Vocalise Summer Edition 2023

VOCALISE

YOUR FREE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR: ST. PAULS, ST. WERBURGHS, ST. AGNES, MONTPELIER

Welcome!

Welcome to the summer edition of Vocalise, the community magazine for St. Pauls, St. Werburghs, St. Agnes and Montpelier.

Welcome to the summer edition of Vocalise and welcome to summer! Kicked off nicely with the return of St Pauls Carnival. I spent carnival with my dad who always used to bring me to carnival as a little girl. This time it was me holding on to him and making sure he wasn’t swept away by the crowds. My dad came to Bristol 65 years ago as a young teenager and remembers being at the first carnival. It was great to see elders and youngers partying together. We have a carnival update for you on page 19.

A someone who’s descendants came to this country at that time I’ve also enjoyed celebrating the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush ( depicted on our front cover). There is some hyper local history for you on page 16, find out all about Montpelier, I always knew there was more to the old E than met the eye.

We have an interview with Jendayi Serwah from Ujima. Ujima is the Swahili word for “collective work and responsibility” and as always so many the projects featured, the carnival, the Home Language Café, Bristol Energy Network have shown once again the amazing power of community in our area.

What a great place to live!

Lucille

This is YOUR community magazine if you’d like to be involved get in touch!

info@vocalisemagazine.org

vocalisemagazine.org

@vocaliseBristol

@vocaliseBristol

Published by:

Vocalise Bristol CIC Backfields House Upper York Street Bristol BS2 8QJ

Vocalise Bristol CIC

Co-ordinated and designed by: Julia Widz

Thanks to all our volunteers and directors.

Vandna Mehta (Founder)

Judit Davis (Director)

//Kabbo Hue Qua (Directors)

Julia Widz (Project Manager)

Laila Garzón Deguer (Project Assistant)

Ian Jones

Lucille Smith

Hilary Finch

George Dunn

Bob Lawson

Also special Thanks to all our contributors.

Front cover:

Empire Windrush murual to celebrate 75th anniversary from Flickr, by Gioconda Beekman.

Vectors and

from: Vecteezy.com.

Introducing...

Hola Merzi is the miscellany of bold, colourful and fun creations from María, the person behind all this. Having said that, I think I can now stop talking in the third person and pretending that I have an editor working for me.

So yeah, this is me, the owner and sole creator of HOLA MERZI, the alter ego who monetizes my creative work and mostly everyone only knows my fruit & veg earrings, tiny realistic sculptures which add a bit of fun to your ears (or wherever you want to put them).

I moved to this area about 3 years ago, attracted by the diversity, the street art, its quirkiness, the painted facades from local artists, the small shops, and the feeling of neighborhood that I was craving, it's not that easy to have nice chats to the bakery assistant in other places, you know? (hi Francesca!).

Almost a year ago, I decided to quit my job to jump into uncertainty and have a go to make a living from what

To be included in the next issue send your photos to info@vocalisemagazine.org

Deadline is the 17th of September. The best submission will be used for our front cover!

I enjoy doing, which can be jewelry, illustration, clothing, or whatever fun idea crosses my mind at the time.

I have been trying to start being known by doing markets around the city and getting involved in collaborations with other Bristol-based creatives, like Paco Mayoral, a very cool Bristol character who I made a collab to promote local shopping from a pun which turned up as a tote bag which we want to distribute around local shops in the area. The origin of why I am writing here in the magazine! And last but not least, I work alongside my mates at @ mirastudiobristol our creative studio in Stokes Croft where I find the cure for the Impostor Syndrome every time I step in.

I released my online tiny fruit & veg shop a week ago (please check it out), but also I am more than interested in finding local groceries who would be happy to sell my very fresh Spanish vegs at their shop, don’t hesitate to contact me for any projects!

www.holamerzi.com

holasoymerzi@gmail.com @holamerzi

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Grassroot Communities

Do you believe young people have all the talent but, in many cases, limited opportunities?

Grassroot Communities is an community and youth empowerment organisation based in Bristol. Its Founder and CEO Ben Carpenter has been delivering school, youth and community work projects based on the wants and needs of local people.

In September 2022, Grassroot Communities launched their first year-long Grassroot Activators Programme (GAP) for 16 to 30 year olds who are from marginalised communities across the city. A marginalised community is defined based on a young person’s geographic home location and confirmed through one-to-one discussion before selection.

The programme intends to annually support cohorts of up to 15 individuals through youth, community and nature-based work which will provide crucial stepping-stones into future employment and education opportunities. As one of this year’s Grassroot Activators share, “I’ve got goals and I’m ready to smassh them. 2023 is going to be good, I’m excited to see where life takes me”.

The programme is spread across six terms and focuses on

• Leadership

• Youth work

• Community development

• Community and environmental social action

• Entrepreneurship and social enterprise

• Business work experience

• Nature connection

• Community food growing

• Wellbeing.

written by Judith Davies

It runs two days a week on a Tuesday and Wednesday. The young people are matched with a business mentor and a youth mentor.

If you are business that would like to sponsor a young person or would like to volunteer to be a mentor, please do get in touch. Kirsty Green-Mann, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Burges Salmon has found, “The programme is run with real passion and clearly has a tangible impact. We’ve really appreciated the opportunity to provide not only financial support but to provide business mentors too. This makes for a much deeper collaboration and a meaningful relationship”

This is transformative education working in some of the most challenging communities in Bristol. This year’s cohort have been dedicated to the programme and as a result the midpoint evaluation demonstrates incredible impact. There has been a positive shift in life experience for all the participants. All of them are now experiencing high personal resilience. One young person stated, "I’ve surprised myself that I haven’t given up, as usually I do. More often these days than not, I feel that I can do it!”.

As part of the programme, the GAP Superstars took on a social action challenge. One group in Bedminster launched a community event called Creative Waves. One cold night in December, they collaborated with local businesses and provided food, drink and workshops that included skateboarding, graffiti, sports, arts & crafts and breakdancing. Last Saturday 10th June, the GAP group pitched for community funding to extend their project and by a landslide were voted by the local community in BS3 to receive over £3000.

The first Grassroot Activators are currently in their final term What’s the GAP? They are using their voices to recruit and amplify GAP, to the next generation of Grassroot Activators for September 2023/24. Follow @ grassrootcommunities on socials to hear their voices talk about what matters to them!

If you would like to interview the GAP young people and see how they are the change they wish to see in the world, email

info@grassrootscommunities.org.

GET INVOLVED!

Vocalise is always looking for members of the community to get involved with the magazine.

We are always on the look out for:

Writers/Poets

Artists Editors Distributors

Advertisers

Photographers

Front cover submissions are also welcome! And don't forget to send in your local photos!

Fundraisers Get in touch...

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Autumn issue deadline 17th of September!

Botanical Soundscapes

Within the sphere of art, it has been proven time and time again that creativity has no limits. Lucy Shuter’s work confirms this. As an imaginative artist, and recently graduated student at BIMM Institute, Shuter has embarked on a resourceful journey merging music, plants, and machinery in her interactive sonic art installation.

Titled ‘Botanical Soundscapes’, her project aims to inspire a deeper human connection with the natural world around through the use of music and sound. This development is more than just a visually pleasing experience. Though the beauty of natural life on display should not be underestimated! Through “utilizing technology that explores the musical potential of plants”, as Lucy Shuter explained, a door is opened to explore a deeper understanding of our world’s environmental value, pointing towards a greater and more sustainable future.

Via touch, attendees can experience the melodic sounds of plants engineered by Shuter herself. Through hooking up plants to electrodes, electrical signals can be received and converted into real life sound waves and hence produce vibrations and sounds pleasing to the ear. By doing so, Botanical Soundscapes constructs a musical escapism accessible to all members of the public. Shuter described how “(This) project started from a desire to encourage more sustainable actions towards the planet. Plants are often overlooked and only seen as a resource for humans. My work raises attention to the fascinating intelligence and beauty of plants in hope to inspire a deeper appreciation

written by Cerys Owen

for them. By exploiting plants for human satisfaction, a disconnection from nature is reflected. Consequently, a relationship between humans and the natural world is largely disconnected. Through placing emphasis on the power of our environment, plant blindness can eventually be reduced.”

Botanical Soundscapes’ general ethos can provide us all with a revived sense of curiosity and recognition for our beautiful planet. Amidst the severity of the climate crisis, projects like Lucy’s Botanical Soundscapes are essential to preserving hope and optimism for our future. Symbolising an empowering fusion of art, Shuter’s creation raises a heightened ecological consciousness for all humans to see and feel.

Having several festival installations booked for this season, Shuter hopes to see Botanical Soundscapes continue to grow and share its message to a wider audience. She hopes to hold more exhibitions open to the public in the nearby future, alongside collaborating with other artists to create something special.

Instagram: @botanicalsoundscapes

Parlez

A small local enterprise in St. Wherburgs.

written by Bob Lawson

For many a year now I have noticed the word PARLEZ emblazoned across many a person's T-shirt, Hoodie, Jacket trousers and/or shirt. {As many fans of this local brand are known to double PARLEZ.}

If you are local and are sporting this flourishing brand, then it is more than likely you have bought directly from Will Clinkard. Will is the co-owner of the brand and a local resident who joined the team in 2016, coming from a background of marketing and fashion. A man who loves his work.

3 years after its inception in 2013, outgrowing the realms of the designer's bedroom, then a small office in town and the warehouse in Lawrance Green, they now find themselves with the head office over the M32 in Pennywell studios, focusing there on design and marketing. There's a 3rd party warehouse in Wales, dealing with distribution. Will tells me how they are 95 % sustainable, using recycled and organic fabrics, doing the best they can to make as little impact as possible. They embroider all the designs as it lasts a lot longer and doesn't wash down like printed garments.

Creating clothes, he intends them to last a long time as he is very aware of the backlash and global consequences of throw-away fashion. It is very evident the clothes are high quality and have a clean classic look and a wide appeal, crossing the generations. Also, what I like about this outfit of 9 is that they involve many other local small independent companies, supporting local breweries such as Wiper & True and venues such as The Thekla using local DJ's. Will is also often to be found on the decks himself.As when it comes to their sample sales, they are always keen to put on a good party.

They now find themselves supplying clothes to at least 3 members of the cast of 'The Outlaws' a tv series based here in Bristol, who themselves have an ethos of supporting local companies and chose PARLEZ as the look for the new series being filmed down in St Wherburgs at the wonderful City Farm.

"Right on my doorstep, symbiotic!" says Will with a big smile. Check them out and stay local..... www.parlez.co.uk

WEA: Learner Led Activities

The Green Skills Challenge!

WEA Bristoln is a national adult education charity with the Bristol centre located on Wilder St. St. Pauls. WEA Bristol is funded by WECA, with the focus of engagement, employability and foundation skills for work for adults from disadvantaged communities. The WEA Bristol Area Manager, Justine Kheffache, has designed and piloted a Step into Schools Program this academic year, set to repeat again in September 2023. The aim of the program is to support and develop the skills needed to work in UK schools.

Within the 6-month program learners complete 3 qualifications; Level 2 Support work in Schools and Colleges, Level 1 Mental Health Awareness,

Step into schools

and Level 2 Mental Health Awareness. As part of the holistic support from training through to employment the learners work alongside the WEA Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) advisor, Katie Goldsmith, to set up a work experience placement in a local school. So far this has been hugely successful and all of the learners on the course have been offered work in schools!

One of the most enjoyable parts of the Level 2 Support Work in Schools and Colleges is the learner led activity. One of the Step into Schools tutors Fiona Childs, has designed a Green Skills Challange to integrate Green Skills into their learning process, and in turn the learning process of the students they will be working with in schools.

This has been an amazing way to share and explore the life experiences of the global citizens on the course. The learners on the course are from all over the world, and they bring with them a diverse and fascinating range of cultural knowledge and wisdom.

All of which is increasingly important in creating innovative approaches to climate change and integrating Green skills into training and employment.

The learner led activity is an opportunity to plan a micro teach session - to plan a 15-minute session to deliver to the group, reflect then implement improvements for the next session. The session can be on any subject, the learners so far have incorporated games, art, maths, science into their sessions. Activities ranging from Somalian games, Jewlery making, sign writing to name a few. The Green Challenge was to integrate either recycling, or nature education into their activity. The learners have created a brilliant range of activities matching the diversity and imagination of the group! Activities such as: Making Chinese lanterns as a cultural art activity, learning about the cuckoo's story by making a nest and eggs as an science/art activity, both using recycled materials from a visit to the Children's Scrapstore in Bristol.

5 little stones game from Pakistan where the learners enjoyed using natural materials whilst playing in nature.

Henna practice from Sudan was shared by another learner, Nawal Abdalla, the process of making Henna from leaves and how Henna patterns are part of Sudanese culture and traditions. WEA Staff also brought in some of their skills by leading a micro–Bush craft session and Art/ Nature project making sun prints using the leaves of pollinator plants to decorate plant pots for pollinator plants. These activities have been a fantastic opportunity to inspire each other in ways to connect with nature, be part of nature, and find ways to make green skills and sustainability part of both children's and adult education.

We are open to new learner applications for the next years Step into Schools Program, this is a free course for eligible learners, please contact Anita Gardner atagardner@wea.ac.uk for more information.

St. Werbughs Community Centre

St Werburghs Community Centre gets enterprising!

We’ve been busy developing the enterprise side of our charity and we hope you will get behind all the amazing initiatives we have been cooking up. Our series of creative workshops and events include children’s school holiday workshops, ceilidhs, craft classes with local makers and foodie events with top chefs. These projects help us to keep afloat while bringing you – our community - more fun, creative and useful things to see and do.

We also want to listen to our community and offer things that you would like to see on your doorstep. If you have something you want to share with us or that you would particularly like to see as an event or workshop, then do get in touch with Jess on events@stwerburghs.org.uk.

Children’s Summer Holiday workshops

From 15th – 23rd August we’ll be running four holiday workshops with Bristol Academy of Drama (BAD) and Oddly Moving Circus with different groups for children aged 3-11. The experienced drama facilitators will support the children’s creative

Summer News

process as they learn to share ideas and work with others to bring the story to life before performing on the final day. Professional circus performer Grania leads the sessions for Oddly Moving Circus. Grania is an experienced workshop leader, teaching floor-based and aerial circus skills and physical theatre to community groups, schools and youth clubs.

Find out more about these exciting workshop and book here: https:// stwerburghs.org.uk/childrens-workshops

Picnic in the Park 2023 – get involved!

This year’s local mini festival Picnic in the Park is approaching, and we want you to get involved. There are loads of ways you can support this much-loved annual event in Mina Road Park this September.

- Run a stall

- Run a workshop or activity

- Show off your skills with a performance on the main stage

- Volunteer

- Sponsor the event

- Donate prizes for the raffle

If you would like to support the event or get involved then visit our website to find out more: https://stwerburghs. org.uk/picnic-in-the-park-2023.

Green Feast

On Friday 14th July we are running our second Green Feast and Positive Climate action event. Come along and enjoy food and activities with your community. Learn about small steps we can take to tackle climate change in a fun, engaging way where everyone is welcomed. Thanks to support from Bristol City Council and Quartet Community Foundation this event is FREE, although booking is required: https:// stwerburghs.org.uk/services/greenfeast.

Summer round up from BEN

What’s going on with our bills, get started on simple summer DIY, chatting all things Energy at ‘Sparks’, and ‘Bright Green Homes’ opportunity.

The warmer days and nights are in full swing now which is good news for keeping our energy bills down but it is still a difficult time for people as they struggle with the cost of energy bills, rent, and food. There has been a lot of mention in the news about the ‘Energy Price Cap’ (the amount that a company can charge per unit of energy) coming down which sounds like good news. In the long run it is good news but it’s important to recognise that we have not been paying the price cap over the winter as the government put in place an artificial cap and provided the ‘Energy Bill Support Scheme’ (the £67 a month rebate). Long story short, it is not going to feel like there is much difference to what we’re paying BUT summer is here and we will be saving energy on our heating and therefore bringing down our bills.

While we are in the warmer months it is a great time to do the basic DIY draught proofing that will help keep your home warmer next Autumn and Winter. Everything you can do now to address draughts will reduce the amount you have to pay on your energy bills once it gets colder. Our top tips are:

- Use builders' caulk to fill in the gaps along your skirting boards

- Use foam insulating tape around the frames on your entrance doors. This will form a seal and keep the cold air out

- Make sure that letter boxes and keyholes on your external doors are covered so the wind doesn’t blow through them

BEN is part of the new arts and sustainability hub in the old Marks and Spencer’s space

in Broadmead called ‘Sparks’. We are part of the ‘Energy Department’ and are onsite delivering energy advice with our ‘Energy Help Desk’ weekly. Do pop by for some advice and a chat!

One of the projects that we are talking

about at Sparks is ‘Bright Green Homes’. It’s a project delivering fully funded energy efficiency improvements to homes in Bristol. Check out the details below and share with anyone you know who doesn’t use gas to heat their homes to see if they’re eligible.

Link: https://www.bristolcityleap.co.uk/domestic/bright-green-homes/

Bristol Energy Network

Thoughts from an Oldie

As age catches up with me I find my memory letting me down and one of the reasons I no longer write articles in case I mix up facts. There is also the problem of appearing un-PC as people are getting so touchy about the use of words and phrases. Then there is Artificial Intelligence! I find this scary – the development is so fast and the consequences huge in respect to so many aspects of life as it is. The effect on jobs, freedoms, cheating, spying….. the list is endless. Yes there will be many positives but it looks to me that the world population will become even more divided between rich and poor. I just hope that my grand and great grand children’s lives are not so changed I would not recognise them if I were to check them out in another 40 years.

written by Hilary Finch

grow, seeing the colours as they change and the birds flitting about, the local cats stalking them – and the occasional foxes visiting too! Most recently one has been digging under the apple tree, but has, I hope, decided that my garden with it’s high walls is not the place for pups who would not be able to jump up and get away.

Since my exhibition in May when I sold quite a lot of my art, I have done no painting but got wrapped up in the garden and am now about to change it more with the acquisition of a new and smaller garden shed leaving me to create another ‘garden room’. The new area could well be great as it becomes shady by midday when I don’t always want to be that crazy Brit out in the midday sun! This will involve a lot of sorting out and getting rid of stuff! My current shed is 6’x6’ and the new one only 5’x3’… so some stuff has to go. Yes, sheds seem to be sold in old measurements so I am out measuring with my sewing tape measure as it has inches where as my more carpentry tape is metric.

No doubt when winter returns the brushes will be out again as it's colour that keeps me going during those gloomier days – maybe even before. Why don’t I paint pictures of my garden you ask? Well, I have but I actually prefer messing around with it than capturing it in paint, but who knows what the future holds!

I think of myself as a relatively modern woman but keeping up with the digital changes, banking, shopping, scams and the like is becoming harder and who knows what it will be like in another 10 years when my brain is likely to be even less effective at 86 years old! I’m so lucky to have a garden where I can keep in touch with an earthly reality. The scents, watering and watching plants

The Home Language Conversation Cafe

On May, the 18th we held the first edition of The Home Language Conversation Café at St Pauls's Learning Centre. In an informal and friendly environment, 3 groups of immigrant native speakers of Italian, Spanish and Portuguese had the opportunity to share their experiences of leaving their home country to live in the UK. We heard fascinating stories from people at different stages of their settlement in the country. Missing family and communication difficulties were the most common challenges emerging from the discussions at this first meeting.

Sharing the experience of living abroad

Whatever the reason for moving abroad, living in a country with a different language and culture can be an interesting and exciting experience. However, although it may vary from person to person, the process of relocation usually involves a long period of adjustment, with different stages and also hidden challenges along the way, such as the steps to access jobs, housing and health care.

A typical challenge starts with communication difficulties. More than just an idiom, a language is inserted into a socio-cultural

background and even for those who already speak English as a second language, it takes time and effort to assimilate the complexity of elements involved in this new environment. Lack of confidence and communication difficulties can affect people emotionally, leading to isolation, loneliness and even mental health problems. More than that, it affects the way people participate and contribute to the betterment of the local society.

Based on these concerns, the Home Language Conversation Cafe is an initiative created to informally welcome and connect immigrants from the same language and cultural background around various topics related to their experiences of living abroad. In a friendly environment provided, people from outside the UK can meet their peers to share individual experiences of immigration in their first language.

Our monthly meetings welcome different language groups in the café area

Paul's Learning Centre, with each group speaking in their own language. We currently have 3 groups: Spanish, Italian and Portuguese speakers, with the aim of expanding to other language groups in the future. We aim that, through these conversations, people can fight isolation and make connections; overcome difficulties at the different stages of adjusting to life in the UK; develop a sense of belonging; and grow in confidence to develop their potential for creativity, productivity and more effective participation in society at local and national levels.

journey since leaving their home countries. In the end, one piece of feedback was: “Today's discussion was relevant because we know about the many challenges we face when living in a country with a different language, but we don´t always stop to reflect on how it really affects us”.

Plans to expand and welcome new language groups

According to Bristol's local government (Bristol.gov.uk - Insight, Performance and Intelligence), Bristol's population has become increasingly diverse in recent years. By 2021, it included 45 religions, 187 nations represented and at least 91 different languages spoken! We wonder how these migrants cope with the challenges of adapting to a new social organisation, language and culture. Do they ever miss home or feel lonely? Do they suffer from the fear of not speaking English? What about the amenities, new opportunities or additional learning in this new settlement process?

The book of my life

The discussions on this first day explored the common stages of settling in a new country and gave participants the opportunity to reflect on their own journeys as immigrants. Living away from family and language barriers were among the most common challenges reported.

We had so many interesting stories, some expressing the difficulties of adjusting to such different socio-cultural circumstances, but the stories also included positive achievements, overcoming situations and life improvement opportunities. After sharing their experiences, participants were encouraged to represent their experiences by creating a "book" to illustrate significant moments of their

Every migrant has stories to tell. Stories that can help others cope with the process of adjusting to a new country! This month´s Home Language Conversation Café will take place on 22/06 and we are receiving the same three native language groups: Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Join us if you are an immigrant and native speaker of any of these languages (contacts below). In the future we aim to expand to welcome new language groups so If you are an immigrant speaker of other languages, you are welcome to join our team of volunteers and help us to expand this project. homelanguage.contact@gmail.com

History of Montpelier

written by Paco Mayoral

Why Montpelier is called Montpelier?

“A beautiful view of Bristol and the country can be obtained from Montpelier”. This is the first written evidence we have got of the Bristol´s Montpelier, date from 1793. It was quoted by W. Mathews in his guidebook about the history of Bristol and his suburbs, in which he describes the area as an idyllic quiet place where you can enjoy the spacious open-air swimming baths and the adjoining pleasure gardens. Such a generous description is not trivial, considering that the elevated position, due to the hilly formation, and the reputation of being salubrious is what led us to be identified with the French spa town.

The french medieval city of Montpellier, the original one, was built on two hills, and its modest elevation seemed to give it a healthier advantage. The city eventually boasted a university and a medical school renowned throughout Europe, which may have added to its reputation as a healthful location. As a consequence, the city gained international reputation as a spa town.

Naming a place Montpellier conjured up images of an ideal spot, in the same way that we might name our ideal spot Eden or Shangri-La. Montpellier was

an especially fitting name for an elevated location with healthy mountain air. In fact, the bristolian´s Montpelier it wasn´t the only one who want to get associated with the french one, as there are, no more, no less, 150 Montpeliers and Montpelliers around the world. There are Montpel(l)iers in Brighton, Cheltenham, London, Harrogate and Dublin, etc, being some of them directly related to leisure complex.

Yes, I know what you are thinking; one L or two?. Both forms are correct, there is no hard-and-fast rule, and they have been used plenty of times throughout history, being the double L the dominant one tough.

But, there is something that doesn´t add up in this comparation. We have got the hills, but where are the baths?

Montpelier was originated as a suburb of Bristol in the 18th century with detached villas set on the Ashley Down hillside overlooking the Cutlers Mill Brook. This leafy area is where people used to travel from inner Bristol to bathe in the ponds of Montpelier, escape for a while and get a pleasent time not far from the city.

Thats what Thomas Rennison may have tought, because he became the responsible for changing forever the fate of our story.

Native to Birmingham, this threadmaker came to Bristol with an ambition to set up his own factory, although these plans were never realised when he saw the potential of the zone. Bye, bye factory, Bienvenue leisure baths.

The Rennison´s baths were laid out in 1765 and became the first swimming bath of his kind in Bristol. As well as a large cold bath and a smaller one for women, there were dressing rooms, a coffee house, a bowling green and tea gardens. The coffee house was later converted in to a tavern called the Old England, which still exists, being the last survivor of the whole complex. Have you heard about it? ;)

the image of an old-fashioned cricketer drawn above the main door. It´s not other than the previousy mentioned Mr. Grace.

The property was passed on through a succession of family members until it was sold with the baths themselves eventually being acquired by the Bristol Corporation for public use in 1892. In 1896 33,231 people are recorded using the facilities, only part of which were heated. Possibly the First World War had an effect on its success for the Baths finally closed in 1916.

Apart from the Old England pub, the only other reference of this glorious past are the Bath Buildings, located right next to the Montpelier Health Center Heath Center, where the baths used to be.

As Bristol expanded in the Victorian period, the suburb was infilled by the streets of terraced housing that we see today.

But the legacy of the baths not only has defined the name of the area but also has built its character and personality. The reputation of being a bohemian place where you can seek all kind of pleasures, that you can feel still today, has the starting point in the times of Rennison´s Grand Pleasure Baths.

Concerts were held there twice a week and Rennison held wild parties knowing that he had nothing to fear from the authorities as the site was outside the city boundary. Some things never change. At the end of the XIX century, the famous cricketer WG Grace used to practice in the nets at the Old E, as is one of the few places that has their own full-size crickete nets. Altough it seems incredible, the nets are still in situ (not the original one of course) and they are used by The Old England Cricket Club. This resolve the mistery about why such an alternative pub nowadays has

St. Paul's Carnival Update

Bristol’s annual celebration of African and Caribbean culture, St Pauls Carnival, returned this summer to the city’s streets under the theme of Learning from Legends. In light of this year’s event St Pauls Carnival’s Executive Direc tor LaToyah McAllister-Jones joined us to offer some more insight about the event.

How do you feel about the carnival after the pandemic?

The team was thrilled to return to the streets of St Pauls to celebrate the 55th carnival event this summer following a fouryear hiatus due to the pandemic. This year’s event was set to be a big one, celebrating the lives and contributions so many people have made to Carnival.

Since it began, St Pauls Carnival has played a central and active role in challenging the status quo and this year’s celebration was an important one for us all to acknowledge the challenges those who have gone before us have faced in blazing a trail to ensure African Caribbean culture is preserved and celebrated.

How did you keep the community alive?

Although for many they saw this year’s event as a return, as an organisation we have maintained community celebrations, albeit on a smaller scale over the last four years. Our education programme aims to spread the traditions of Carnival all year round. From Mas Camps with costume

making to Black History Month outreach, assemblies, and steel pan drumming lessons, we bring the spirit of Carnival to schools and the community, 365 days a year.

Can you tell us more about this years carnival?

This year was the first full St Pauls Carnival for our chair Levi Roots, who was appointed in 2021. I couldn't wait to have Levi in the heart of Carnival as chairman during the event, he was really excited about seeing Carnival back in full technicolour on the streets of Bristol and seeing the carnival come to life under the Learning from Legends theme to mark such an historic year in so many ways.

This year the carnival event featured four stages showcasing iconic and fresh new creative talent from Bristol to capture the Carnival vibes. The Roy Hackett Memorial Stage was this year’s main stage located on St Pauls Learning Centre Green, celebrating the legacy of Bristol activist, community elder and civil rights pioneer Dr Roy Hackett MBE. This stage featured many of Bristol's greats spanning across genres such as Reggae, Dub, Hip Hop, Spoken Word, Afrobeats, UK Funky, and more. The Radical Roots stage is our newest stage and was found in Brunswick Square. This new stage welcomed a blend of activist-led cultural arts featuring some of Bristol's best artists performing music, spoken word, dance and more.

How did you involve the community in this new version of the carnival?

In the lead-up to this year’s Carnival event, we have launched a series of fringe events celebrating the community, achievements, and the Caribbean legends of our past, present and future as we build up to our comeback Carnival. To mark the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain on 22 June 1948, we launched our traditional fringe event series starting with a Legends of Windrush: Human Library event. Using this year’s Carnival theme ‘Learning from Legends’, event guest speakers reflected on the many trailblazers from the Caribbean community and how they’ve impacted our lives.

Following tradition, each Carnival day begun with a private elder’s brunch in which the community elders were invited to gather and enjoy delicious Caribbean cuisine. This year we are thrilled to host our community elders once again. We also orchestrated a community mas camp pilot, a 10-week programme embedded into the community. The programme was aimed at encouraging the development of costume-making skills, giving the wider community a chance to be a part of the procession. The St Pauls Dance Troupe was also heavily involved. The project is in its second year and debuted at last year’s Back A Yard community events programme.

The dance troupe, co-ordinated by Afidance and Sheba Monseratt, was seen in the procession and will hopefully become a regular fixture at carnivals all over the country.

How do you embrace the young people who have never visited the carnival before?

As mentioned earlier our education programme seeks to spread the traditions of Carnival all year round. As part of this, our team worked with many local schools that have performed this year as part of the iconic event percussion. Many of these young children have never attended the Carnival before and this year was their very first taste of the Carnival. It is important that we preserve the Carnival legacy with our future legends.

What projects are coming up after the carnival?

As a team we work all year round, as much as the St Pauls Carnival is such an iconic summer event, we are Carnival 365 days of the year. Following the Carnival event, our education programme and community engagement will continue as we share and celebrate African Caribbean arts and culture. This vital work brings our community together; we inspire, teach, and engage with the history and heritage of Carnival. Future projects include a year-round programme of fundraising events in collaboration with local artists and venues.

Ujima Radio

Ujima Radio it's 15 years old in July this year. Since launching in 2008, Ujima has built an audience of 30,000 listeners daily on FM, 87,500 streaming live online & now on DAB. The radio is Bristol’s leading African & Caribbean arts and media social enterprise. Providing on-air community broadcasting. Ujima was the first radio station in the UK to receive Arts Council England funding in 2016.

Thank you for your time. I know you are a very busy woman.

“Hi, yes, sometimes. I work as an independent consultant for Black South West Network. I do different bits of chairing meetings. I'm a reparations activist. And there are a couple of organisations that I kind of lead in Bristol, the John Lynch African education programme, which is more of a cultural education programme. But what I spend most of my time in Bristol on is doing reparatory justice work through the African Connections Consortium, which was established in 2016. That's really about getting the substantive representation of African heritage communities' voices, within the city. And that has a strong reparatory justice, focus within it and with so we're part of the Bristol legacy group as an organisation that's looking at Bristol's role and how it can atone for and memorialise its role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans. So I'm the chair of the African Emancipation Day Reparations March Committee, which has been holding the annual reparations rebellion for the last 10 years in London.

I've been a presenter at Ujima since 2016 at The Show Glocal. I am on the board since August last year and I've recently become the chair of the Radio. Being the chair of any organisation is about leadership, it's

Interview with the chair of Ujima: Jendayi Serwah

written by Laila Garzon Deguer

about ensuring effective governance, it's about ensuring that we are true to our mission as a community radio station, and amplifying the voices, culture, and everything around African heritage, and African Caribbean communities, it means that we, as other directors, not just the chair are responsible for making sure we are compliant with the regulations that we exist within as a community interest company and as an outcome regulated station, as somebody who receives public funds, etc.

But on the ground, our mission is really about as well as amplifying voices. It's about skilling up and building capacity in our community in the form of media training, and education.

So a lot of what Ujima does in the daytime is speech-based programmes for that reason, we're not really a music station until after the kind of drive you home, 6 pm onwards, because, you know, we've got a responsibility to transmit information on behalf of our community, but also give information, highlight and profile a community that's been minoritized in this Bristol in this UK context, because, as a digital radio station, we're not just about Bristol, we haven't just been about Bristol for a long time and Glocal is a programme that speaks to the African experience all over the world. And there are the programmes that have that wider remit as well. So since winning our digital licence, we've been able to own that a bit more and reflect that in what we do as well as having 98 FM, and the website as well.”

What is the future for Ujima?

“As always, the first priority is to make sure that we have the resources to fulfil the mission. So we're constantly looking for partnerships that fit in with what we want to do. So we can collaborate, on

raising awareness around particular issues around health, social justice, education, as well as the creative arts in our communities, and other more politically kind of charged issues, such as reparations, and this so-called Windrush debacle, are two current examples of that, this year, we have anniversaries around that which, are contested actually, and quite rightly so. And we remember our own history as Bristol in terms of the Bristol bus boycott this year. We're quite a pioneering trailblazing city, and we mustn't forget that. So our priority is always to profile those things and get our community involved in acknowledging those things, learning more about those things and using our platform to generate a better world and a better place.”

Do you feel that after pandemic is hard to connect with the community?

“I think the pandemic was a very strange time, almost forgotten now. But I personally, as a presenter, broadcast live from the studio, throughout the pandemic. In the beginning, we were seen as key workers or whatever it is, because, without broadcast, the community would not know what was going on. When regulations and rules change, when new laws come in. Other stuff connected with the pandemic, you need the radio to broadcast those issues. To the community, it was a very strange experience walking to the station every day, because there was literally no one on the road. No one around, and then having to make modifications within Ujima. So we had no live guests for two years, for example, and, if you're co-presenting, you still needed to social distance in the studio, and things like that. So it was a surreal experience. But I think Ujima kept a connection and people needed to have something that was normal for them to kind of tune into in a very abnormal time.”

Carnival is back! How is Ujima’s relationship with it?

“We've been involved in the carnival. For many years, we hosted the main stage in previous years. This year, we also have a float. We're

involved in the opening of Carnival and we do our best to work with the Carnival team to make sure that their information also goes out over the airwaves. Always Carnival would be part of Ujima's story. Honouring our elders and honouring the struggle of those gone by in terms of racial justice will also be a continuous part of Ujima's story, and celebrations. Ujima it's 15 years old in July this year. So we have no plans to stop doing what we're doing. I know we are a very important resource for the community and work in partnership with lots of different people, you know, from the NHS to venues like The Mount without and other organisations we have collaborated with to produce shows around health, for example, and we will continue to do that.”

“Ujima is the Swahili word for “collective work and responsibility” and this principle is at the heart of all we do.”

“For our future we need funding, we need donations. Because if we're going to upskill our community in media skills, if we're going to champion the voices that do not get platforms, then we need to keep going. So we do need investment, whether that comes in the form of grants, loans, or even your wonderful readers' donations. Welcome.

If you want it to be donated to us on Carnival Day, look out for the float. All those ways and partnerships work as well, where we can pull resources and have mutually beneficial relationships with other organisations, and institutions and so on. You know, we have interns from the university, for example, that contribute to our back-office functions as well.”

Get involved and be part of the comunity!

www.ujimaradio.com

Date for your calendar: Ujima's 15th Birthday party is on Thursday 24th August at The Mount Without. 7 pm until midnight.

Spinning Stories in BS2

written by Ian Jones

“All the secrets of the world are contained in books,” proclaims the banner, black text on a bright banana backdrop. If that’s the case, the secret’s well and truly out. Tickets have been snapped up, and St Paul’s Learning Centre is packed. A wide semicircle of chairs are all taken. Latecomers are cramming onto tables. A line of hungry punters lingers at the serving hatch of Glen’s kitchen- more rice is on the way…

And the event itself? Bestselling author Caleb Azumah Nelson is talking about his new novel, ‘Small Worlds’. But not just that- he’s in conversation with former Easton resident Moses McKenzie, whose acclaimed debut ‘An Olive Grove in Ends’ has recently appeared in paperback.

It’s all been arranged by Max Minerva’s, a family-owned book business with stores in Henleaze and Portishead. They’re big on community outreach, organising book clubs, fairs and author events, with the Learning Centre looking set to become a regular venue. Events are bookable through Max Minerva’s, but free tickets are also available from the Learning Centre for local residents.

Anyway, in come Caleb and Moses to a big St Paul’s welcome, and the talk begins. Caleb reads an extract from ‘Small Worlds’. Moses pitches his questions. The conversation is wide-ranging and back and forth. What makes you want to write? How does a man write a woman? What is the influence of homeland? Do you write for a Black readership?

Caleb talks about his approach to fiction. His 5:00am writing routine. The way that events can be imagined but the emotions behind them must be real. The need for closeness and connections between

people and the shared intimacy that comes from storytelling.

Then it’s over to the audience for a second quizzing, followed by two long snakey queues as we wait to get our books signed. (In case you’re wondering, Moses uses a black biro whilst Caleb opts for a page-filling permanent marker). Finally, we all head off into the balmy night, clutching our new novels, and remembering to check the Max Minerva website (www.maxminervas.co.uk) so we don’t miss the next event. Maybe we’ll see you there!

And in the meantime, here’s three recommendations for your Summer Reads:

An Olive Grove in Ends by Moses McKenzie

A young Black Bristolian is determined to escape his upbringing. Will drugs, violence, faith or love provide the best answer?

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

A novel of fathers and sons, music and dance, set over three summers in London and Ghana.

The Fire Inside by Jacqueline Crooks (speaker at a previous event). Black womanhood, dub reggae, love and loss in ‘80s London and Bristol- this one comes with its own Spotify playlist!

What’s on...

The cave art of Lascaux at bristol museum & art gallery

Running

Until 10 Sept

Step back in time 21,000 years and visit the incredible Stone Age cave art of Lascaux in immersive 3D virtual reality experience.

Unicornfest Until 27 Aug

This summer a giant herd of unicorns descends on the streets of Bristol. How many can you find?

Summer Gala At Fairfields High School

18 July

Festival style event which will showcase the fantastic work of performing arts students and boasts many market stalls from local businesses including some delicious tasty treats and a BBQ..

Charity Super.Mkt at Cabot Circus

Charity Super.Mkt is the UK's first ever shop space hosting multiple charities under one roof.

The Re-Creation Station at Wake The Tiger

20 July

22 July to 3 Sept

Wake The Tiger welcomes all ages to bring along junk and up-cycle into works of art! The Re-Creation Station is an arts and crafts area within The Guildhall.

Hospitality On The Harbour

27 July to 29 July

Following last year's sell out, Hospitality on the Harbour is back on Bristol’s beautiful harbourside, rolling out an unmissable, high-energy selection of Hospitality crew alongside a stacked line-up of very special guests including an Invicta Audio…

Monthly Sustainable Pop-Up Market at Future Leap

29 July

Celebrating local art and craft talent, beauty and skincare producers, and everything inbetween, the market provides a green alternative to high street shopping.

Cider Salon Bristol

2 Aug to 5 Aug

The Cider Salon Bristol will comprise a week of talks, tastings, label art exhibitions and dinners with independent venues across the city.

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

10 Aug to 13 Aug

The spectacular free event will once again feature over 100 hot air balloons taking off at dawn and dusk as well as the famous Night Glows, when the balloons light up the sky in time to music.

Vegan Kids Festival

11 Aug to 13 Aug

The Vegan Kids Festival was created for vegan families to spend quality time, making memories with your children, surrounded by like minded families and not having to worry about what you can eat!

Warrior Day at Berkeley Castle

13 Aug

The much-loved warriors from Dressed to Kill descend once again upon the Castle to impart their expert sword fighting skills.

FORWARDS

1 Sept to 2 Sept

FORWARDS returns to Bristol this September after its debut last year. Bristol will see two days of music and discussion, driven by its social initiatives to create positive change.

Bristol Open doors

15 Sept to 17 Sept

Bristol Open Doors is a biennial chance to look behind closed doors and discover the city's hidden treasures.

Bristol Sea Shanty Festival

Watch shanty bands perform across various venues around the harbourside.

23 Sept

an event? Let us know and we'll help promote it!

PUZZLES

SUDOKU

Difficulty level: EASY

Difficulty level: MEDIUM

Difficulty level: HARD

Your Councillors say...

Never a dull moment in Ashley as a councillor. This issue we are just feeding back on a few really important issues we have been involved with. None of which are entirely to role of the council but we have been involved with, along with lots of local people. It seems like St Pauls and Ashley re continuously loosing out.

Buses. Well, we still have one: Transpora have stepped in to provide us with the 25. Its by no means perfect but after the loss of the 5 then the 47 it is at least something. Remember that buses are entirely commercial and only run if there is enough demand (you can support franchising but that’s another story -Google bus franchising Bristol). Tim has been feeding issues raised back to Transpora but it is really important that we do use it so it continues.

Dentists. You will all be aware that the BUPA dentist in St Paul’s is closing at the end of June. The way the Dental contract is constructed nationally means this is a country wide problem. Dentists are commercial businesses with the bulk of their work through the NHS contract simply can't run profitably. This has a disproportionate effect on an area like St Paul’s where there are lots of people who can’t afford to go private. Amirah has been involved in organising a campaign and Tim has been working behind the scenes on Health Scrutiny, urging NHS bosses to urgently prioritise to try and get us a new dentist.

Schools. Very sadly, as you read this, St Barnabas School will have closed its doors. The decision was taken due to very small and falling pupil numbers. Despite a fiercely fought campaign the decision to close was taken to close. We are currently are urging the council to consider whether it can be kept in education perhaps for Special Educational Needs Provision. Its not all doom and gloom and perseverance is always worthwhile, however frustrating things are. Jude has been leading for us on the ‘Kernow building’ on Mina rd. You may recently seen in the press that the Council took the owner back to court for non compliance with an improvement order and more fines have been imposed.

Police Update

My name is Karla Miranda, born in Peru, grew up in Italy and then moved to Bristol six years ago. At UWE I studied for a degree in Psychology with Criminology before becoming a PCSO at Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Alongside my colleagues, I work to make sure the areas I patrol in Bristol are safe throughout the day, starting from early hours into late nights. Our focus is on the community. Our role is to know people and for the people to know us. We are the first person people speak to when facing neighbourhood issues.

At every shift we encounter different situations which allow us to talk to different individuals. It is within our role to give a voice for those that are vulnerable, to safeguard victims and bring reassurance for the ones that need it the most. We listen to you and empathise with your case to provide the best support available to you.

You can find us walking through the streets of Bristol, to events around the city or patrolling in the parks. As PCSOs we organise events for the community to make you feel the sense of belonging in this city, no matter where you come from.

Having personally experienced the challenges of moving to a new country, I like to hold events for new residents living in Bristol. Recently I have been working with the South American and Italian communities, offering a safe place for each one of us to share our experiences and connect with others.

Written by PS Serena Serjeant

During these meetings, I offer appropriate advice to integrate within the local community, supporting them in any way I can.

Additionally, we also show our presence in schools. We educate students of different ages, giving them the best guidance in relation to road safety, talking to strangers, cyber security and more. I like to connect with students to let them know they can rely on me and I explain to them what my duties are. When I visit the schools, I get fascinated by their curiosity and I like to inspire them on using their best skills to become a better person for the community.

As PCSOs we work along with Sergeants, Supervisors, Police Officers, Detectives and Comms to gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes. As a team we identify the local issues and write down an efficient plan to solve the problem and help the person in need. Therefore, every shift can be unpredictable.

I am proud to work for Avon and Somerset Constabulary and I look forward to discovering what every shift will bring, knowing that I will be able to help people and make a positive change in the community.