Vocalise issue 18 April-June 2021

Vocalise Issue 18 April-June 2021

Your Free community magazine for St Pauls St Werburghs St Agnes Montpelier

>Welcome<

Hello and welcome to another issue of Vocalise.

Vocalise Bristol CIC

We can’t believe it’s Spring already and are looking forward to seeing lockdown lift slowly but surely and start spending time in the community once again.

While we’re waiting we’ve filled this issue with plenty of heart warming articles and community updates.

After some feedback last issue about how much you’re enjoying our puzzle pages we’ve included even more this time round!

The first Window Wanderland happened in St Pauls it brought the community together to give hope for the future. People felt grateful and we hope next year it will be even bigger and better.

As always we welcome feedback so please get in touch with any comments by emailing

info@vocalisemagazine.org for advertising enquires email Anna vocalisemedia@gmail.com Deadline for our July issue content will be 4th June.

Stay safe everyone and we look forward to seeing you soon, Hollyanne Project coordinator and Vandna, Director and founder

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contents

Local photos Local artist Panda Malcolm X Imayla reconnecting and rewilding Canrival / M32 Maples St werburghs community centre / Police update docklands My Bristol Thoughts from an Oldie Montpelier Health Centre When self care matters Going wild in St Pauls

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Councillor Mike Davies Chaya is the place to be Local school praised Puzzles Window Wanderland Emmaus incubator Lorraine Joseph Better food and recipe 5 easy veggies to grow Libraries unleash such happiness Let’s rent

Disclaimer: due to lockdown things may have changed, please contact the relevant organisation if you are unsure. Please keep sending us pictures and articles and keep an eye on our online platforms info@vocalisemagazine.org vocalisemagazine.org @vocaliseBristol @vocaliseBristol This is YOUR community magazine, if you’d like to be involved, get in touch!

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Published by: Vocalise Bristol CIC Backfields House Upper York Street Bristol BS2 8QJ

Co-ordinated and designed by: Hollyanne Schnieden printed by Sebright

Vectors from Vecteezy.com and some photographs from Unsplash

Memorial near Mina Road Park for Willie - he and his dog Blackberry were regulars there.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

a mural designed by Zoë Power photo by Hilary Finch She is based in the Jamaica Street Studio and more of her delightful work can be found at www.zoepower.com

photos by Anna Ruggiero and Judith Davis Thanks to Directors and Volunteers: Vandna Mehta (founder) Hilary Finch Judith Davis Anna Ruggiero //Kabbo Ferdinand Lynn Mareno Carlos Casas Dave Holden Lucille Smith Leah Lecaime

Thanks to: Panda of Painted Peach, Malcolm x, Imayla, Docklands, St Werburghs community Centre, Tom tooth, Cllr Mike Davies, emmaus, Interculture, Lightbox Theatre, Step, Lorraine Joseph, The Network, Let’s rent, Bristol Food, real Photography company, Montpelier Health Centre, Chaya, M32 Maples, St Barnabas Primary school, Bristol Horn Youth Concern, Zoe Power, Jo Priest, Bnar Sidiq, Arkbound, Learning Centre, St Pauls Adventure Playground

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local artist

introducing St Werburghs own Panda, of Painted Peach

" What a treat to be able to introduce myself to some fellow Werbian's and Bristolian's!

Hiya, I'm Panda! I'm a professional body artist and run a small company called Painted Peach. With 8 years international experience in face art, body painting, special FX makeup and design, I'm able to create stunning creatures and characters by transforming performers so they can interact with guests at events.

‘The potential she saw in me, allowed me to discover the multitude of possibilities this vibrant industry has to offer’ I face painted for the first time in 2012 for Myton Hospice, where my Dad had passed away a couple of weeks before. Through the chaos of emotions and grief, it is where I finally discovered my purpose, and I'm still grateful today! I knew this was now my journey and moving to New Zealand allowed my career to jump from wannabe face painter, to professional body artist within a year. I was pulled aside on the 2nd day of a course and asked if I could come and work for a multi award winning and 3 time world champion body painter. The potential she saw in me, allowed me to discover the multitude of possibilities this vibrant industry has to offer. I moved from NZ to Bristol on my own in 2016 and only felt 'at home' for the first time when I moved to St Werburgh's a year later.

Due to the pandemics detrimental effect on my work, I've had time to work on unique concepts of bringing my work back to hospices & hospitals, offer workshops and tutorials, baby bump painting

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Undertake the St Werburghs Mystery Quest!

Local artist and tutor Jo Priest shares a lockdown-friendly treasure trail

Why not set out on an adventure on your doorstep, exploring the hidden treats of the streets of St Werburghs and St Andrews? To spot birds and beasties, and solve the Mystery Quest? Local tutor and artist Jo Priest has created a fun activity for everyone to get you out and about, noticing the charming little details of our vibrant local area and solving puzzles along the way.

Jo said: “We’ve all walked around our area rather a lot lately.

Without the usual noise and traffic, I noticed nature and sensed my surroundings more. From birdsong to ornamental wall-carvings to the street art Bristol is famous for, my eyes and ears have opened to the sights and sounds of our neighbourhood like never before.”

She added: “I do like a good puzzle, and during the first lockdown I did a weekly quiz to entertain family and friends. As a tutor I am always thinking of creative ways to keep learning fun and interesting. And I love to draw, including mandalas and maps. So, as we had to spend more time indoors, I wanted a way to manage the stress of such a strange situation, to take me away from the screens that dominate our lives nowadays. Now I’m sharing this activity with our whole community.”

Jo says that art has been wonderfully healing for her over the last year: “I hope people will enjoy the Mystery Quest as much as I enjoyed making it. It’s perfect for adults and kids alike, for groups, families or individuals – everyone can get involved! I hope you all will spot the beasties along the way, as even in the middle of the city, there are beautiful birds and secret squirrels to wonder at. Watch out for the greedy goblins, and of course the mischievous monster of Mina Road!”.

Jo’s Mystery Quest and maps can be downloaded from Dropbox at: Quest: tinyurl.com/stwquest and Map: tinyurl.com/stwquestmap Contact rowansoulart@gmail.com for more info and check out www.joanne-priest-tutoring.com for more creative education.

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Malcolm X - change for the better The Malcolm X Community Centre (MXCC) has gone through many periods of change, but the past year has forced us to dramatically evolve and adapt to the critical needs of our community.

In March 2020, our attention was turned to urgent concerns such as health, poverty, education and care for our elders.

The Food Hub Consortium Project (FHCP) was established last spring as a response to the need for food supply within local Black and Asian communities. Funded by the Quartet Community Foundation with Black South West Network (BSWN) as the grant holder, the FHCP has been regularly supplying households with culturally appropriate food sourced from FareShare South West (delivered by ALD Automotive’s volunteer drives) and topped up by local businesses. The seven consortium organisations include MXCC, Bristol Somali Resource Centre, Bristol Horn Youth Concern, Talo Community, Bristol Black Carers, Bristol Somali Kitchen and Barton Hill Activities Club.

Resources from the FHCP and funding from Bristol City Council, United Communities and Solon South West Housing Associations have also enabled MXCC to set up our own Community Hub targeting the specific dietary needs of the African/Caribbean communities.

Last autumn, MXCC received funding from the Race Equality Foundation to deliver a COVID-19 response project specifically for African/Caribbean residents living with dementia. We provided culturally specific nutrition and care, including cooked meals and personal care packages. Due to the project’s overwhelmingly positive response, we are now looking to make this a long-term programme.

Thanks to funding from NHS Blood and Transplant, we recently launched an Organ Donation Events Project to drive awareness, understanding and perception in the African/Caribbean community. Alongside this, MXCC is functioning as a COVID-19 Community Champion Network, through which we aim to communicate accurate health information about COVID-19 and the vaccines.

More recently, we started a Young People Advocacy and Empowerment Programme (funded by Avon and Somerset Constabulary) collaborating with the sports mentoring organisation, 4FourtheFuture, while working with young people to address the impact of COVID-19 on crime and community.

The centre has also recently opened a free-to-use computer room for essential activities such as job applications; we are now making preparations to fully reopen once we have returned to some degree of normality. Though there are still substantial hurdles, we are striving to serve our community through education, awareness and advocacy. To find out more about our projects and events, follow us on Twitter & Instagram (@MXCCBristol) or like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ MXCCBristol).

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Re-Connecting and Re-Wilding Imayla is a child, youth and community organisation based in St Pauls which supports local families whilst advocating for a more equal distribution of opportunities. We use outdoor, creative and cultural activities to build on people’s confidence, independence, and well-being, by either creating events or making existing offers more accessible. Last year we took numerous families to different events including the Tobacco Factory, the Hippodrome, We the Curious, Wild Place, Mshed, ferry trips, etc.

Throughout lockdown we’ve had to reinvent ourselves - just like many others. Given that events have generally been cancelled and large groups were not able to gather, we’ve kept going with some of our educational activities. Book Jam is an after-school club that supports young people in literacy and social skills via play and crafts. Alongside these sessions we have connected people with food clubs, sport and creative arts activity packages, 1-2-1 and whole family outdoors and online activities.

Backstage we have also been preparing for the expansion of our work as part of a project called “Playful Bristol” (visit sustainable playfulbristol. org). This is a 3-year long journey that 1) encourages the use of play as a therapeutic provision, 2) will train organisations in how to deliver quality play facilities, and 3) bridges that gap between local offer and the community. We now have family support workers in Stockwood, Lawrence Weston, Filwood/Hartcliffe, Frome Vale/Hillfields and Barton Hill where Imayla is making it easier for people to access local offers and engage with other aspects of the community. We have recently launched the first of many Nature Trails in these areas, so if you’re keen on exploring nature and breathing some fresh air contact us to get these free discovery maps.

We have also been recruiting the new participants of our Wildly Different programme, which is part of a joint project with St Werburghs City Farm called “Re-Wild”. This initiative takes 15 young people on a year-long journey through facilitated events that will develop children and young people’s life skills and nurture their well-being. The rest of the family are also invited to get involved and enjoy some quality time together doing creative, healthy and WILD things!

We are also putting the final touches on “Growing Together”, which will strengthen our links with St Werburghs City Farm even further by getting a set of young people to learn how to grow food in the green spaces that connect these two neighbouring areas of Bristol.

With the new COVID calendar shedding some light on what we will soon be able to do, we are looking forward to organising more play events, getting families to the theatre, celebrating group walks, bike rides, summer camps, and much more.

If this sounds like the kind of support that you would benefit from, or you would like to volunteer with us, please get in touch at info@imayla.co.uk or 0117 914 5490. To find out more visit Imayla.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Tree Murder and Land Theft!

On Monday 1st March, Police were forced to close Lower Ashley Road for six hours due to the risk that the last remaining M32 maple tree might fall onto the public highway with fatal consequences.

At 4am workers had chain-sawed most of the way through the trunk of this much-loved tree.

This work was done illegally, without required safety equipment, well outside permitted working hours, waking up the neighbourhood, with no road or pavement closure orders, and in a way that the five tons of tree could have fallen in any direction, potentially crushing cars and killing passers-by.

This is the fifth tree to be removed from the site over the last two years, and each in a similar reckless cowboy manner. Yet neither the Police nor the Council appear to be lifting a finger.

The “Tree Preservation Order” TPO placed on these trees was overruled, and the few replacement saplings planted up to a mile from St Pauls will take half a century to recover the carbon which has now been lost.

St Pauls has one of the lowest tree-covers in the city and some of the highest childhood asthma rates. These trees, which have been growing since the 1970s, were part of a wild-life corridor, mitigating flooding, cleaning our air, and giving local people a much-valued link with nature.

Worse still, the Land-Registry clearly shows the strip of land where the five maples stood is actually part of the public highway! Yet it seems the Council has gifted this strip to the landowner, a gift worth possibly half a million pounds, and depriving the community of some of its last remaining trees.

What has happened here is being repeated across our inner city - hundreds of mature trees are being axed to make way for rampant and careless development, depriving our most disadvantaged communities of the natural assets that others take for granted. This pattern is being replicated across the country with developers given the green light to maximise profits, squeezing more and more properties into ever smaller plots at the expense of nature and the health and wellbeing of local people.

The “Save the M32 Maples” campaign has been fighting all the way. We’re demanding an independent public enquiry into the Planning Enforcement giveaway and collusion in removing the TPO orders, and calling on Marvin to halt all building on that site until the land ownership and criminal behaviour is thoroughly investigated.

Plus we’re developing a new national Save Our Trees Network of action and training. Contact us via our Facebook page to get involved. https://www.facebook.com/m32maples/

DMAC UK is Back with Free classes for our diverse community!

DMAC UK will be offering free dance, storytelling and fitness classes starting early summer for 8 weeks. Arts include African Dance, Afro Fusion, Capoeira, Bollywood Dance, Cuban Fitness, Storytelling and other fitness classes.

Some classes will be online, some will be in the parks, some in studio space. More details will follow, so check out your local notice boards and social media for more info as it comes.

DMAC UK has been commissioned to deliver the 8-week project by Voscur, supported by funding from Sports England.

So please join in for free, for 8 weeks soon!

1 Love DMAC Dance

Please get in touch with kabbo@dmacuk.com if you’d like to find out more.

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It is with sadness that Carnival will not be going ahead this summer.

Due to uncertainty surrounding Covid restrictions it has been deemed more realistic to postpone the event and focus on 2022 More information around this decision can be found on the St Pauls carnival website stpaulscarnival.net

community news

• St Werburghs Community Centre • Youth unemployment is on the rise in the UK. To combat the challenges that face 18-24-year-old in today’s crowded job market. St Werburghs Community Centre has applied to the Government Kickstart scheme.

This is to help Universal Credit claimants with 6-month paid job placements at the Community Centre. The three new Centre Assistant roles will have additional focus on maintenance, finance and community outreach/ communications with training opportunities available.

Working for us has other benefits - we are a communityled organisation that addresses local needs and a Registered Charity, we also pay a Living Wage to all staff.

Do you know someone locally who would be interested in such a role? Or can you help us by promoting this opportunity?

At the St Werburghs Community Centre, we are also running free employment advice one-to-one support sessions with National Career Service. This free personalised support is available to anyone that needs help or guidance in the world of work and funded by the Community Support Fund from the National Lottery Community Fund.

If you need digital support, we have a dedicated one-to-one service with Easy-PC, which runs every Wednesday. You can also access our free Covid-19 Safe Computer Lab by appointment. These services are funded by CAF Resilience Fund and Bristol Impact Fund.

Please help us by spreading the word on what support is available at the St Werburghs Community Centre, so that we can help as many people as possible. office@stwerburghs.org.uk

tom tooth police update As has often been the case recently, much has changed since I last wrote to you.

We now are travelling down the ‘road map’ out of lockdown, and vaccinations are being rolled out across the country. A return to something close to normal is now insight in the not-too-distant future, teasing us with visions of life as we used to know it. Until then, I would like to encourage everyone to continue to follow the guidelines and regulations designed to keep the virus in check. We know from last year that there will be confusion in the community as the rules change and certain restrictions are eased. We will be on hand to offer support and guidance around this as we have been doing for over a year now. Whatever the measures are that are in place, it will be really important to continue to adhere to them as best we can, to prevent the virus gaining momentum again, and holding off the possibility of another lockdown. We have done great things as communities so far, and I’m sure we can continue to work through these next ones together as well.

That being said, by the time you read this I will no longer be in the post of sergeant for the Ashley Ward neighbourhood policing team, and won’t be there to join you on this next phase. I am moving to another role within the constabulary, although I hope to remain connected to events in the Bristol area, and especially the Ashley Ward. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last three years I have been in this role, excited and inspired by the people I have come across and the work we have done together. I have also been really proud to work with one of the most multi-cultural teams in the whole force, able to demonstrate to our communities that we genuinely value diversity in terms of background and cultural perspectives. This team is a model for how we would like the whole organisation to be, and we are making steady progress to achieve that vision. There are so many opportunities for employment and development within Avon and Somerset, and I would strongly encourage everyone to have a look at what we could offer you. And in turn you could help to shape the future of policing across our communities.

Kind regards, PS Tom Tooth

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Offices: £200 - £300 per month No fixed term contract - pay by the month

Large meeting emmaus ad room charged by the hour

Office space available in City Centre location!

Emmaus Bristol has office spaces available with a shared kitchen for businesses, start-ups, charities, and individuals looking to work in an inclusive and welcoming environment in Backfields House, also home to our biggest shop, warehouse, our charity's offices, and the base for multiple small and diverse organisations working in the arts, publishing, training and even prosthetic limbs!

Individual desk spaces will also be available to rent once social distancing measures have ended at £75+VAT per month (discounts for the first six months for people on low incomes). Whether you are a home worker looking for a shared office, or a business needing your own space, we can provide affordable work space, which helps support Emmaus Bristol, a charity that helps people who have been homeless or socially excluded.

For more information, email vandna@emmausbristol.org.uk

Are you a budding writer, artist, poet, community pioneer...?

We’re looking for people to contribute to the next issue of Vocalise If you are interested email info@vocalisemagazine.org

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e er n g n h s

community news

Docklands Centre uses Community Interest Levy for Building Improvements Over February and March of this year, Docklands Youth and Community Centre on Brigstocke Road has been getting a much-needed refurbishment.

The building has served the community of St Paul’s for almost a century, and in 2015 the management was taken on by Aspiration Creation Elevation CIC and Full Circle Youth Services through a community asset transfer (CAT). The refurbishment has been designed

by Claire Miller from Askew Cavanna architects, a local company based on Backfields Lane in St Pauls, whose work focuses on sustainable design and community projects.

The refurbishment has enabled them to create two new breakout spaces, a wonderful new paint job and flooring throughout and a few improvements to make it more accessible for people with mobility and sensory issues. They were also able to undertake a full refurbishment of the Sports Hall installing full 10m length mirrors for more dance activity, whilst still being able to host more physical team sports. The wooden floors have been renovated and they’ve improved the acoustics so they can host bigger events in that space. Part of the funding for this refurbishment came from what is known as a Community Interest Levy (CIL). This is a charge that developers are required to pay when undertaking any significant building project. The money goes towards paying for improvements in the areas and local neighbourhood projects.

Using this process, Full Circle @ Docklands was able to raise £99,000, with additional funding from the Social Enterprise Support Fund and Power to Change’s CCLOR Scheme.

CIL can be a lengthy process: the initial plans for the Docklands refurbishment were put forward in March 2019. But with a little preparation and knowledge of the process, local communities can participate in the decision making that will affect how this money is spent in their neighbourhoods.

In previous years money has gone to the St Pauls Adventure Playground, the St Pauls Greenways Project and in 2019, St Werburghs put in a successful partnership application to fund improvements to Mina Road Park Playground.

Applications for this year’s CIL are now open. Allocation for this funding is based on which Area Committee your neighbourhood falls within. Ashley Ward, which includes St Pauls, is part of Area 4, which also includes Lawrence Hill, St George and Easton. This area committee has a total funding allocation of £430K. We asked Goska Ong, the Centre Director of St Werburghs Community Centre what advice she would give to this year’s applicants.

“The main thing about a CIL project is to have the local Councillors on your side; approving and supporting what you are proposing. They will bring your project forward and they will make the decision. They can help identify the funds available in the area and help with details that are not always available on the Bristol City Council’s Website”.

To help people this year, Bristol City Council has created a video this year to guide potential applicants through the process. The initial expression of interest deadline for projects on 4th April, but this is just to let the Councillors know that you’ll be applying. If you miss this, then you’re still able to apply. Get in contact with your local Cllr as soon as you can to discuss your idea and keep in mind the final Stage 1 deadline is on 2 July 2021.

The stage 2 application is very detailed and will need a full budget, set of supporting documents and plans at this point. If you’re successful in Stage 1, you will have from August to October to complete Stage 2.

These funds can be valuable tools to communities such as St Paul’s, in order to create projects that are truly beneficial at a local level and to help maintain the buildings and physical assets such as parks and green spaces.

J.Newey@fullcircleproject.org.uk Important Info: Initial Deadline - April 4th Stage 1 Deadline - July 2nd Stage 2 - August - October Video Info Search Youtube for “Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 Information Video – 2021 Process” BCC CIL Webpage https://www.bristol.gov.uk/people-communities/ funding-local-projects For more advice contact Jon Newey on Docklands via Fb https://www.facebook.com/Docklandscentre

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The Real Photography Company St Pauls Learning Centre, 94 Grosvenor Rd, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 8XJ 0117 914 5470

realphotographycompany.co.uk

realphotographycompany@gmail.com

stpaulslc.co.uk/

‘My Bristol’ Outdoor exhibition completes the facade at the nationally renowned St Pauls Learning Centre.

My Bristol Outdoor Photography Exhibition at St Pauls Learning Centre By the Real Photography Company At the beginning of March, Ruth Jacobs and Justin Quinnell from the Real Photography Company mounted what was probably the only photography exhibition accessible during Lockdown, at St Pauls Learning Centre. The beautiful black and white images are available for everyone to see, without restrictions, on the side of the building in Grosvenor Rd, where they complement the colourful refurbishment of the Centre.

The photos include a lively selection from St Pauls Carnival, Bristol in the snow, parks, street scenes and views of Harbourside, Chew Valley Lake (not really in Bristol!) and the City Farm. All photos were taken by participants of Community Photography Projects using simple disposable cameras with black and white films, and developed and printed at the Darkrooms on the 2nd floor of the Learning Centre, with expert from Real Photography Company by volunteers The final tuition part of the St Pauls Learning Centre renovation is nowTutors, completesupported with a permanent display of 20 from UWE’s Photography MA course.

Participants who took part in the project included Over photographs taken during workshops by the Real Photography Company who run the community50’s, dark- two refugees androoms asylum groups, and a group from Developing Health and Independence. My at theseekers learning centre.

Bristol was funded by an Originators Grant from Bristol City Council.

The black and white images taken on film were developed and printed in the darkrooms by individuals

fromat a variety of local groups including: 50s, refugees and individuals recovering from addiction.

The Darkrooms St Pauls Learning Centre over have been closed all through the various lockdowns, during this time Real Photography Company have improved ventilation for Covid safety and are The photographs cover the brief ‘My St Pauls’ and include images taken at St Pauls Carnival. reopening the Darkrooms when possible for individual photographers and regular members, the Directors Ruth Jacobs said, as well as to One runofongoing popular workshops and courses open to the public. See www. realphotographycompany.co.uk, or email Ruth at stpaulsdarkrooms@gmail.com for further "We are pleased to mount this exhibition celebrating the creative achievements of the participants of information. Community Photography Projects taking pace at St Pauls Darkrooms. As a large-scale outdoor photography exhibition it is accessible for all to enjoy, without restriction, even in this time of lockdown. We are working with Bristol Photography Festival to bring more photography outdoors in a series of workshops taking place this summer - look out for details!"

St Paul’s is an area of high unemployment and lack of investment so many of the activities will be offered free of charge, targeting local schools and community groups.

This permanent exhibition, as well as increasing the profile of the centre, enables local people to represent their community through traditional photographic skills.

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regular feature

Thoughts from an Oldie Hilary Finch

Finally I have managed to get my laptop to obey me! Today has been sunny so I kept my cool while sorting out various problems with this technology.

Promising weather reminds me that Spring is round the corner. Colour has been one of the main elements to keep me positive during this endless lockdown. Crocheting hats and a blanket in many colours has kept my fingers busy and also helped me to smoke less cigarettes! Like so many of us in these times I have taken up with wools again rather than the baking craze that seems to have taken others. I have never been a baker and my body doesn't need the calories offered by cakes!

I don't know why, but my painting efforts have got worse over the last year. I need fresh inspiration and zoom sessions don't do it for me. I am a loner when it comes to art I guess. Day dreaming has been fun too. The dream of living in the country somewhere instead of here where the cars parked on the forecourt outside my window block the light and the view – if you can call Ashley Road a view! I have walked along the Frome, along the sea shore at Severn Beach, around our grubby streets and ambled round various parks to stretch my legs. I have watched shops and pubs opening and closing. I have tried to keep reasonably fit while locked in my solitude. People smile and sometimes stop for a chat keeping a safe distance. I have lived in this neighbourhood so long I appreciate the staff in the shops who say hello and seeing familiar faces and meeting up on Albany Green sometimes. Playing ping pong there too.

Want to get involved?

If you are interested in contributing to Vocalise in our April editon please get in touch to discuss your ideas. We accept local art, poetry, news and more...

We’re looking for small business based in Montpelier for a feature, if you are a local retailer or independent business give us an email

info@vocalisemagazine.org

The deadline for submissions is 4th June For Advertising queries email Anna 13

NEWS FROM MONTPELIER HEALTH CENTRE COVID VACCINATIONS - The Covid vaccination programme is continuing well. The reception staff team have done an amazing job in booking in a huge number of patients for their vaccine. Clinicians and admin/reception staff continue to work additional weekend hours in order to hold clinics to ensure all our patients are being vaccinated, along with clinics being held locally at various venues including Ashton Gate Stadium and East Trees Medical Centre

Did you know that MHC patients can now request their repeat prescriptions on line at bnssg.mhc.prescriptionrequest@nhs.net?

The areas we are focussing on currently include: Ensuring we print double sided on our paper. We have also switched to fair trade tea and coffee. Fairtrade products guarantee a fixed price for some of the lowest paid farmers in the developing world. There is also a fixed community premium that goes towards community development projects.

We will provide regular updates of our continuing and expanding involvement.

We aim to promote ourselves as a breastfeeding friendly venue. This means we display signs letting the public know that we support breastfeeding.

We uphold a woman’s right to breast feed, by ensuring that if someone complains, the complainant is moved, and not the mother.

Patient Participation Forum There is a Forum currently comprising of 2-4 patients, together with the Patient Services Manager, a GP Partner. Other members of the team also attend the meeting from time to time. The aim of the forum has been to set up a robust and diverse group of patients who will drive forward any practice issues that arise and membership can be both face-to-face and ‘virtual’.

This involves communicating with the forum approximately every quarter regarding any potential changes being made to the Practice and discussing any other health related issues..

If you are a registered patient and want to get involved and have an influence in your Health Centre then please contact Caroline Hawkins, Patient Services Manager, Tel: 0117 9703 877

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Find us on Facebook ! – Montpelier Health Centre - we welcome your reviews and feedback.

wellbeing

When self-care matters

By Anna Ruggiero

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” Oscar Wilde.

Exercise! Move your body and it will move your mind too. Buy yourself some sassy workout pants and get moving! (Disclaimer: sassy pants are not vital, but they are a good motivator!)

Have a healthy sleep routine. If you can, try and have a ‘no screen time’ rule before bed and why not fit in some meditation time too. Failing that, get yourself an eye mask and blast out some ocean sounds!

How often do you make time for yourself? I know we’re finally (hopefully), easing our way out of a global pandemic which has seen us isolated like never before, but there’s a difference between spending time alone and spending time on yourself.

When I start to feel myself drifting from my happy place, I look at the different parts of myself that I could be neglecting. Have I been sleeping too much or not enough? Have I neglected my exercise routine? Am I connected to myself spiritually?

These are all forms of self-care that are important and help me to be a happy and connected soul.

Self-care can take many forms from switching your phone off for a couple of hours, to journaling your thoughts or spending some extra time on a delicious home cooked meal.

This practice of looking after your wellbeing can be as extravagant or as simple as you need in that very moment.

During lockdown, there were times when I felt lonely and needed some extra love and self-care.

I made sure that when I was feeling low, I looked at how I could make myself happy. Reaching out to family and friends is important and obviously, if you’re really suffering, it’s always advisable to get professional help but if like me, you just have moments when you feel ‘a bit off’, self-care can really switch your perspective around.

Here are some ways you can show yourself the love: Say it with flowers! Okay in an ideal world, the man or woman of our dreams will turn up on a horse with some flowers yeah yeah yeah blah blah. But before this magical declaration of love happens, why not treat yourself to a bouquet and every time you take a peek at them, you’ll be reminded of the love you have sown yourself.

Journal. If in doubt, write it out. I love journaling! It helps me to unravel my thoughts and I like reading it back which sometimes can be insightful and other times can be quite embarrassing. Like the time you wrote a list of the things you liked and disliked about your ex!

Say no. If you are tired, cancel. If you feel overworked, ask for support, or even a day off to recoup. Saying no is a crucial part of self-care and just think, by saying no to others, you’re saying yes to yourself more which will make you an even happier more amazing version of yourself!

Like I said before, self-care can come in many forms and the main thing is that you remember to prioritise yourself too.

I wish you all a happy, safe and healthy spring and remember ‘you, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.’

Buddha.

Anna is a regular writer and also our advert expert!

Through lockdown she has been baking cakes and going for long walks around the city. vocalisemedia@gmail.com

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Going Wild in St Pauls In December 2020, Tara noticed that lots of people in St Pauls were interested in developing their green spaces. At the time Tara was working as an Area Coordinator for The Network Bristol, a community development project, and was pleased to be able to use her skills in community development to bring people together. In just a few zoom meetings, St Paul’s residents kick-started an exciting new project to transform the local green space on Halston Drive and ‘Wild in St Pauls’ was born.

“Like minded people came”, said Tara - describing the first zoom meeting. “They were people who wanted access to green space, who lived in and around these blocks in St Paul’s Gardens.”

She explained how the conversation gathered its own momentum: “We were just sharing ideas. Some people were like, so where is this space? We’ve just moved in for a year but we want to get digging! The ones who were more familiar with the area were telling them where it was, sharing pictures. It showed me the power of zoom for starting things.”

“The discussion was about wildlife: wild growing, inclusion, different languages. People were saying ‘We could have a workshop in this language or that language’ and ‘we’ve got all the skills between us to do all the building’. There was lots of up-skilling and people using their current skills.”

Tara had to take time away from the group in late December. When she came back to join one of the group’s zooms in January she was impressed. Before Tara’s absence, the group had heard about Sovereign Housing’s ‘Your Community, Your Choice’ fund - and when Tara returned to the meetings she found out the group wanted to apply! “They had put together a budget and the deadline was two days after. We said ‘Ok let’s have a quick zoom: like a planning zoom, a bid zoom!”

“The Sovereign housing fund works on votes - we were up against it. Lots of organisations came forward - big organisations. We thought we don’t have a chance, we’re only a small group” But the group worked hard, reaching out to their local networks to drum up support - and it worked. Sovereign Housing selected ‘Wild in St Pauls’ as one of five projects to fund and the group secured a good sum of money to put towards the development of the green space on Halston Drive. They will now work with Bristol City Council to discuss their use of the space and sort out the legalities and logistics.

“It was really beautiful to see how everyone weighed in so quickly”, said Begoñia, another local resident, who was involved in helping put together the group’s application to the fund, “It was a real team effort to put it in.”

Begoñia described the group’s plans now that they have the funding - and some of their ideas and aspirations for the space: “Our next step is definitely to engage the community: the neighbours. One idea is that we do a working day as soon as the government road map allows for it, as well as having a couple of us just engaging and informing people what the ideas are for the space - a public consultation basically. How do we make it a project with communal ownership - and responsibility? Because that’s the only way to make it sustainable.”

“We want to have some music there and we are planning on building a shelter so we can use the space come rain or shine.

The other thing that we felt was quite important is having a bit of a memorial within the space. Because obviously there has been quite a lot of grief within the last year and there’s been quite a few losses in the neighbourhood - and young losses as well - so we would really like to honour that somewhere in the space. It would be lovely to do some kind of ceremony at some point. We’ll let local people speak to how they want to do that.”

‘Wild in St Paul’s’ is an exciting and inspiring project - and it’s just beginning! If you would like to get involved and join the group you can do so by emailing wildinstpauls@gmail.com.

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local council

Thank-you and farewell This will be the final article that I (Mike Davies) write for you as your councillor, as I am stepping down at the local election in May. It’s been a great honour to serve as councillor for Ashley ward – I’d like to thank you for letting me have this opportunity, and for your kindness and support over the last five years. As a councillor I have learnt so much, in particular, about how passionately so many people work and campaign to make this city a better place, in all kinds of ways, and in all kinds of capacities, from charities to advice agencies, from campaign groups to neighbourhood associations.

It has been a politically eventful few years, with: the Brexit referendum; the creation of the metro-mayor; two general elections; two new prime ministers; and the coronavirus pandemic, which delayed the 2020 election by one year. One thing that has been enduring over this period, however, is austerity. Local government has had to deal with the most severe cuts of any government department, losing 60p in every £1 of funding. It has been sad to see the effect this has had on funding for services and organisations in the city.

Another major factor that has shaped my experience of being a councillor is the governance system we have in Bristol, the elected mayoral system. Almost all power in the Council lies with the Mayor and Cabinet, and most important decisions are made in Cabinet meetings rather than Full Council.

Backbench councillors have little genuine input into decision-making. However, in theory, the city is split into wards that elect councillors so that communities, wherever they are, can have a voice when decisions are made.

The mayoral system has, for the most part, minimised the role of councillor to a role of responding to complaints and undertaking casework. While this can be rewarding, there are easier ways to fulfil such a penchant (volunteering for an advice agency, for example). Without being able to effectively realise change – in a consistent and transparent way that rewards effort and creativity – our role is hollow, and our communities are let down.

It’s no wonder that so many good councillors are stepping down in May. We have had two terms of a mayoral system, and I think we can now appraise how well this experiment has fared, and to what extent it has eroded the vitality of our democratic process. Next year Bristol will have a choice to make about whether to keep or abolish the mayoral system (there will be a referendum if a petition gets enough signatures). While undoubtedly there have been achievements in the last nine years, we should consider carefully whether the cost to democracy, transparency and accountability in this city has been too high.

Council CONTACTS Your local councillors are available to support residents with queries relating to Bristol City Council services such as planning, adult care children and schools, waste and other community issues.

Here’s how you can contact them.

Cllr Jude English (Green Party) Email: cllr.jude. english@bristol.gov.uk Call: 07584 151 099 Correspondence address: Green Party Office City Hall PO Box 3399 Bristol BS3 9FS

Cllr Mike Davies (Labour Party) Email: cllr.mike.davies@ bristol.gov.uk Call: 07584 370 413 Correspondence address: Labour Group Office City Hall PO Box 3399

Bristol

BS3 9FS

Cllr Carole Johnson (Labour Party) Email: cllr.carole. johnson@bristol.gov.uk Call: 07584 370 414 Correspondence address: c/o Labour Group Office City Hall PO Box 3399 Bristol

MP Thangam Debbonaire’s team: thangam.debbonaire. mp@parliament.uk; 01173 790 980.

17

local business

Chaya is the place to be!

By Anna Ruggiero

It is always lovely when a new independent business is launched, especially during these times when many small businesses have sadly had to ‘shut up shop’.

Mina Road in St Werburghs is a hive of activity and has some great independents that have still managed to weather this storm and adapt to changing times.

Chaya Vegetables is a new addition to Mina Road and is a little hub of delight! At first, you will more than likely be drawn to the shop by the cool sounds that Thomas Genge, the owner, chooses to play. I have often had a little dance outside to some very cool beats. Once the music draws you in, shoppers will find shelves and shelves of locally sourced fruit and vegetable, spices, herbs, teas, flour, oils and pickles!

I caught with up Thomas to find out what inspired him to open and launch Chaya Vegetables. He told me: “Originally, I was going to launch Chia Festival but then the lockdown happened, so I needed a new venture and Chaya Vegetables was born. It took 7 weeks to open and I haven’t looked back.”

So, what are you waiting for? Support your local business and show some support for Chaya Vegetables and help to keep the local community thriving.

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Local school St Barnabas praised for Covid-19 response

The hard work of Montpelier primary school St Barnabas CE VC Primary School during the Covid-19 pandemic has been recognised by a national education award. On Friday 22nd January 2021 St Barnabas was announced as the winner of the Covid-19 Response Champion in the Schools and Colleges (International) category at the education trade show BettFest 2021.

The BettFest awards paid tribute to companies and schools whose response to the Covid-19 outbreak had positive impacts on the education, health and wellbeing of the student population, with the Albany Road primary school forging partnerships throughout the surrounding St Pauls and Montpelier community to respond to the challenges of the pandemic.

Partnership with FareShare South West and donations from members of the local community, and from the school’s own staff, meant that the school could set up and run a food bank feeding around 30 families each week from the very first lockdown in March 2020. The foodbank is still up and running after moving to St Werburgh’s Community Centre when the school fully reopened in September 2020. Alongside community donations, the foodbank has been supported until the 31st March 2021 by funding from United Housing Association and Solon Housing Association.

“The food bank is really beneficial and I never thought you could get something like that from a primary school”, comments local mum, Lori. “It’s amazing, you don’t judge anyone who goes in and uses it.”

Once St Barnabas had ensured that no pupil would go hungry, the focus turned to bridging the digital divide. Members of the congregation of St Agnes church, in St Pauls, were among those who donated funds to help ensure that that all St Barnabas children had the laptops they needed to learn at home. Local data disposal firm, Byteback, played a huge part in recycling laptops which were generously donated by IT software company Epic for the pupils’ use.

Debbie Fisher, Co-Headteacher at St Barnabas, said: “Covid-19 has presented many challenges to schools across the country but St Barnabas has built on the tradition of unity and solidarity in its communities to meet those challenges and succeed.”

“Our staff have worked tirelessly during the last 12 months to make sure children can learn, whether they are with their teachers in the school or learning at home during lockdowns.”

Everyone at St Barnabas is immensely proud to have won the BettFest 2021 Covid-19 Response Champion Award and very grateful to all members of the local community who have generously donated to the school, both practically and financially, throughout the pandemic. The school and St Werburgh’s Community Centre are currently looking for funding to sustain the much needed foodbank into the summer months and beyond so please do contact St Barnabas on stbarnabasp@bristol-schools.uk if you are able to help.

In-person mental health support opening in Central Bristol Bristol based community mental health charity, Changes Bristol is excited to announce the opening of an in-person peer support group in Central Bristol. This group will be held on a weekly basis, every Friday afternoon from 3pm - 5pm at the Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, BS2 8P. Changes Bristol is a community based mental health charity that provides free peer support groups to help improve people’s mental wellbeing. Currently, they are running ten online support groups every week, five in-person groups across South Bristol and also provide telephone befriending for people who need a one to one service.

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Changes Bristol were quick to turn around their physical peer support groups over to an online format in order to continue the service safely.

In a recent member survey, the charity found that although 100% of their members found that Changes Bristol had a positive impact on their mental health, a return to physical groups would be welcomed with one member commenting “The online format is not comparable in terms of experience for me” 19

puzzles

20

PUzzles We’ve hidden daffodils in this issue of the magazine. Can you find them all?

The daffodil is a traditonal English symbol for Spring and also an important part of the Kurdish and Persian New Year celebrations called Newroz.

Cross Math Boxes

Use each digit 1 - 16 to complete the Maths Box Thesome Cross Math boxes musthave containalready all the digits 1 to 16, so that all the numbers been equations are true. Some of the digits are already filled in. filled in for you.

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www.mathinenglish.com

Warm 21

St Pauls Window Wanderland

Over 50 window makers took part, with so much creativity and positivity you could really feel spring in the air!

Bristol Refugee Festival were delighted to partner this event with Imayla, and with the support from, Learning Centre Docklands, St Pauls Adventure Playground and Malcolm X. We felt that this was an important opportunity for the community to come together in celebration of the arrival of spring at the end of a difficult winter. We were particularly keen to ensure that some of the most vulnerable and isolated members of our community could be involved and we thank Lucille Smith project leader and Laura from colourful minds and IMPACT for facilitating workshops.

One participant said: 'I really enjoyed it, I can have a good link with our neighbours through windows'

22

Bris refu plac

Bristol Refugee Festival run a programme of events to welcome and value the contribution refugees and asylum seekers bring to out City. Our main Festival this year will take place 6th - 20th June 2021. Visit www.bristolrefugeefestival.org for more details.

Pictures taken by Bnar Sidiq and Vandna Mehta Art works created by members of the 23 local community

Who’s who at the E Emmaus incubator is situated above the charity shop on Upper York street. As the office is soon reopening we thought we’d give you a who’s who of the fantastic people working there.

Step

STEP is a child protection charity committed to working alongside young people and their families in the Kurdish region of Iraq. Refugee and internally displaced children (at risk of being forced out of education into early marriage, work, or conflict) can engage in therapeutic play and educational activities in STEP’s safe spaces. In STEP’s Child Protection Unit (CPU), social workers identify and reach out to the most vulnerable children, providing case management; 518 children were provided with art therapy in the CPU in 2020. STEP has also been working on a pilot of a foster care system with the government since 2015 and is currently in the reviewing stage of the project. Find out more at: step-uk.org or contact: julia@step-iraq.org.

Vocalise Magazine

Vocalise Bristol CIC

Vocalise your very own community magazine are based in emmaus too!

We started five years ago by a small group headed by Vandna Mehta and have been growing ever since.

We are for the community by the community. We strive to connect the community through uplifting andf informative local news. Our magazine is open to contributions of any age and ability so long as it’s relevant to the local area.

We’re almost completely volunteer run and are always happy to welcome new faces to the team. info@vocalisemagazine.org

Interculture Interculture: promoting, celebrating and supporting intercultural awareness and communication We want to create a society where everyone is seen as having equal humanity and differences are celebrated. Our events bring together people from diverse backgrounds to talk about important people stuff. We deliver bespoke Intercultural training to businesses, organisations and individuals. We believe sometimes you need to get uncomfortable before you get comfortable.

Please get in touch if you would like to know more Lisa@interculture.org.uk

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e Emmaus incubator Lightbox Theatre Lightbox Theatre is a charity based in St Paul’s that discovers and brings to life untold stories.

Through our shows, drama workshops and community engagement activities we offer a platform to people that feel unheard or overlooked in society - including young people, the elderly and people who suffer mental ill-health - with the aim of improving wellbeing and reducing isolation and disadvantage.

We also offer internships and opportunities for young people interested in a career in the performing arts to shadow our creative teams, and gain experience.

Our next show TODAY I FOUGHT A TIGER will take place in St Paul’s in June, with drama workshops for local young people taking place during summer half term (w/c 31st May).

To find out more: https://lightboxtheatre.co.uk or emma@lightboxtheatre.co.uk

Bristol HOrn Youth Concern Empowering the Bristol young people from communities with fewer opportunities Bristol Horn Youth Concern aims to work with young people and youth from deprived areas of Bristol providing advice and information on skills for employment based on the philosophy that it is the community itself who can best create sustainable solutions to its problems. BHYC's key objectives is build up the life skills of the disadvantaged young people as well as encouraging them into actively involved in sports.

Why the community needs us Young participant's active participation and development in this activities will be enormously recognised within their community as they will gain a positive reception from their local communities.

Our impact on the community Better community cohesion, reduced anti-social behavours, reduced youth crimes and empowered young people will go closer to employment market as well as high education perspective. hornyouthconcern@hotmail.co.uk

Arkbound

Arkbound is a publishing social enterprise based in Bristol and Glasgow with a strong focus on improving representation and diversity in publishing and investing in writing that covers important social and environmental themes.

Arkbound offers writing workshops and a sponsored publishing programme to authors from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds. £1 of every book sold goes towards their affiliated charity branch, the Arkbound Foundation, which runs local and national projects that support diverse and disadvantaged groups, including running writing competitions, book anthology open calls and a creative writing mentoring programme. Find out more at www.arkbound.com and www.arkfound.org.

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Lorraine Joseph - Bespoke Designer / dressmaker.

Anyone looking for that touch of class that only comes from someone who has an eye for detail, a unique eye for the individual client looking for that bespoke wedding dress, then look no further than St. Werburgh’s.

Lorraine Joseph’s eye for detail and her love of fashion led her into a world that opened up to her , the creativity which is her trademark today.

In the 70’s Lorraine worked in a boutique that fed her passion for fashion.

But it was at collage where she was introduced to the world of dressmaking under the artful eye of her tutor who she still feel’s 45 years later, was her inspiration.

Penny James taught Lorraine the skill’s that she still applies today.

Leaving collage with a Diploma in Design and dressmaking, Lorraine leaned on the family inheritance of creativity when her sister who was doing silk screen printing at the time, suggested she design and make some shirts.

Initially, Lorraine would sell to friends but began to see the potential of a business opportunity.

Lorraine took the plunge and decided to leave the Boutique she worked in to concentrate on making shirts in the afternoon, while setting up a sandwich round in the mornings to support her new venture.

The popularity of her business selling shirts took off which gave Lorraine the opportunity to look further afield finding an opportunity to take on a stall in Clifton market .

Special occasion silk lingerie, Cravats, Bow Ties and Waistcoats all bespoke, became her trademark with a popular male clientele who had a particular way they wanted to look.

In 1990, Lorraine spied an opportunity and moved into her premises JoJo’s, on Queens Road in Clifton Bristol making the same attire untill by chance, she was asked to make a wedding dress for a popular TV celebrity at the time who walked into her shop wanting that special look.

This inspired Lorraine and with a shop to fill, Ballgowns and Wedding dresses became Lorraine’s unique selling point with clients coming from all over the country.

With the birth of Lorraine’s second daughter after 7 years, she decided to move the business into her studio space in St. Werburghs with the flexibility to become even more creative as a working mum.

Not stopping there, Lorraine took a teaching qualification enabling her to pass on her skills to others to this day which has seen many students over decades graduate under her watchful and skilful eye at Bristol Collage and at her Studio space in St. Werburgh’s.

An individual service is offered where she and the bride to be can look through Swatch cards and consider the look they want.

Flexibility is there to work within the budget they have and can even co-ordinate the entire wedding party to realise the bride’s dream.

Lorraines’s goal is to build a good relationship with the bride to Beas her trust enables Lorraine to design and make a quality unique garment using all of her expertise and always, is honoured to give the bride, the dress of her dreams.

With the last year and the pandemic affecting everyone, Lorraine is preparing for the wedding season with potential enthusiasm.

Everyone needs a wedding dress!

Lorraine Delivers Studio Dressmaking and Textiles Classes in St Werburghs For more information Contact Lorraine on :

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0117 9559766 07713364989 jojobridal@googlemail.com www.jojobridal.co.uk

Better Food’s Exclusive, Delicious

and Locally Produced Lasagne

Better Food believes in a fairer food community for all. Food sourced locally with the highest organic standards in mind, so that suppliers get a fair deal and the planet is treated kindly.

We share their fiercely guarded recipe for veggie Lasagne – served in the cafés, and currently available to take away and for delivery on Good Sixty.

Find recipe inspiration, plus sustainability tips and more over on betterfood.co.uk and on Instagram @betterfoodco.

Butternut Squash, Goat’s Cheese & Hazelnut Lasagne

2 Generous portions Ingredients 1 small butternut squash 2 small onions 2 garlic cloves (minced) Sprig of thyme 6 pasta sheets 100g soft goat’s cheese Handful of hazelnuts (toasted & chopped) Béchamel Sauce 40g butter 40g plain flour

3-4 sage leaves Sprig of thyme 1 garlic clove 1 bay leaf 400g milk (infused with thyme, garlic, bay & sage) 50g parmesan 50g double cream Salt & black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Method

Peel, de-seed and dice squash. Roast at 170°C until soft (about 20 to 25 mins).

Infuse milk on a low heat for 20 minutes with thyme, garlic, bay and sage.

Thinly slice both onions and sweat down in butter until well cooked and caramelised, add salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and cook for a few more minutes.

Make béchamel. Melt the butter, add the flour, cook out for couple of minutes. Strain milk then slowly whisk into butter and flour. Off the heat add half the parmesan and goat’s cheeses then the cream, nutmeg and salt to taste.

Build your lasagne putting a layer of squash, cooked onions, dots of goat’s cheese, bechamel then pasta sheet, repeat 2-3 times and then layer the top pasta sheet with béchamel sauce, parmesan, black pepper, thyme.

Bake for 30 mins at 170°C. Once the lasagne is cooked and out of the oven sprinkle with hazelnuts and serve with a bitter leaf salad and some focaccia to mop up the sauce.

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5 Easy Veggies To Grow At Home This Spring

After what felt like an endless winter, we finally feel spring settling in on our days. The flowers start to bloom, the birds sing like it’s their last song, and there’s green all around us.

A new growing season begins, and the success rate for what you decide to plant is higher than ever!

Give gardening a chance and let us make it as easy as possible for you. We chose 5 of the easiest vegetables and salads that you can grow from home, including some options for those with very little space!

Radish

One of the fastest growing vegetables, a great addition to salads or to have as a snack! Radishes can grow in reduced spaces that don’t get much sunlight (like a windowsill), with flavours that go from sweet to spicy depending on the variety.

How: Sprinkle the seeds about 1/2 inch apart over tamped down soil. Add an extra inch of soil on top to cover them and moisten with water to finish.

Water/Light: Keep soil moist/Partial sunlight Ready to eat in: 4 to 6 weeks

Tomatoes

There’s nothing we can say about tomatoes that hasn’t been said before. Extremely versatile and with a wide array of species, depending on your taste. These plants need easy but frequent maintenance, but it will all be worth it once you bite on that first homegrown tomato!

How: Ideally, plant a few seeds in sterile soil pots, covering them with 1/4" of mix and placing them on a warm spot. When they start to sprout, move the plants to a sunny garden bed or a large container. You might need to get rid of the least healthy seedlings once they start growing.

Water/Light: Keep soil moist/Copious sunlight (6 to 8 hrs is ideal) Ready to eat in: 2 months

Peas

A legume with multiple uses, which you can also eat straight from the pod or as an ingredient in a long list of recipes. Pea plants are also great team workers, since they fix nitrogen in the soil, allowing other crops to benefit from this.

How: Soak overnight before planting. Sow the seeds about 2 inches apart and 1 inch deep. Pea plants can grow several feet after germinating, so prepare the correct support for the ones you decide to have in your garden, balcony or window.

Water/Light: Keep soil moist/Cool spots with partial sunlight

Kale

Steam it, stir fry it, have it in a salad, add it to your smoothie… The list goes on and on! Kale can grow anywhere, so it’s perfect for a windowsill garden too. This nutrient-dense plant with lots of antioxidants and vitamin C is a fast grower, and you can harvest its leaves whenever they reach your preferred size.

How: Sprinkle seeds on two inches of soil, with an extra inch on top. Bear in mind that plants will need space around them to grow (as much as you’re willing to give). Harvest as baby leaves or allow more time for them to reach maturity. It’s up to you!

Water/Light: Abundant water, 1 to 2 inches per week/Partial sunlight Ready to eat in: 1 to 2 months, depending on the variety

Cucumber

High in antioxidants, vitamin C and K, the cucumber is an easy grower that just loves water and sunlight.

How: Find the sunniest patch of warm soil in your garden to plant the seedlings. Push two or three seeds one inch deep into the ground, leaving at least 12 inches of space between each group. Make sure you harvest them before they get too big and become bitter!

Water/Light: Abundant water/Full sun Ready to eat in: 7 to 10 weeks

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Article by Carlos Casas

29

Libraries Unleash Such Happiness “If it weren’t for libraries, I wouldn’t be here”, said Lemn Sissay MBE at the ‘Libraries Unleash Such Happiness’ (LUSH) conference, hosted by Friend of St Pauls Library (FOSPL) on the 4th March 2021, World Book Day. It was a whole-day online event, jam-packed with uplifting workshops and inspiring talks.

The theme was centred around the support, guidance, and flourishing that libraries can offer to their communities. A place where people can come together to organise for better futures, learn new activities and, through books and events, trigger journeys of discovery.

The conference was attended by representatives from other Library groups, as well as a rich selection of workshop facilitators and speakers, from Zambia to California.

The tone was set at the start by Euston Daley MBE and Lemn Sissay MBE. Overflowing with charisma and creativity, they both shared their love for libraries and highlighted their role as an essential building block in their careers. For them, libraries were the first places to ignite their imagination, the first places to provide them with a stage through which to connect to their communities and share their passion for words.

The attendees were then spilt into different workshops: drawing, storytelling, knitting, puppeteering, creative writing, yoga, singing, and gardening with St Paul's very own Judit Davis. A tremendous amount of talent was showcased, with endless ideas for workshops that can be run from libraries.

All focused on sharing the joy of learning something new and, often, with therapeutic and social impact. The running feedback from participants made it clear that FOSPL had managed to organise something historic, of incredible variety and range.

At lunchtime we got the chance to mingle in expertly facilitated conversations. It was an absolute joy to hear about different people’s initiatives, whether it’s the food bank at the Malcolm X centre or Bristol Rainforests, who are tapping into children’s wild imaginations by planting tropical trees in their classrooms. All across the city there are people empowering their communities in creative and resourceful ways, and more collaboration and events like LUSH will be essential to create an unstoppable positive momentum.

We were then blessed by a performance by Chanje Kunde. The Manchester-based artist had prepared a special video for the event, exploring her relationship with books in beautiful spoken word and some stunning visuals that inspired everyone’s desire to bathe in words and the cosmology of knowledge. In the Q&A she spoke eloquently of the power in the intimacy of the African oral traditions and cited Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise as one of her inspirations. Chanje’s performance teaches us the importance of providing a safe space for intimate expression and of accessing a wide range of artistic forms and projects.

The conference followed with more workshops into the afternoon, all offering the chance to be technical, creative, and networked. The event was rounded off with the much-anticipated session with Ron Finley, who connected with us from his beautiful leafy garden in Los Angeles, where he had turned his empty swimming pool into a small jungle. Self-described as a “gangsta gardener”, Ron has been working for years converting vacant spaces around his neighbourhood into fruit and vegetable gardens where people can come together and tackle food poverty.

Ron stressed: “It’s not about food, it's about freedom”. Realising the resourcefulness of nature can empower all of us and be a catalyst for positive social and environmental action. When Ron was asked how to get started in such action, he chuckled and answered “the same way you got out of bed this morning. You just do it.”

The overall success of the LUSH conference is undoubtable, and its lessons and inspiration will stay with us for the months to come. A big thank you to Friends of St Paul's Library for putting it together and continuing their work promoting art, community and empowerment in the heart of our city! written by Nico Powell

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Friends of St. Pauls Library ceased to exist as a library organization since we felt obliged to disaffiliate from Bristol Library Service. Nonetheless, our new group Friends of St Pauls Luxuriance continues to advocate for change and to work in inspiring ways to elevate our community. Email: fospluxuriance@gmail.com our visit Facebook page to find out about free creative and well- being programme.

Vocalise meets Lets Rent!

Here at Vocalise, we love to support local business, so we decided it was about time to catch up with Adil Ayub of Lets Rent in St Werburghs to find out the impact lockdown had on the industry and to learn more about the great work Lets Rent do, not just in the local community, but in 3rd world countries too.

How long have you been trading as Lets Rent?

I started in the previous recession back in 2009, I was 25yrs old at the time working from a small office on City Road, just about big enough for a desk, pc and printer. I can remember back then there was still a stigma of using businesses around the St Pauls area.

How have you found the lockdown restrictions have affected the industry?

I would say 2020 was definitely unprecedented, yes we had been affected with the initial lockdown as well as all businesses up and down the country. With some staff being put on furlough and some working from home, this definitely did have an impact. I am just really proud of the team I have, they worked over and beyond our expectations. We were delivering food parcels and essentials to any of our tenants who were in need, which later led to us offering food and essentials to members of the public via our social media outlets. We have been fortunate that the industry was kept open during the 2nd and 3rd Lockdown, this meant we were still able to deal with repairs issues and letting property – albeit following the government’s covid guidance with social distancing, online viewings etc.

Do you have any advice for people looking to rent at the moment?

The demand for property is very high in Bristol, be quick and try to make a personal contact with your local agent as this will help you stand out from the crowd. Use an agent who has client money protection and who also belongs to a redress body. Beware of fake property posts online, never hand over funds to anyone before doing your due-diligence.

What area do you cover?

Based just off the corridor of the M32 on Mina Road, We cover a 3 mile radius from our office in BS2, (St Werburghs, St Pauls, Montpelier, St Andrews, Horfield, Eastville, Easton, Fishponds, Downend) Can you tell me about any awards that Lets Rent has won?

2015 - In recognition of the comprehensive service provided by Lets Rent to landlords and tenants.

The awards, sponsored by Mast Magazine and Radio Mast to celebrate the excellence of Asian and other ethnic minorities.

2020 – We were awarded the Gold Award for Best Letting Agency in Bristol and the Southwest region - We are proud that we have maintained an average of 5 out of 5 stars from 107 reviews on the allAgents review site, which has led to the awarding of this accolade in recognition of the high standard of service we deliver to customers.

Do you get involved with any community projects?

Over the last 2 years, we have built wells and water pumps in 3rd world countries. Currently providing clean drinking water for around 600 people which includes families and children. We are hoping by the end of this year we will have been able to provide access to clean drinking water to at least 1,000 people on a daily basis. We have also supported food banks in Bristol which have been set up during the Covid pandemic and still are doing so.

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Your local award winning agents Why not contact Lets Rent today and arrange a free no obligation rental valuation

in Bristol

We offer both tenant find and full property management services for Landlords • • • •

Voted Bristol and Southwest Best Letting Agents 2020 Friendly yet professional staff, with local expert knowledge Client money protection Typical properties let within 2 weeks

Here is what some of our clients have to say: I have been using Lets Rent since they opened up in 2009 on City Road, They find tenants for me really quickly and I would always recommend the team to anyone who needs property advice or need their properties managed.

Andrew Samuels – St Pauls For over 40 years we have been managing our own properties, over the last 10 years we have seen an increase in legislation which is very difficult to stay on top of when you have other working commitments. In 2018 we decided to give Lets Rent our portfolio and have never looked back since, they are on top of new and current legislation, deal with all maintenance, accounts and licensing requirements. I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone.

Aftab Hamid – St Werburghs

Whenever you are thinking of renting…..think of Lets Rent Tel: 0117 254 1133 info@letsrentbristol.co.uk 80 Mina Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9XL

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