton said: "It was the perfect opportunity to bring our vision to life and see the families we support empowered to connect, fit in, and thrive as themselves. "We were so pleased to be able to bring people together to reconnect, share experiences, learn from each other, and most importantly, have fun!" Visitors braved the bad weather to come along and join staff and volunteers in creative activities, learn forest school skills and take part in sensory play. Events included a demonstration of diffusion using rainbow Skittle sweets, paper plane making and time for young visitors to play with Albus, JIGSAW’s therapy dog. JIGSAW founder and chief executive Tor Goodman said: “We’d like to express our thanks to all the other organisations and charities from the local community who kindly offered their time to share skills and expertise." Groups who helped included Thornbury Rotary Ladies, Works4Youth from South Glos

Therapy dog Albus with children

thornburyvoice

November, 2021

Grand opening for charity's new Thornbury base

The JIGSAW lending library display Learning, Chessel Bay Therapies, Gloucester Cricket Disability, Peer Group and the Severn Area Rescue Association. JIGSAW Thornbury supports families whose children have additional medical, physical, educational or mental health needs or disabilities, including those who may not yet have a diagnosis. The "user-led organisation" has been running since 2013, with a vision "to empower children, young people and their families to connect, fit in and thrive as themselves". The charity also helps to raise awareness of challenges faced by families in the wider community. Support and activities

The new venue at the St Mary Centre

To advertise, contact Richard on 01454 800 120

manager Rachel Peart said: "We hope that everyone will feel our new venue is inviting, comfortable and calm. "We have a fun accessible play area for children that can also be adapted into a sensory space. "An upstairs separate teen area, to be designed by our Youth club, can be changed into a training space for our service users when required. "There is also a very important area where parents can relax and socialise in a safe, non-judgmental environment." The group is running regular weekly support group sessions for parents and carers on Tuesdays from 10-11.30am

during term times, with toys and a sensory play activity available for children and refreshments provided. A Wednesday creative wellbeing group runs from 1-2.30pm during term time for parents and carers to connect, share concerns and gain support whilst doing something creative. The charity is also planning parent carer workshops and music experience sessions for children and young people. For more information visit the website at jigsawthornbury. org.uk/events/ or email admin@ jigsawthornbury.org.uk. Donations can also be made at the website.

The Skittles experiment

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November, 2021

n NEWS ART students at the Castle School in Thornbury have teamed up with some of the school's young poets to create an exhibition at a Bristol gallery. The work is being displayed within the Ken Stradling Gallery in Park Row after they were invited to create works for an exhibition focusing on what lockdown and the pandemic meant to young people. The Castle creatives were asked to make a diary over seven days, both drawing and writing, with Year 8 pupils writing poems which were then illustrated by A-level students studying photography, graphics and 3D art. Director of development Andy Bethell said: "The work has been really well received by the gallery and many of our students’ work has been included in the exhibition 'Picturing Lockdown' which is running until November 13." Exhibiting artists are Ellen Screen, Abi Smith, Theo Stowell, Sam Durrant, Molly Culverhouse, Amy Comstock,

thornburyvoice

Castle students exhibit art and give uni lecture

Some of the artwork on display Lucy Vizard, Dan Vollborth, Zoe Kerton, Leoni Bale and Ella Sharp. The poets are Micheal Whittaker, Joel Smyth, Brooke Curtis and Bailey Redman.

Four Castle School students have also given a lecture to Bristol University teacher training students about the English Literature A-level curriculum in schools.

Chloe Ross, Caitlin McCormack, Talia Nickolls and Zoe Cratchley presented their lecture for two hours, and Mr Bethell said they had "kept their audience thoroughly engaged".

Raymond completes challenge A FORMER Thornbury postman who set out on a marathon walk round roads in the area has raised more than £400 for a cancer charity. Raymond Daniel was a postman for 27 years before he was diagnosed with cancer and had a bone marrow transplant in September 2001 and forced into early retirement aged just 51. The 70-year-old former runner mapped out a 13-mile route from his home in Lower Almondsbury, which he completed twice as part of the Virtual London Marathon - to support Leukaemia Care, in recognition of his own recovery from the disease. Raymond finished in just over seven-and-a-half hours, saying: "It went well but I was wet through when I finished." To add to Raymond's total of £439 visit justgiving.com/ fundraising/Raymond-Daniels.

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Shopmobility marks anniversary A GROUP which helps people with disabilities access shops is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Shopmobility South Gloucestershire first started operations in 2006. The scheme is based in Yate Library, in Yate Shopping Centre, and provides mobility scooter and wheelchair hire, free with the South Gloucestershire Concessionary bus pass, to help people use the facilities of the centre and to access other services. The organisation has updated its opening hours in the run up to Christmas and is now opening three days a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 4.00pm and on Thursdays from 9.30am to 2pm. Anyone who wants to pre-book a scooter or wheelchair can call 01454 868718 or 07999 574474, email shopmobilitysouthglos@ yahoo.com or call in to the office at Yate Library.

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Christmas gifts, wreaths, trees and gifts Garden, Pet and Wildbird Supplies

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thornburyvoice

November, 2021

n NEWS

Covid test results thrown into doubt PEOPLE in South Gloucestershire are among thousands who may have been given false negative COVID-19 test results. NHS Test and Trace has suspended testing at a private laboratory run by Immensa Health Clinic in the Midlands, as it investigates how an estimated 43,000 people received negative PCR results after previously testing positive in a lateral flow test, which can be carried out at home. People who had PCR tests which are now under

infectious to advise them to take another PCR test. Close contacts who have symptoms of COVID-19 will also be advised to take a test, in line with national guidance. "This is an isolated incident affecting one laboratory and all samples are now being redirected to other laboratories which are operating normally. Testing availability is unaffected around the country." South Gloucestershire Director of Public Health Professor Sara Blackmore said: “We would like to assure

investigation have received text messages from NHS Test & Trace saying: "There may have been an issue with the result. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." South Gloucestershire Council issued a statement which said: "NHS Test and Trace estimates that around 43,000 people may have been given incorrect negative PCR test results between September 8 and October 12, mostly in the South West. "They will be contacting people that could still be

our residents that there is no evidence of faults with any of the test kits themselves, and the public should definitely remain confident in using them and in our other laboratory services. "With winter on its way, we are expecting an increase in respiratory illnesses such as cold and flu in addition to Covid-19. Anyone who is unwell is advised to stay at home to reduce the risk of passing illness on to others." For further advice on testing visit www.southglos.gov.uk/ testing or call 119.

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THORNBURY will not have a big Christmas lights switch-on event this year. But the group which organises the lights say they will still put up displays. Thornbury Christmas Lights Association issued a statement which said: "Due to significant practical complications as well as the ongoing pandemic, we will be unable to host a traditional switch-on event. "However, we do aim to bring some festive spirit to our town by putting up our displays that will be switched-on during the festive period, simply without the switch-on event. "Please give our volunteers a cheery wave and pop some money in the collection boxes if you see us out and about! "As a team, we really hope that current situations improve and that the switch-on will be able to return, as we have missed it massively over the last two years."

Man and woman rescued FIREFIGHTERS had to cut free a man and a woman trapped in a car which crashed on Stowell Hill Road, Tytherington, on October 4. Crews from Thornbury used hydraulic cutting equipment to rescue the driver and passenger, who were then taken to hospital by ambulance.

Email: contact@thornburyvoice.co.uk

November, 2021

thornburyvoice

n NEWS

Repair café returns to fix broken things

Volunteers at work bringing broken objects back to life at the repair cafe THE Alveston Repair Café marked its return from lockdown with its most successful repair event so far. The event at St Helen’s church in Alveston on October 16 brought visitors with 55 items. Of those, 28 were either successfully repaired on the spot or owners were given advice on how to fix them. A further 15 items were left with the team to be repaired later. Repair cafés allow people to bring items they would otherwise throw away to be fixed and put back into use.

The volunteers do not charge for their help and expertise but people are asked for a voluntary donation to cover the costs of setting up the event. Organiser Peter Waller, of the Alveston Community Forum, said: "It was the first such event since the end of lockdown, and thanks to our advertisement in the Thornbury Voice there were many people who brought things which were in need of repair, and which otherwise might have ended up in landfill. "St Helen’s church in Alveston is the ideal

venue for a Repair Café and we are most grateful for their enthusiastic welcome. "We had 18 volunteers with various skills who were on hand to offer repair and advice as well as teas, coffee and cakes. "Everyone seemed to be enjoying the day and being out and about after so long in relative seclusion. "Many thanks to all those who took part as volunteers and as customers." Another repair cafe is being planned for February next year.

Driver shortage hits buses A SEVERE bus driver shortage is forcing operators to cancel services. First Bus and Stagecoach are having to take drastic action, while campaigners say rural communities are being “cut off” across South Gloucestershire. The boss of First West of England says the problems are “unlike any other the UK transport industry has faced”. Cancellations and reduced services were reported in October, including Stagecoach's Number 10 linking Thornbury with Bristol Parkway station and Southmead Hospital. Covid-19, Brexit, strike action at the DVLA, sickness rates three times higher than normal, stored-up staff holidays, social distancing restrictions preventing learners from completing training and even HGV companies “poaching” bus drivers with higher wages have all been cited as causes. The bus companies are redeploying drivers or hiring agency staff as short-term cover to keep less frequent services and the day’s last buses running, as well as “working round the clock” to recruit and

train employees. But both admit they cannot deliver full timetables for now, more cancellations are inevitable and the end is not yet in sight. Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who is in charge of the West of England Combined Authority, the region's strategic transport authority, said: “A lack of strategic planning over the last decade means we are now in crisis. “The transport industry has been issuing dire warnings about the driver shortage for many a year. “But we are where we are and it is clear that there is a shortage of drivers across the economy." Public transport campaigner Dave Redgewell told a recent South Gloucestershire Council meeting that the driver shortage was affecting Stagecoach services in particular, with “a lot of buses being cancelled”, including services to Yate, Thornbury, Tytherington and Chipping Sodbury. He said: “Stagecoach is a good operator but we need to get a grip on this because it’s cutting off the rural areas."

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Stagecoach West managing director Rachel Geliamassi said: “We are continuing to run over 95 per cent of our timetabled services and have firm plans in place to return to full services as quickly as possible. "However, as is the case with many organisations and sectors in the economy, the pandemic is continuing to impact our business in the short-term. “Other issues beyond our control, such as Brexit and the DVLA taking significantly longer to process bus driver licences, have also added to these challenges. “We are working round the clock to recruit people into our team and train them in the roles that we need, and we are seeing a strong demand for jobs. “However, it takes an average of 10 weeks for a professional bus driver to be fully trained and delays outside our control in the processing of licences means we cannot get them on the road on our network as fast as we would like." By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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n WHAT'S ON November 13 n THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE presents BlackKKlansman, Thornbury Methodist Church Upper Hall, 7pm. Members free, guests £5. For more information visit www.thornburypicturehouse. org. November 14 n REMEMBRANCE SERVICE, St Mary’s Church starting at 10.30am (meet from 10.15am) followed by laying of wreaths and sounding of Last Post. November 20 n CANCER RESEARCH UK quiz night with fish and chip supper, Manorbrook Primary School, Thornbury, from 7.15pm. Tickets £12.50 per person, including food, from Gill Blackborough on 07866 580608 or from any committee member. Bring your own drinks as there will be no bar. November 23 to 26 n JOURNEYMAN THEATRE presents Tony Domaille’s romantic comedy, My Angel, at the Methodist Church Hall, Castle Court, 7.30pm. Ventilation and social distancing will be in place. Tickets available from October 25 at Castle Crafts and Clinic, Castle Street, or by email at

productionsjourneymantheatre@ gmail.com November 24 n ALVESTON LOCAL HISTORY GROUP, talk on the history of Gloucester Cathedral, 7.30pm at Alveston Methodist Church. Visitors should call 01454 417578 or email dandmcad@googlemail.com if they would like to attend. November 27 n ARMSTRONG ARTS GROUP presents Michael Lunts Goes Christmas Crackers, Methodist Church Hall, Castle Court, 7.30pm. Satirical festive concert with music from Tom Lehrer, Jake Thackray, Paddy Roberts and Noel Coward. Tickets £12, including glass of fruit punch and mini mince pie, available at armstrongartsgroupthornbury@ gmail.com or call 01454 850933. December 3 to 8 n CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL, St Mary's Church, Almondsbury. December 4 n CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR, Almondsbury Old School Hall, BS32 4ED (halfway between the community shop and the church), 10am to 3pm. December 4

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n ST PETER’S HOSPICE CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING, 10am, Thornbury Methodist Church Hall. Entry £3 per person, to include tea/coffee and cake. Christmas cards, gift stall, home-made cakes and raffle. Hand sanitizer will be available if required.

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday n SEVERN VALE FLOWER CLUB meets on the third Monday in the month at 2pm in St Marys Hall in Eastbury Close, Thornbury for classes, demonstrations and competitions. For more information contact Sally on ssjjtaylor@hotmail.co.uk or Hazel on 01454 885213. n TAI CHI & QI GONG. Weekly beginners / improvers classes with Tai Chi Body and Mind. These classes are for your physical and mental health and wellbeing – there is no fighting. In Person: Mondays, Horfield Baptist Church, Gloucester Road. 7.30 – 8.30pm. Online: Tuesdays 6.30 – 7.30pm. Contact: Claire - Claire@ taichibodyandmind.co.uk (07769 857672). Thursday n BRISTOL MALE VOICE CHOIR invites new and returning singers to join us at our weekly rehearsals every Thursday from 7-9.15pm at

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St Andrew's Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton. Sociable and friendly group singing a wide range of songs; you don't have to read music but if you can hold a tune we look forward to seeing you. More details at www.bristolmvc.org.uk or by calling 07941 040472. n THORNBURY GOOD AFTERNOON CHOIR, Turnberries Community Centre, Bath Road, Thornbury, 1-3pm. For more information visit www. goodafternoonchoir.org, email gac@grenvillemusic.co.uk or call 01761 472468.

n THORNBURY LIBRARY NEWS THORNBURY Library is now fully open and gradually reintroducing activities, with bookable events. The library is staffed Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Open access is from 8am to 7.30pm daily. October Holiday Craft bags are available to pick up from October 23 to 30, and full of lovely crafts to make. Lego Club, Saturday November 20 from 10am-11am. Join us for a story or poems, then create your own Lego masterpieces and display them in the library for your family and friends to see. Rhymetime, with songs for parents and babies or toddlers to enjoy together, takes place every Friday from 9.30am-10am. Our computer volunteer is ready to help with your IT and online questions. Pop in or email thornbury.library@southglos.gov.uk to book a space at any of these events. Sight Support West of England, with advice for people with visual impairments, takes place on the fourth Monday of every month from 10am-1pm. People can pick up a box of lateral flow tests from the library during staffed hours. For more information call 01454 868006, email thornbury.library@ southglos.gov.uk or visit the website www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Air ambulance will be regional charity of year STAFF at the West of England Combined Authority have pledged to spend a year raising money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Metro Mayor Dan Norris met emergency doctors and paramedics when he visited charity's Almondsbury base to announce it as the combined authority's charity of the year. The charity provides an air ambulance and critical care car service for people across the region but is entirely reliant on voluntary donations to keep going. Mr Norris said: “Staff at The West of England Combined Authority that I lead have chosen to do fun runs and other sponsored events to raise money in the year ahead, so it was good to talk with some of the staff who work behind the scenes to ensure the charity’s fundraising efforts soar. “The helicopter is like a flying hospital, with skilled people and equipment usually only found in

Captain Matt Springford, air operations officer Pete Reeve, Metro Mayor Dan Norris, critical care doctor Professor Jonathan Benger and specialist paramedic Fleur Mosley at the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity's base. an A&E department. "Its critical care doctors, specialist paramedics and pilots do amazing work 365 days a

year, rushing to emergencies across the West of England. Like others in our caring professions they are extraordinary, I heard

first-hand from them about the challenges they face in their daily work.” Charity chief executive Anna Perry said: “The incredible support of all the staff undertaking various fundraising activities will be invaluable. I look forward to seeing all the fantastic things they get up to over the next year. "As a charity we receive no day-to-day funding from the Government or National Lottery, and need to raise over £4 million each year to stay operational. "In the first nine months of this year, our specialist crew have responded to over 700 people in urgent need across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire. "With each mission costing £2,000 on average, we rely on the generosity and support of the local community and partnerships like this to continue to provide the critical care service for the people living in the West of England and further afield."

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Learning new skills for the future

WHEN I was growing up my grandfather and uncles were miners, my aunt was a factory worker, and my uncle worked on the railways – and that was that. In those days many people spent their whole life working in the same job, for the same employer. It was how it was. Over the years that’s changed. I had a range of roles before becoming metro mayor: a child protection officer, an environment minister and a scaffolder’s assistant. For children growing up today it will be even more varied, so it is important they always have the opportunity to reskill and retrain. A child born today will have seven or eight different careers in their lifetime, and two-thirds of children entering primary school this year will ultimately work in completely new types of jobs that simply don’t exist yet! Skills and training are an exciting part of my metro mayor role. Recently I opened two fantastic new facilities with funding from the West of England Combined Authority that I lead: the Brunel Centre on the SGS WISE Campus in Stoke Gifford and the City of Bristol College Advanced Construction Skills Centre. The Brunel Centre is a particularly stunning £7 million building, with a great name. I know the next generation of world leading engineers, scientists, technicians and creatives are raring to

Dan Norris with Owen at the City of Bristol College Advanced Construction Skills Centre

go there – I could sense everyone’s enthusiasm as I cut the ribbon. Meanwhile in Bristol I met Owen, who is doing a carpentry course, learning what’s needed to build a better future – literally! He is getting equipped with skills to build new homes and retrofit existing ones in our cities, towns and villages. But it’s not just about young people. I met MakeUK, the manufacturers organisation, as they launched their plan for skills. They explained to me how the average age of people working in manufacturing is over 50 – but they also need to reskill as new manufacturing techniques and machinery emerge. Lifelong learning matters. Here in the West of England we’re at the forefront of innovation, and we need to keep it that way. Our brilliant locally-based scientists, researchers and engineers hold so many of keys to meeting important challenges of tomorrow.

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Metro Mayor

Dan Norris

writes for the Voice That includes those working in highly skilled unionised jobs at Airbus in Filton who I met earlier this month and whom Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer gave a shout-out to in his recent conference speech. We have just passed a significant landmark on skills funding. We have a special scheme here in the West of England to stop money raised by local companies via the “apprenticeship levy” disappearing up the M4 and being banked by the government. Instead we are keeping it local, with bigger firms passing their unspent levy money to smaller local ones. We’ve just passed £1 million – a great collective effort. So thanks a million to all involved!

Email: contact@thornburyvoice.co.uk

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November, 2021

n LOCAL MP

We must play a leading role in tackling climate change AS we begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government needs to start shifting its focus to the present challenges which we face. Globally, the major challenge which every country will have to contend with is tackling climate change, and here in the UK the Prime Minister has made it clear that our priority as a nation is to 'Build Back Greener'. In November, Glasgow is set to host the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known to many as the COP26 Summit, taking place under the presidency of the UK. The conference offers Britain the opportunity to highlight the work we have done to reach our Net-Zero target by 2050, while at the same time showing global leadership to encourage other nations to follow our efforts and

rise to the challenge. Climate change cannot be resolved by one country alone – it will require collective action working together. This is something I’m passionate about. In my time as an MP, I’ve previously sat on the Environmental Audit Select Committee in Parliament, and raised these matters directly with ministers. I’ve made the argument for taking action now, rather than at an increased financial and environmental cost later. In 2015 I attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where the Paris Agreement about the global reduction of CO2 was signed. Here at home, I’ve worked to raise awareness of the climate change strategy in South Gloucestershire, and my positive plan for the environment

Will Writing & Estate Planning

and green spaces has been fundamental to my local efforts. It is more important than ever that we take action. In the run-up to COP26, the Government has published its 10-point plan to achieve a new green industrial revolution: a blueprint to building back better, supporting green jobs, and accelerating our path to net zero. More than £12 billion of government investment will create and support 250,000 highly-skilled green jobs, alongside cementing Britain as the global centre of green finance. The UK will produce enough offshore wind to power every home, and we will put in place the infrastructure needed to generate 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 for industry, transport, power and homes.

Luke Hall MP writes for Thornbury Voice

We will become a world leader in carbon capture technology to store harmful emissions away from the atmosphere, and £1bn will be given to make our schools, hospitals and homes more energy efficient. We will plant 30,000 hectares of trees every year. COP26 offers the UK the opportunity to play a fundamental role in setting the world’s agenda for tackling climate change in the years ahead. We have made strong progress so far, but we will need to rise to this challenge if we are truly to achieve long-term success.

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November, 2021

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n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Challenge male violence against women and girls AS I mentioned in my last column, I am pleased to announce that I have taken on the role as national lead PCC for the Economic and Cybercrime portfolio. As the new lead, I will spearhead the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ (APCC) work to ensure the police are tackling online crime, fraud, harassment, hacking, economic crime and identify theft. One in ten people fall victim to fraud and one in three become a repeat victim. It is because of such figures that I was inspired to take on this role as I feel it is an area of work where I can make the most difference to the lives of local people in Avon and Somerset and beyond. Cybercrime and fraud are two of the most fast-growing crime types in the country, almost doubling every year. In fact, both crimes are growing so quickly that according to the Office for National Statistics, people are more likely to be a victim of fraud

or cybercrime than any other crime. Ultimately, we need to get a grip of it and protect vulnerable people from harm. Over the coming months, I will be working closely with regional and national partners to improve the police response to this everevolving and complex area of crime. I also wanted to discuss a matter that I know has been of great concern to many local people, more so in recent weeks: male violence against women and girls. The threat of abuse, misogyny, intimidation and violence that women face every day has become wrongly accepted in communities as the ‘norm.’ Following the appalling murder of Sarah Everard, I have read with absolute horror on social media and in the news, the precautions and preventative steps that women and girls take every day of their lives to protect themselves and, still, such actions

do not always keep them safe. A change is needed. Now is the time to put the onus back on the offender and actively challenge their behaviour. Collaboration of statutory agencies and partners is essential to tackle the attitudes, behaviour and, ultimately, criminal activity of perpetrators who are violent towards women and girls. Change is also needed within the police and criminal justice system and that is why I am supportive of the Home Office’s inquiry into issues raised by Wayne Couzens’ conviction. Sarah’s murder has rightly already raised some difficult questions and discussions for all police forces and the Home Office’s inquiry will continue to do so. Sustained change is desperately needed and I firmly encourage Avon and Somerset Police to face these questions head-on, reflect and set actions to ensure officers and staff are upholding the highest standards

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford

of policing for our communities. I understand that this is a complex, societal issue but this is not an excuse. We need to start somewhere and the police and criminal justice system need to be leading the way to deliver real change.

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n THORNBURY CLINIC

thornburyvoice

November, 2021

What is osteopathy and how can it help me? help you.

What is osteopathy?

Alexandra Orchard is an osteopath with a special interest in fibromyalgia and stress-related chronic pain. RECENTLY we have had a lot of patients asking “what exactly is osteopathy?” and wondering if it is the right form of treatment for them. Here I will outline exactly what is entailed and how osteopathy can

Osteopathy is a non-medicinal manual therapy, which primarily works with the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints) to restore and optimise health. Consideration of the neurological, circulatory and lymphatic systems is also a key component. Osteopaths believe in a holistic approach: they treat each patient as a whole, which will include understanding elements of physical, mental and social factors, as well as the area of complaint. Similarly, an osteopath often assesses the function of areas of the body away from the complaint area, which could have caused or may be contributing to the complaint itself. Osteopathy is a way of treating or managing health problems to avoid or reduce the use of medication or surgery, however osteopathic management can be used as a complementary

4 Castle Street, Thornbury, Bristol BS35 1HB

Facilitating Recovery, Preventing Injury

approach alongside other treatments, including medication and/or surgery. Osteopaths train for four years to obtain a master’s degree in osteopathy, which involves detailed anatomy and physiology, disease and medical conditions, pharmacology, biomechanics, osteopathic technique and systems exams (including cardiovascular and respiratory) to ensure they are qualified to manage people’s health effectively. Mandatory placements and clinical hours are also an essential part of qualifying as an osteopath, meaning they have experience of managing patients prior to graduating.

What does an osteopath do? An osteopath will initially diagnose the complaint – this is done by gathering a detailed case history of the patient, including details of the complaint itself, past medical and drug history, social or occupational factors and what the patient aims to get out of treatment. To diagnose the problem, the osteopath will take the patient through a series of assessments. The patient will be asked to perform some movements whilst the osteopath observes posture, form and quality of certain movements, and how body parts are working together. Testing will be done where appropriate – this may include systems exams to make sure the patient is a candidate for osteopathy. For example, if cardiovascular symptoms are present, a brief cardiovascular assessment will be performed to ensure the patient is safe to treat or confirm the need for a GP referral for further investigation. Orthopaedic testing

takes place to support diagnosis of musculoskeletal conditions/ injuries. A major component of this process uses palpation – feeling the tissues and joints for signs of dysfunction. Osteopaths rely greatly on their sense of touch as part of assessment and treatment. Once a working diagnosis is established, an osteopath will discuss the implications of the diagnosis – aiming to educate patients on what is causing their pain, how long it is expected to take to recover, the treatment options available and lifestyle advice to support osteopathic management.

What is treatment like?

Treatment consists of handson techniques that include manipulation and mobilisation of the muscles, fascia and joints. Alongside hands-on treatment, exercise prescription is often an essential part of management which will support recovery/ healing in between appointments. Focal stretching and strengthening muscles is used to restore the body back to optimal function and get patients out of pain. Medical acupuncture/dry needling is sometimes used by osteopaths to complement treatment also.

What can osteopaths treat?

Osteopaths can treat muscle spasms, back pain, joint pain, arthritic pain, sciatica and other neuralgia, mechanical neck pain, migraine prevention, minor sports injuries, rheumatic pain, circulatory problems, shoulder/elbow/hand pain and fibromyalgia. This is not an extensive list – if you think you could benefit from osteopathic treatment ask for a consultation and start your road to recovery to becoming pain-free.

L & J Gulwell Treatments we offer include: Sports injury treatment Injury assessment & treatment Sports massage • Relaxation massage Pregancy massage • Clinical Psychology

Tel: 01454 838 366

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Family Funeral Directors 1 Quaker Lane, Thornbury Bristol BS35 2AD Tel: 01454 418779 Fax: 01454 419764 Email: info@funerals.uk.net Web: www.funerals.uk.net

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November, 2021

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Lions' bookshop celebrates 10th anniversary NOVEMBER marks a milestone in the history of the Thornbury Lions' second-hand bookshop in the St Mary Centre Thornbury – it is the tenth anniversary of the shop. It all started in 2006 when one of the Lions members, when on holiday, saw a charity selling second-hand books to raise funds. Bringing this idea back to Thornbury, and with the aid of a trailer and agreement with Centre, the Lions started a small book stall on Saturday mornings, which achieved modest takings. After our initial place outside, we were given the opportunity to move under cover. In November 2011, the centre very kindly gave us the use of a vacant shop, which was a big improvement, and our takings improved dramatically. We had to move premises periodically but were given generous help by other local organisations and the loan of moving equipment by Aldi supermarket. We moved to our present

The Lions' original bookshop trailer premises in April 2014 and we became independent in 2015. We are now back to full operation after the enforced closure due to the pandemic. We are open on six days a week, on a 'two-shift' basis each day, from 10am to 4pm. We stock an extensive and varied range of books, with jigsaws added recently, which have been a great success during the covid lockdowns in the dark winters. To supplement Lions members

The bookshop now working in the shop, we have an excellent and helpful group of volunteers. The bookshop has become an integral part of the local community and we are visited by customers both local and further afield. To help celebrate the 10th anniversary we are giving away souvenir bookmarks and also stickers with the children’s books. Thornbury Lions are looking forward to future years success

with the shop and the ability to continue to generate much-needed financial assistance for local and national charities, organisations and worldwide disaster appeals. We would like to thank our customers for their continued support. If you would like to know more about Lions, please contact Colin Evans on 01454 414271. Les Jones Thornbury Lions Club

Daniel scoops award for best trainee A YOUNG achiever from Thornbury has won an award for the promising start to his professional career. Daniel Wardrobe was named the South West’s most promising trainee quantity surveyor at this year’s Civil Engineering Contractors Association Young Achiever Awards. Daniel joined Bristol and Wales-based Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd as a cost clerk two years ago. He received the award after embarking on a HNC Construction and the Built Environment course, receiving a merit and a distinction as he balanced his work and study commitments, which organisers said showed his "sheer determination to prove his commitment and potential for progression within the company". After completing the course he intends to enrol at the University of the West of England in Bristol and study a quantity surveying and commercial management degree course, aspiring towards

Dave Ellis of CECA presents Daniel Wardrobe with his award becoming a full member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Over the past two years Daniel has been involved in many aspects of the business including monitoring costs, procurement, subcontractor management, plant deliveries, covid marshal duties, contract programmes and compensation events, and the awards ceremony heard he had demonstrated "an ability beyond his station and a maturity beyond his age". Wayne Miles of Alun Griffiths said: “Daniel displays an exceptional work ethic, progressing impressively in just a

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short amount of time that he has worked with us and that is down to his drive and enthusiasm to learn and progress. "He is already working at an ability beyond his level and demonstrates a willingness to take on any role, which he does promptly and to a high standard. "His exemplary attitude is respectful, professional, and personable. He consistently shows us that he can carry out his work with care and diligence and we are delighted that he has received this award – very much deserved." Civil Engineering Contractors Association South West regional

director Paul Santer said that the success of Daniel and other winners highlighted current opportunities available in civil engineering. He said: “Daniel has made an exceptional start to his working life, choosing to ‘earn while he learns’ in pursuit of his goal to become a fully chartered member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. “Our industry needs more young people like Daniel who can apply their talent and enthusiasm to the civil engineering sector. "If you’re a young person looking for a career where no two days are the same, where you like working in a team, where you can work anywhere in the world and leave a lasting legacy for society, think about a future in civil engineering.” The CECA South West Young Achiever Awards are presented annually in recognition of exceptional performance, with each winner receiving a trophy and cheque for £500.

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November, 2021

n SPORT

Thorns bounce back with win over Newent THORNBURY bounced back from defeat at Lydney with a narrow win over Newent in an outstanding game of rugby in which both sides gave everything. Newent had only lost once this season but it was Jake Wood who opened the scoring for Thornbury with a penalty kick after Newent were offside in front of their posts. Five minutes later they increased their lead when, after constant pressure on the Newent defence the visitors infringed and Thorns put the ball in the corner. Thornbury went for the driving lineout and a variation on a theme saw Charlie Squier plough over. Jake Wood added the extras for a 10-0 lead. Thornbury tails were up and James Wood drove and took a couple of players out before Charlie Squier and Chris Moseley took the ball on, creating space for Will Beese to sprint down the blind-side from the ruck. The cover defence worked wonders to tackle him just short but his

Action from Thornbury's win over Newent. Picture: Dave Fox momentum took him over in the corner. The conversion shaved the wrong side of the post but Thornbury led 15-0. One thing Thornbury know about Newent is they are never out of a game and when Thornbury were turned over at the breakdown just outside their ‘22’, the ball was moved to the Newent No.8 Ben Vincent who crashed through two tackles and

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scored. Webb converted and then kicked a penalty to make the score 15-10 at the break. Newent went ahead after four minutes of the second half, when centre Dan Fletcher crashed over close to a forward maul. Webb converted for 17-15. Thornbury surged upfield from the restart and attacked incessantly. After Tom Ford had come on

for Jake Goodridge they drove a lineout 15 metres to the line. A Newent forward came in from the side and collapsed the maul and left the referee with no option but to award a penalty try. As the game entered the dying minutes both sides came close to scoring but pressure from the defences forced errors and kept their lines intact, and the game ended 22-17 to Thornbury, who defended for their lives for the last five minutes. It was quite a game. It could have gone either way but Thornbury’s excellent start and outstanding defence late on was sufficient to edge the contest. Thornbury had to withdraw from the semi-final tie against Hornets in the much-postponed 2019/20 Bristol Combination Cup the following weekend, as the club's injury crisis and the re-arranged Second XV league match with Avonmouth meant it was not possible to field a team. Dave Fox

George takes marathon record UNLESS you're a runner, you don't really appreciate what a supreme effort it is to complete a marathon. It demands months of focused training, and even then it is almost impossible to prepare the body to keep moving forward at speed when glycogen reserves in muscle fibres are exhausted. However, if you're going to put yourself through it, then London must be the place to do so. All the Thornbury Running Club runners who took part did themselves and their club proud, yet special mention must go to debutant George Evans, who smashed Rob Watkins' all-time club record for the London Marathon. George took part to raise money to help refurbish the netball courts at his daughters' school, Marlwood. After his stunning 2hr 52min 33sec effort, they ought to name them after him. George's progress in the recent months has been staggering – and it was no surprise to see him record such a marvellous time, some 23 minutes inside the 'good for age' benchmark that London marathon organisers set as a target time for the very best runners in the UK to aim for. If he can find the enthusiasm to stick to this training routine over the next 12 months, is Nick Langridge's alltime club marathon record of 2hr 43 under threat? Chris Foley finished 43rd overall in his age category, in a time of 4hr 16 min, beating his own 'good for age' target by an even greater percentage than George did. Club captain Kevin Wood managed to produce an excellent run of 4hrs 12 mins, despite being pitched out onto the street at 1am by his hotel fire alarm the night before. Not far behind him, Paul Reeves finished in 4hrs 25, Sarah Newnes in 4hrs 28 and Sonya Bryson in 4 hrs 32. Mike Bennewitz ran a fine 5hrs 51. Thornbury Running Club

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November, 2021

n SPORT

Town find their feet at a higher level AFTER a difficult start to life in the Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division, recent results have shown that Thornbury Town are finally finding their feet at the higher level. A run of away defeats in September ended when Town entertained high-flying Corsham Town. With both sides creating chances, good saves from both goalkeepers saw the game finish goalless: a well-deserved point for Thornbury with a battling performance in very wet conditions. The following Tuesday saw Bishops Cleeve, lying in second place in the table, visit the Mundys. Having already beaten Thorns twice comprehensively this season, Town's fans were probably fearing the worst, especially when the visitors took the lead after just 3 minutes when Kennedy's shot deflected off Watts into the net. However, leading scorer Craig Lancastle equalised from the

Brandon Benjamin in action for Thornbury Town against Shrivenham. Picture courtesy of Shrivenham FC. penalty spot after 10 minutes and after that, the game ebbed and flowed. Whilst Bishop’s Cleeve had more shots and possession, both goalkeepers were kept busy and Thornbury will feel they did enough to earn the draw. Swindon side Shrivenham were the next visitors and in a game dominated by Town,

honours again ended even in a 0-0 draw. The visitors' keeper pulled off a number of good saves and a fine Rhys Hodgson effort hit the post, but Town were left to feel that it was more like two points dropped than one gained. Top-of-the-table Cribbs FC were the latest side to travel to the Mundys and, having won 10

of the previous 12 games, Town's fans were probably not expecting much from the game. However a real battling performance saw the game still goalless after 90 minutes, before the visitors scored from a welltaken free-kick in stoppage time. With Thorns pressing forward in hope of an equaliser, a quick break saw Cribbs net again. Town are now more competitive at this level and was only a matter of time before the goals, and the results, would come, and they secured their first away victory of the season, winning 3-1 at Hallen FC, on October 16. Meanwhile both the Reserves and A team have made good starts to their new seasons, with both lying in third place in their respective divisions with games in hand on the teams above them. The prospects of a successful season for both sides seem high" Malcolm Carr

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November, 2021

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SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Celebrating almost £3 million of school building improvements

Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Employment Cllr Erica Williams visits Blackhorse Primary School.

Children at the new entrance of Frampton Cotterell Primary School.

The council is carrying out more maintenance improvements to school buildings than ever this year, with an investment of just under £3 million. Work has been completed at a number of primary and junior schools across South Gloucestershire over the summer holidays. This is part of our record £78 million investment into

schools over a four-year period. Projects already completed include: Blackhorse Primary School in Emersons Green: Replacement of existing lighting to LED and the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation

Integra Kitchen Unit Manager at Manorbrook Primary School with new dishwasher Scheme. Frampton Cotterell Primary School: Refurbishment of the main entrance canopy and replacement of various windows. Manorbrook Primary School in Thornbury: Brand new electric catering appliances which have replaced older gas models.

A stronger voice for your community

Housing completions

New parish and town councils: Have your say

South Gloucestershire saw a record 1,650 new homes built during 2020/21, despite the impact of the pandemic on the construction industry. This success means that more individuals and families in the district will now have homes to rent and buy. Of these new homes, 403 are classed as ‘affordable’, including 305 for social renting, eight for affordable rent and 90 for shared ownership schemes. This represents over 40 per cent of the total number of affordable new homes completed in the last year across the entire West of England region. The new homes are on both large and small-scale developments. Both the overall number of new homes and those which are affordable completed in the past year are above the council’s targets. Construction in the district has remained resilient. Not only does this keep people employed locally, but offers the prospect of housing being available for the next generation of South Gloucestershire residents close to where they grew up. The growth in available housing supports local businesses to attract and retain staff who contribute to the local economy and strengthens the community. The council works closely with housebuilding companies, large and small, to help ensure their schemes fit with its aspirations for high-quality, sustainable new homes, which provide a good choice to meet the needs of everyone in our communities and create good, safe and inspiring places for people to live and work.

Did you know that being part of a parish gives you a stronger voice regarding what happens in your community? South Gloucestershire residents now have the chance to comment on proposals on changes to town and parish councils, including the creation of four new parish councils, through a Community Governance Review consultation. The deadline for responses is 31 December. The review will look at how things currently work locally and examine how they can improve to meet communities’ rising expectations. Among the consultation proposals, this includes: • A new Town Council for Kingswood • Staple Hill & Mangotsfield, Charlton Hayes, and Stoke Park & Cheswick to be Parish Councils • Oldbury-on-Severn Parish Council to have additional councillors • Tytherington Parish Council to have additional councillors and name change to Tytherington and Itchington Parish Council • A name change for Westerleigh Parish Council to Westerleigh and Coalpit Heath Parish Council. You can have your say through the council’s website: www.southglos.gov.uk/consultations

Record new homes: providing ownership and affordable housing choice

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Calling community heroes

Do you want to celebrate an unsung community hero? Why not nominate them for the South Gloucestershire Council Chair’s Community Awards? The annual awards recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution that local, unpaid volunteers and community groups make to life in South Gloucestershire. You can nominate anyone in South Gloucestershire who gives up their time for a good cause, such as those who help keep our parks clean and tidy, the befriending volunteers who brighten people’s days, or the helpful neighbours who have supported those self-isolating. The next celebration of community work and volunteering takes place in January. The Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Mr Edward Gillespie, will attend the awards ceremony and select one of the winners to receive a special Lord Lieutenant’s Award. You can nominate your community hero up until 19 November on the website: www.southglos.gov.uk/communityawards or email communityawards@southglos.gov.uk

Keep in touch Sign up for our weekly enewsletter at  www.southglos.gov.uk/newsletter If you are not online and would like a printed copy, please call us on  01454 868009 Follow our social media channels at  southglos.gov.uk/twitter  southglos.gov.uk/facebook Or contact us at  southglos.gov.uk/contactus or call  01454 868009 www.southglos.gov.uk

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