Evelyn, Amy and Sarah with children's book author Julia Donaldson at Max Minerva’s in Henleaze High Street
'Oldest shop' set to down tools
By Rosie Watson
SHOPPERS and locals in Westbury-on-Trym have received with sadness the news that a stalwart of the community will be closing its doors for the final time in September.
Hardware store, WH Mogford & Son, is believed to hold the title of Bristol’s oldest shop, having served the village in the same premises on the high street since the 1860s, with an ironmongers on the site for 20 years before that. However, Paul Gillam, pictured, right, who took over Turn to page 12
The local artist behind the location's movie-themed sculpture says she is 'chuffed' to feature on the Unleashed trail PAGE 7
Action needed on 'dangerous' Downs
Around 300 supporters of a campaign to protect the Downs gathered on the parkland to urge the council to take action PAGE 9
Field 'not a town green',
judge rules
Campaigners have expressed disappointment over the ruling which says a school field cannot be used as a 'town green' PAGE 12
A beloved kids' author took a stroll ... into Max Minerva's
By Rosie Watson
HENLEAZE High Street was buzzing with excitement at the end of May, when Max Minerva’s bookshop welcomed adored children's writer Julia Donaldson to celebrate her newest creation, Gozzle.
The author — famous for the Gruffalo — hosted three book-signings of Gozzle, a heartwarming book about family, delighting an audience of children and grown-ups alike.
A total of 45 families attended, and demand was so high that Max Minerva's sold 85 per cent of their stock — over 100 books — during the event.
Evelyn Heis, assistant manager and events coordinator at Max Minerva's, said afterwards: “Hosting Julia in our shop was a very surreal but rewarding experience. Julia Donaldson's books have
formed part of so many people's childhoods, and so it was lovely to see the members of Henleaze's community that attended our event to tell her just how influential she had been for them, in person.”
"It was my first trip to Max Minerva's, to see Julia Donaldson, no less,” said Ellen Roberts, one of the day’s visitors. "I think I may have been more excited than the children.
“We managed to have our book signed and time for a chat. The kids enjoyed exploring the great range of books and the staff had tonnes of great suggestions."
Sarah Ballard, children's bookseller at Max Minerva's said: "Julia is a true icon of children's publishing and a national treasure. It was such a privilege to welcome her to our little corner of Henleaze and to see so many excited customers queuing
to meet her."
A former Children’s Laureate, Julia has authored over 180 works - many alongside illustrator, Axel Sheffler.
Illustrated this time by Sara Ogilvie, Julia’s Gozzle is an endearing gosling, who, finding herself lost and hatching outside Bear’s cave, is convinced he is her Daddy. Bear and Gozzle’s journey leads them to discover what home and family truly mean.
Evelyn added: “We here at Max Minerva's take pride in giving back to the community that supports us, and we hope to bring back other authors to our store in the future.
“Our next event, on 10 July, hosting the Booker and Women's prize-winning author, Yael Van Der Wouden, is the next one to get excited about.”
More info: maxminervas.co.uk
Scheduled roadworks
UPGRADE works to gas pipes are under way across the Henleaze area.
The project is being undertaken by Wales & West Utilities to maintain gas flow to local homes and businesses.
Works began on June 23 and are expected to finish on July 18. Roadworks will be in place at the following locations:
• Two-way traffic lights between 166-155 Wellington Hill West
• A junction closure on Cherrington Road and Wellington Hill West
• A junction closure on Hanbury Road and Wellington Hill West Wales & West Utilities project manager Simon Lee says that the firm has "worked with Bristol City Council to minimise disruption to motorists".
henleaze&westburyvoice
www.henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk
Henleaze & Westbury Voice contacts
Publisher Emma Cooper 0117 908 2121 / 07715 770448
sales@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk
Editorial
Linda Tanner
Rosie Watson
news@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk
Advertising sales 0117 908 2121
sales@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk
August deadline
Follow us on Twitter @henandwestvoice
Find us on Facebook www.facebook. com/henleaze and westburyvoice
Useful numbers
Bristol City Council 0117 922 2000
Citizens Advice Bureau 0344 499 4718
Police
www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk
General enquiries: 101
Emergency: 999 Fire
www.avonfire.gov.uk
General enquiries: 0117 926 2061
Emergency: 999
Complaints
Our August edition deadline is July 16. To ensure your news or letter is included, please contact us by this date. Advertisers are also asked to contact us by the same date.
Your views
Letters for publication can be sent to the above email addresses or by post to Letters, Henleaze & Westbury Voice, 16 Ashmead Business Centre, Ashmead Road, Keynsham, BS31 1SX. The editor reserves the right to edit your letter.
West of England MayorMayor Helen Godwin mayor@ westofengland-ca.gov.uk
0117 428 6210 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol BS1 6AL
NHS Health
Call 111
Well Aware (health and social care information) www.wellaware.org.uk
Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Henleaze & Westbury Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour.
Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Henleaze & Westbury Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Henleaze & Westbury Voice is distributed each month to residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is always welcomed, contact Emma Cooper on 0117 908 2121 or sales@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk This month 8,500 copies will be distributed around Henleaze, Westbury Park and Westbury-on-Trym.
QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS
by simply replacing the doors and worktops
› Up to 50% less than a new fully fitted kitchen
› Replacement kitchen doors
› Cost effective made to measure solution
› Worktops and appliances
› Quick installation in 2-3 days by local professionals
11-12 The Promenade, Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8AL
Call us now for a free estimate: 01179 443 223 9.8/10
Lights, camera, Gromit Unleashed!
THE LOCAL artist behind the Gromit Unleashed 3 sculpture, which will be outside CrossFit in Henleaze, says she is “chuffed” to be part of the upcoming, starstudded trail.
Jenny Urquhart is renowned for her vibrant paintings and collages of sights around Bristol and has painted sculptures on the previous Shaun the Sheep and Gromit trails.
The dazzling trail of sculptures, based on Aardman’s much-loved Wallace and Gromit characters, will be inspired by the movies and is set to be unveiled from June 30 across various locations in Bristol.
Stretching from the city centre and throughout the wider region, the trail features Wallace, Gromit, Feathers and Norbot, Wallace’s smart robot gnome from Aardman’s latest film Vengeance Most Fowl.
Speaking about her involvement in the trail, Jenny said: “I was so chuffed to be involved in Gromit Unleashed 3, having painted a couple of Shaun the Sheeps and a Gromit in previous trails.
“This year’s theme is the movies and hopefully my Gromit, that will be displayed outside CrossFit in Henleaze, will remind people of this classic film that most people (of my age) will have watched!
“He took about a week to paint, and each leg, took about a day with the multiple layers.
“I can’t wait to see people’s reactions to him, when they walk past as he won’t really blend in with Henleaze high street.”
A recent announcement by charity organisers The Grand Appeal and Aardman revealed that trail-goers can discover two glittering sculptures inspired by Road Dahl’s classic the BFG and Netflix’s Wednesday.
For intrepid sculpture hunters, there is a dedicated app and printed map to guide families, residents and visitors around more than 50 different locations.
In addition to the sculpture outside CrossFit, there are many located nearby in Clifton and the city centre.
Nicola Masters, director, The Grand Appeal, commented: “We are thrilled to be bringing the
magic and wonder of cinema, film, stories and legends to our third Gromit Unleashed trail this summer, turning the streets of Bristol and beyond into a living storybook.
“Each Aardman sculpture is a character, each corner a scene, and together they form a spectacular adventure – all to raise funds for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity.
“By following the trail, families, friends, residents of Bristol and visitors from the UK and all over the world won’t just be part of a city-wide celebration of creativity – everyone will be helping to create a brighter, and
Jenny Urquhart, pictured left, with her unpainted Gromit, and above the Big Friendly Wallace pictured in front of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Image: Ambitious PR
better future for young patients in the children’s hospital. This year, Gromit unleashes the magic of cinema grounded in a very real cause.”
The 2025 trail builds on the runaway success of Gromit Unleashed, Shaun in the City, and Gromit Unleashed 2 – which collectively have generated over £20 million for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity and Cots for Tots, the dedicated charity for the neonatal intensive care ward at St Michael’s Hospital.
The full list of locations can be found at www. gromitunleashed.org.uk
n COMMUNITY NEWS
HORFIELD ORGANIC COMMUNITY ORCHARD
JUNE'S Summer Orchard Open Day at Horfield Organic Community Orchard (HOCO) wasn’t blessed with the kindest conditions for an outdoor event. The showery, blowy weather put off pollinating insects, but did not dampen the appetite of other visitors for cake, or taking part in activities. Whatever the weather, the event is a brilliant moment to show and share the many nature-friendly ways we care for our fruit trees.
Around midsummer we’re looking for signs of Apple Sawfly (a small hole in the fruit, with a sticky pile of ‘frass’ at the entrance), and Apple Ermine Moth (gothy webs around the leaves with a mass of wriggling caterpillars, or slender white cocoons). We take action to remove and reduce problem populations on young, or small trees — to make sure there are enough healthy leaves to power them as they grow. On larger trees the grubs fulfil their destiny — as food for other insects, or hungry bats and birds.
It's not all work and no play for HOCO members! When the tasks were done for the day, there was time for picking up paint brushes and creating some art in the orchard.
HOCO is open to new members joining
as supporting friends, or getting active in the orchard as harvest-share members. See our website for more information.
Growing Season Fruit Tree Pruning courses at Horfield Organic Community Orchard:
• Beginners – Saturday 2 August
• Improvers – Sunday 3 August
More information: community-orchard. org.uk
Couple prepares for gruelling 100km Cotswold challenge
A Westbury-on-Trym resident was set to hike the extraordinary length of 100km along the Cotswold Way at the end of June. Alex Charlton and her partner Steve are raising funds for the Brain Tumour Charity. Training hikes have taken place across the Mendips, Quantocks and Shropshire all in preparation for the challenge which was due to take place on June 21 and 22.
Words by Shannon Smith aka The Apple Tree Lady
Photo by Jamie Carstairs
MBST: Healing Knee damage from Sports injury to Arthritis
The cellular repair that results from applying MBST can be applied to so many conditions, as well as patients young and old.
This repair process has been proven at quantum cell level in award winning independent research from the university of Innsbruck. It leads to transformation in patients’ outcomes, injuries, mobility, pain and suffering.
Here are two such examples of different knee conditions that I’ve helped heal in the last few months
Steven (37) is an experienced Ice Hockey player for Bristol Pitbulls as well as a coach. He had a really severe infra patellar tendinitis which had intra substance tears. Very painful. He couldn’t do anything with the leg due to pain and associated weakness and quad wasting. After MBST he quickly showed signs of improvement. Tendons take time to heal so we took things steady… After 4 months he was back on the ice and after 6 months he’s almost at full activity. A great outcome for an awkward condition.
Jeremy (87) came to me with stage 3/4 knee arthritis and was struggling with stairs in particular as well as night pain. He’s a very experienced chorister and needs to be able to stand for long periods whilst performing. Scans showed his patello-femoral joint had almost full thickness cartilage loss, as well as degeneration in the tibiofemoral compartment. At 87 years old he’s a remarkable healer and has been pain free and t for stairs since the end of his treatment course.
Age isn’t a factor with MBST. Vitality however does play a part. A lot of my older patients are still living life to the full, getting the most they can from it, yet certain parts of their bodies wear down and become a challenge. This is where MBST can be life changing, adding energy of stimulation healing and regeneration.
n NEWS
March urges action on 'dangerous' Downs
By Maurice Fells AROUND
300 supporters of a campaign to protect the Downs gathered on the parkland last month, urging the council to take action over its increase in van dwellers and deteriorating condition.
The two-mile walk, organised by Protect the Downs campaign group, started at the water tower and ended at the sea walls.
Clifton resident Tony Nelson, chair of the Protect the Downs campaign, said the walk was “not a protest” or a “negative campaign” but “an event where people who love the Downs can show their support for the Downs.”
He added that the protest was the march was “not just about [the van dwellers]. The Downs has become a dangerous place.
“We want the council to realise that hundreds of people want them to protect this area.”
A higher turnout was expected at the event, but 300 arrived to call on the council to protect the area, which Mr Nelson says has become a “sink”.
He added: “It is rat infested, people drive across the grass and damage it.
“The van dwellers are responsible for over-crowding of the area, causing obstructions.
“Walk around the Downs and you’ll see human waste dumped on open grassland.
“It’s unhealthy and the council should do something to stop it.”
Mavis Hale, who regularly walks on the Downs with her dog, told the Clifton Voice:
“When I moved to Bristol and bought a house on the edge of the Downs, it was such a beautiful place. There were very few caravans, now more of them arrive almost every day and they spoil the view.
“I’ve written to the council several times, but I’ve never had a reply. I pay more than £3,000 council tax and expect the council to keep the Downs tidy and clean, but they don’t do anything.”
At a committee meeting in June, Green councillor Paula O’Rourke said that action on caravans and Travellers on the Downs is “needed quicker”.
Housing chiefs at Bristol City Council are currently drawing up a new policy for van dwellers, but this won’t be signed off until the end of the year, despite impatience growing.
Council lawyers are also getting ready to apply for a possession order, which should quell the“unprecedented” period of a high number of encampments of Travellers pitching up on the grass.
About 800 people live in vehicles in Bristol, with over 100 of these on the Downs. Numbers jumped during the pandemic, as rents shot up and became unaffordable for many people. A new policy for vehicle dwellers is due to be published in December.
The Downs committee was urged once again to act sooner, during a meeting on June 9.
In response members said the matter was one for the council.
• Includes reporting from Alex Seabrook, LDRS reporter
Circle of Security - Parenting Building Secure Parent - Child Relationships Through Decades of Attachment Research
Calling all parents who want to understand their child’s needs and build joyful relationships.
Develop your attachment security with the Circle of Security Parenting course to:
Understand your child’s emotional world by learning to read their emotional needs
Support your child’s ability to manage emotions successfully
Join us at All Saints, Clifton for eight weeks on Fridays from 1000-1200 19th September - 14th November 2025
Enhance the development of your child’s self-esteem
Honour your child’s innate wisdom and desire for security
Visit lingmellpsychology.com/ circleofsecurity for more info and to secure your place
Dr Andrew Bamber is a Bristol based child clinical psychologist and COSP trainer, supporting children and families for over 15 years.
www.lingmellpsychology.com
We also offer other exciting courses, including:
Heart of the Matter - Resource Yourself to Navigate Complexity
Are you noticing elements of what we call ‘burnout' within your place of work? Perhaps you find yourself pulled out of line with your values and need space to recalibrate?
Join this one-day workshop, lead by Dr Rachel Brown, to explore your experience, feel validated and resource yourself on Monday 11th August 2025 at The Roundhouse, Springfields Allotment, Bristol. BS4 1AL
Resident Sharon Scott, pictured front, on the march across the Downs
n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS
Southmead: Kaz Self and Kye Dudd (Labour)
Free school meals
Any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals from September 2026, thanks to funding from the Labour government.
Parents on the credit will be eligible regardless of their income. Currently, their household must earn less than £7,400 a year to qualify.
The change will make 500,000 more pupils eligible, which the Prime Minister said would "help families who need it most".
Bin consultation
The Green-led council’s recent consultation on whether to move to four-weekly or three-weekly black bin collections had its results announced at the end of May, 16,777 responses to the consultation were received. Of the responses to the proposed options for the frequency of nonrecyclable waste collections:
• 82 per cent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed
with a change to non-recyclable waste collection to every four weeks
• 63 per cent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with a change to non-recyclable waste collection to every three weeks
• Just 17 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed with no change to the non-recyclable waste collection frequency – 71 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with there being no change
It is clear that Bristol residents want no change to black wheelie
bin collection frequency, a view Labour colleagues and we support. We want to see the Green-led council getting the basics right, like no missed collections, so that residents are getting the service they pay for through their council tax. Things have improved since the abysmal period last winter; we don’t want to see a repeat of this.
Libraries
A task and finish group has been set up to look at the future of libraries in Bristol. We are concerned that some councillors for the Green and Lib Dem led administration want to make savings by closing libraries that are not well used. We will oppose any suggestion that Southmead library should close.
Congratulations to Helen Godwin
We were delighted that Helen Godwin — a former Southmead councillor with strong connections to north west Bristol — won the Metro Mayor contest. Well
done Helen!
Free bus travel for U16s
Helen Godwin has announced children under the age of 16 can travel for free on buses in the West of England region this summer. The offer runs from the start of the school holidays on July 19 and runs until September 5.
Festival season
After the warmest spring on record and driest in more than 50 years, we’re hoping for good weather for our local summer festivals. We have Bristol Pride on the Downs on the 12th July and the Southmead Festival at the Greenway Centre on the 26th. Both are about celebrating the spirit of community and inclusivity, something which both Kaz and Kye strongly support.
To learn more about village life book your place on a guided tour now by calling 0117 919 4272, or visit www.stmonicatrust.org.uk for more information and details of available properties.
Properties from £325,000
n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS
W-o-T & Henleaze:
Stephen Williams, Caroline Gooch and Nicholas Coombes (Lib Dem)
Residents Parking Zones
Most on street parking in Henleaze, Westbury Park and Westbury on Trym is unrestricted, meaning that any taxed vehicle can be parked there. Notably parking in Clifton and Redland, like all of the city centre, is controlled by means of Residents' Parking Zones. It is our view that if parking restrictions are applied rigorously on the Downs, the vehicles may be displaced into the nearest unrestricted streets. This is the case in Westbury Park, which is on the border of the Cotham North parking zone. Increasingly residents are asking us to lobby the Council for Residents' Parking in our area. Under the last Mayor, there was deliberately no action on Residents' Parking. Now the process has been restarted, as reported in a recent paper to the Transport Committee. This paper includes the area around the Downs as a potential zone for residents parking, following repeated requests from Cllr Nicholas Coombes. This is the beginning of a process, and residents will be consulted before any changes are made. However, we are pleased to demonstrate some action on this matter. If you feel strongly one way or the other on this, do let us know.
Carlton Court shopping centre
We have heard back from the agent for the owner of Carlton Court who tells us that some
of the fencing is to allow for utility works that need to be undertaken, and the rest is to do with plans for development. The disabled access ramp is now available to use again, but we will continue to engage with him to try to free up some more spaces, as currently access to parking is completely cut off when the co-op delivery van visits.
Falcondale Road zebra crossing
Many residents will have appreciated the resurfacing of the junction of Falcondale Road and Westbury Hill back in March. However, the white lines around the zebra crossing were not completed. Nicholas raised this with the Council, and was told that it would be picked up in a snagging sweep. The contractor is now disputing this with the council and seeking more money for the work, which as we write remains incomplete. We are of the view that completing the zig-zag marking was clearly part of the original project, and the contractor should finish the job. Nicholas will continue to press for a resolution.
Henleaze Road street furniture repairs
At the junction of Henleaze Road and Waterford Road is a phone box, double post box and manhole cover, all in poor states of repair. The phone box has recently been repainted,
and Nicholas is seeking the same for the post box. He has reported the graffiti and flaking paintwork to Royal Mail, which has responded to his earlier requests. The manhole cover is broken and fenced off – and has been that way for over a year. The fault is with BT, but Nicholas has escalated through the Council to get this repaired.
The Downs vehicle dwellers and traveller encampments
Gypsy, Roma or Traveller encampments have continued on the Downs, to the concern of many local residents as the encampments this year have been continuous since Easter. There was also an unrelated tent encampment. Unfortunately, the court order used to evict travellers quickly in the past had lapsed, so the Council had to apply for a new order. As we write, the council has finally been granted a Possession Order against Persons Unknown which will help enormously in managing the eviction of future trespassing encampments. Nicholas, Caroline & Stephen
n NEWS
School field not a 'town green', judge rules
A 15-year-long saga over the use of a school playing field has reached a tentative conclusion, after a judge ruled that the green space should not be used as a village green.
Cotham School, which has a 125-year lease on the field from Bristol City Council, said that it is “absolutely delighted” at the ruling.
However, campaigners from the We Love Stoke Lodge (WLSL), expressed bitter disappointment over the judgement.
In November, Bristol city councillors unanimously agreed that four walking routes across Cotham School’s playing fields, which the school has been using for PE, should be registered as public footpaths.
The decision followed years of dispute between the campaign group and Cotham School, which came to a head when the school erected a fence around the field.
The campaigners successfully applied for the land to be established as a ‘town green’ to maintain public access to it – a decision that the school then challenged.
However, WLSL argues that although the school won the ruling, they cannot legally block access to the public footpaths.
In a statement, headteacher Joanna Butler, said: “Cotham
School is absolutely delighted that His Honour Judge Matthews has handed down his judgement, which confirms that our school playing fields are not and should not be a Town and Village Green.
“The judge has handed down a 110-page judgement which has been found fully in Cotham School’s favour.
“We're absolutely thrilled that justice has prevailed! The rights and opportunities of our 1,700 students will finally be restored.
“We couldn't be more excited to be able to positively plan to get back onto our Playing Fields as soon as possible.
“This decision affirms our commitment and tireless endeavours to resolve this highly challenging issue in pursuit of delivering a high-quality educational experience within a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our students.
“It supports the approach we have taken, and we remain dedicated to meeting all statutory obligations, including the provision of Physical Education, in a way that best serves the needs of our students.
“Cotham School will now review how the site will be remobilised and will provide further updates on our plans in due course.”
In a statement shared by WLSL, the group said:
“This is unexpected and very disappointing.
“We are giving detailed consideration to the judgment and grounds for appeal.
“The Judge made very clear that he was only considering the legal test – and going forward, any appeal will also consider legal issues only.
“We hope that [Cotham School] will undertake a serious rethink of its previous approach, given the enormous controversy it created.
“The land remains a registered village green now and until the outcome of any further litigation is known.
“If the school is ultimately able to put up a fence again in the future, then since there are four public rights of way in the process of registration across the land … it would obviously be foolish to try to block those routes.
“Perhaps we will see evidence of greater consideration of these issues when the school publishes its remobilisation plans.
“However, the immediate priority is for us to take advice on next steps and grounds for appeal.”
• Includes reporting from the Local Democracy Reporter Service
End of an era for Bristol's 'oldest shop'
From Page 1 the family-run business in 2004 but had worked for the previous owner since 1995, has had to make the very difficult decision to close up permanently by the end of September.
Paul said: “I have come to this decision due to the continuing decline in customer numbers, the increasing costs of stock, staffing, bank and utility charges, and the desperate state of repair of the rented premises.”
The previous owner was the last in line of the original Mogford family, but Paul has been running the shop with his daughter, Sophie, maintaining the tradition of keeping it a family-run business, along with a
small, but dedicated, team of fulland part-time staff.
The shop has a reputation in the village as being the shop that “sells everything” and indeed, it is a treasure trove of all you could want for DIY, hardware, pets and gardens – and many more things you didn’t even
WH Mogford & Son, in Henleaze High Street: Google Maps
realise you wanted. To the idle shopper, the shelves are quite overwhelmingly crammed, but the staff know where to lay their hands on anything and are renowned for their helpful and friendly personal service – in fact, the shop is regarded as quite a community hub where locals meet for a chat, while making their purchases.
Residents greeted the news on Facebook with dismay, sharing their own stories and memories going back generations. One
called it the “best go-to business for so many things that no-one else stocks”, while another praised the “amazing knowledge and customer care and looking after so many for so long”. However, there was much sympathy and understanding for the plight of small, independent businesses, with Mogfords being just the latest in a long line of closures in the village due to higher costs, parking difficulties and out-of-town retail centres.
Paul says that he is undecided what he will do next, but hopes to find something similar elsewhere. In the meantime, he and Sophie say they wish to “thank the many local customers who have supported us over the years.”
Stoke Lodge playing fields. Images: Bristol City Council/Google Maps
AMD Solicitors welcome Jennifer Chudleigh to family department
Any form of family dispute is an incredibly challenging time for all individuals - including those that are closely connected to them. Whether it is dissolution of a marriage or civil partnership, reaching a financial remedy or making arrangements for children of separated parents. Instructing the right person to be in your corner is not only about legal knowledge and expertise, but also about someone who has the life experience to empathise with your situation.
Jennifer has been practicing family law for many years, both in the South West and London, dealing with a broad range of demographics and communities. She joins the family team at AMD, headed by Jo Morris, specialising in Divorce/Civil Partnership dissolution; Financial Remedy matters, cohabitation disputes; disputes concerning children and pre-nuptial agreements.
Jennifer understands that any form of family dispute is stressful and traumatic for
those involved and therefore provides friendliness and unwavering empathy to her clients – all whilst delivering a practical approach to resolving disputes. She takes time to understand her clients, familiarise herself with their needs and advise on their best course of action. Jennifer believes that reaching a solution with the client is always better than telling the client what to do.
Working collaboratively and maintaining communication is important for anyone navigating family trauma, and having the right Solicitor who encourages this will produce the outcomes that works best for all involved.
Jennifer is based at our office at 100 Henleaze Road. For advice on divorce, child arrangements and family law please contact Jennifer or any other member of our team on 0117 962 1205 or email info@amdsolicitors.com
Jennifer Chudleigh
n WESTBURY ON TRYM SOCIETY NEWS
WH Mogford
The community was very upset to hear the news that Mogford’s store to close in September due to a number of issues. Mogford’s hardware emporium has been part of the High Street of Westbury-on-Trym since 1860 and is said to be the oldest shop in Bristol. This news follows the recent closure of Cindy Jane’s ladies accessories shop in Canford Lane.
The society has learned that Bristol City Council is to develop a high streets strategy to guide the priorities and future work of the council in its support for the city centre and high streets across the city. The strategy will be used to decide how the council’s resources should be focused on supporting high streets in Bristol.
The society recently made representations to the Bristol Local Plan examination about effectively controlling change in high streets and has now made representations to the chairman of the high streets strategy group to ensure that Westbury-on-Trym is considered as part of their exercise. It is ironic that the council resolved in December to charge for parking in all of its free district car parks. Westbury has to battle with the Mall and the new discount supermarkets, which have sprung up in recent years with their plentiful free car parking.
The
Flower Fund
One of the things that the society has done for many years to help make Westbury an attractive centre to visit is to organise and support the
n NEWS
flower displays in the hanging baskets on the lampposts and outside businesses and in the various planters throughout the village centre.
This year we have purchased three new planters to increase the street displays. The floral displays are planted out by the city council’s team at Blaise nurseries, which also arranges their watering in high summer.
This is entirely funded through donations from residents and businesses, with the society
funding the shortfall. Thank you to the many individuals and businesses who have supported this. It is not too late to contribute. Please e-mail us at westburyontrymsociety@gmail.com or visit our website www.westburyontrymsociety.org.uk for details as to how to make a donation.
The
Packhorse Garden
At the bottom of Chock Lane, by the river Trym is the ‘Packhorse Garden’ (pictured, left). This was designed and created by the society back in 1982 on an historic area of then derelict land. The construction of it was carried out by unemployed young people. Since then, the garden has been maintained by the society and is a much-valued community asset.
Over the last 18 months, a new team of local residents has assisted in the maintenance of this space. The benches have been cleaned and varnished, much pruning and cutting back of shrubs and ivy has taken place and spring bulbs have been planted. The paths through the site have been resurfaced and this has made a significant improvement to the garden.
Social media
Finally, the society has recently joined Social Media! You can hopefully find us on Facebook as Westbury on Trym Society and will be looking to post regular updates on our activities there.
Andy Renshaw, Chairman
Family man ready to step up as BGS head
In conversation with new headteacher of Bristol Grammar's infant and junior school
By Rosie Watson
DAN Simson — the new head of Bristol Grammar School's infant and junior school — joins BGS from Sefton Park infant and junior schools, which he joined in 2011, becoming deputy head in 2016 and headteacher in 2020. He is taking over the BGS reins from Heidi Hughes. Last year, after a 20-year career in educational leadership, Heidi decided to step down from her role at BGS to take the exciting step of looking at new ventures. In her six years at the helm, she led the school through Covid and onwards with passion, care and commitment and has built and developed a committed and talented team.
to his new role in September we find out what’s important to him and what his first few weeks might look like.
What have you been doing ahead of the new role?
I’ve actually been lucky enough to take some time off over the last few months and spend valuable time with my family whilst bolstering my energy for the exciting role ahead.
lives. I know the value of family and community are ones that BGS shares with me. They are key to creating a supportive environment for children to thrive and as a school for the community, this is something look forward to developing further at BGS.
What are you most looking forward to?
classrooms and activities. Having met many of the staff, I also know I’m joining a fantastic team who are passionate about developing each child and I’m looking forward to working with them and partnering with our parents.
What appeals about BGS?
As Dan now looks ahead
I really enjoy the outdoors and especially fishing, cricket and hiking and so have particularly enjoyed having time to walk in the Brecon Beacons with my father. It was a rare chance to talk and reconnect with each other over a matter of days rather than the few snatched moments we all get used to in our busy
I’ve enjoyed meeting many of the parents, children and staff at BGS over May and June and am really looking forward to getting to know what it feels like to be a child at BGS, to understand how they experience the school and how their day feels for them.
Play is such an important developmental tool - it’s key to a child’s ability to learn and I’m excited about seeing how we integrate this into our teaching and open up further opportunities for this in our
I was already familiar with BGS as one of my own children goes there, so I knew enough to understand that we share a common belief that a child who feels known, nurtured and celebrated is a happy and fulfilled child. Getting to really know children and their families is key to this, to ensure they are able to grow and fulfil their potential to the fullest. I know that we are starting on common ground and I can’t wait to get started! I look forward to meeting current and prospective children and parents in September.
n FROM BRISTOL NORTH WEST'S MP
Transport cash transformational
AS I write this column, we’ve just launched the Treasury’s spending review, which has set out the budgets for day-to-day spending of government departments (this is what I've been working on behind closed doors since taking office last year).
A week ahead of the review, the Chancellor also made a very welcome announcement that people across the North, the Midlands and the South West will benefit from the biggest ever investment in buses, trams and local train infrastructure in city regions.
I was thrilled to share this good news to Parliament in a speech to the House – and especially pleased to share that the West of England has been allocated £752 million.
We all know the problems we face in Bristol with congested roads, potholes, and unreliable buses, so it was a special moment to be stood at the despatch box,
knowing what a real difference this funding will make to my constituents.
The person who will be responsible for spending this money is our newly elected Mayor of the West of England (WECA), Helen Godwin (and thank you to everyone who voted in the recent mayoral election, irrespective of who you voted for).
In other transport news, work has just got underway on the second phase of works to improve the Portway Park and Ride. Yes, it’s on the other side of the constituency, in Shirehampton, but these improvements will help to reduce the number of cars that head to the new YTL Arena via Westbury-on-Trym or Gloucester Road.
I've been calling for this work to create a well-connected transport hub since January 2019, when I published my North Bristol Transport Plan – a plan that many of you contributed to via my town
hall meetings and survey.
The first ‘win’ will come by the end of this year, when work to improve the junction of the Portway Park and Ride will mean buses will be able to turn left as they exit, towards the M5 and Avonmouth. With the current layout, buses could only turn right towards the city centre. And it’s this simple change that will allow shuttle buses to connect the Arena to the park and ride.
Finally, I’d like to invite you all to a special event that I’m holding on Saturday, 19th July from 2:30pm — the Summer Open Mic!
Unlike my other events, the Summer Open Mic won’t have a set theme, so you can ask me anything. And since this is the annual big get-together ahead of summer recess, there’ll also be an informal social gathering at the end of the event.
The event will be held in Ashley Down but is open to all constituents. To book, please head
Darren Jones writes for the Voice
to darren-jones.co.uk/events or you can call my office on 0117 959 6545 if you don’t have internet access.
• As always, if you need my help or have a question, you can email darren.jones.mp@parliament.uk, call my office on 0117 959 6545 or write to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
n NATURE WATCH with Dawn Lawrence
Admiring nature's beauty on a rainy day
ONE day, I set off to my allotment for the rewarding summer job of picking strawberries. Showers were forecast so I had a brolly with me and also a big square of cardboard to cover some of my (many) weeds. As I arrived a shower began so I set the cardboard on the damp garden chair under the apple tree and, shielded by tree, cardboard and brolly, I prepared to sit it out. It was warm, humid and very peaceful.
Even the birds seemed to pause to watch the rain gently falling, except for a pair of magpies that flopped over the hedge and lolloped off across the allotments on some reasonably leisurely business that, nonetheless, didn’t allow for idleness.
After a while it occurred to me that the unending grey of the sky and the unceasing nature of the precipitation suggested not a passing shower but weather that
I’m not the only one round here who likes strawberries. A wood mouse must have made this little stash amongst the fallen rose petals by my strawberry patch
was better categorised as "steady rain".
Thoughts of strawberrypicking receded and instead I began to notice the many plants that share my allotment with the approved list of official fruits and vegetables. One section of my plot resembles an old-fashioned potager and here in particular a number of grassland herbs and
“weeds” have rooted amongst the fruits, herbs and flowers. To me, they have all earned their place. Self-heal is a little plant in the mint family with rich purple flowers whose leaves were traditionally used to bind wounds and soothe bruises. Red clover is beloved of bees and the form in my plot is particularly bold and attractive. Lamb’s lettuce leaves can be eaten in salads as can bittercress. Vetches and tares are leguminous plants and fix nitrogen whilst ribwort plantain improves nitrogen availability to surrounding plants. The little seeds of forget-me-nots and cut-leaved crane’s-bill are an easy snack for the adult birds that hunt caterpillars and other insects to fatten up their nestlings. Then I found myself admiring the silvery flowerheads of false oat grass. It is an undoubted pest, seeding freely and bulking up to football-sized tussocks in what feels like a few days.
FEEL AT HOME WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE
Those tussocks provide good over-wintering shelter for small invertebrates but, in the wrong place, they are the devil to dig out. I watched a droplet slowly gather itself to the tip of a drooping panicle and then gracefully fall. The stem gently rose by a degree or so with a gesture as expressive as a dancer indicating a mournful farewell by lifting a finger. I found myself enchanted by this grassy ballet and watched as a hundred panicles all played out the same simple movement. I felt that these grasses had earned their place today, they may have muscled in unwanted to my patch but they had certainly entertained me during this ‘shower’. All my wildlings have their role to play and it would seem that the role of false oat grass is that of prima ballerina. And then I gave up the strawberry collecting idea altogether and went home.
Bristol-based The Window Hub progresses on green goals
Adrian Henri, Brian Patten & Roger McGough
In fact, a new showroom is scheduled to open this month.
Danny launched The Window Hub because he wanted to be much more than just a double glazing company.
“We know that choosing new windows and inviting someone
AS A TEENAGER, in the nineteen sixties, I ignored poetry believing it had little relevance to my everyday life. That all changed with the publication in 1967 of The Mersey Sound, a collection of poems by Adrian Henri, Brian Patten & Roger McGough. Suddenly I had poems which I could relate to with irreverent, witty and freewheeling verse. Tonight at Noon is an ode to young love whilst wishing for a better world where America will declare peace on Russia and poets will get their poems in the Top 20. Without You finds the poet mourning the absence of his lover where every morning is like going back to work after a holiday, where Clark Kent forgets how to become Superman
and where they forget to put the salt in every packet of crisps. The futility and brutality of war is cleverly evoked in Why Patriots are a Bit Nuts in the Head and in Mother the Wardrobe is Full of Infantrymen. The vibrancy of youth and the desire for an adventurous life is expressed in Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death with the poet wishing at the age of 73 to be mown down at dawn by a bright red sports car on his way home from an all night party. The racism experienced by black persons in England
OPENING HOURS: WoT
Monday (2pm-7pm)
Tuesday (11am-4pm)
Wednesday (11am-4pm)
into your home can be stressful, so we have introduced as many initiatives as possible to be fair and reasonable in our approach to give our customers the best experience possible,” he said.
Thursday (11am-4pm)
Friday (11am-4pm)
Saturday (11am-4pm)
Sunday (closed)
“Sales begin and end with treating customers properly. And
during the sixties is referenced in I’m Dreaming of a White Smethwick whilst Lakeland Poem finds a young man comparing the body of his lover to the beautiful landscape of the Lake District. These are just a few of my favourite poems from the bestselling poetry anthology of all time. For this book and many more please come and visit your local library in Gloucester Road. You will be greeted with a friendly smile and a warm welcome.
you know what? It is so easy to be amazing if you don’t cut corners.”
And the Window Hub has the customer reviews to prove it –90% of reviews for The Window Hub on Trustpilot are for five stars, with customers celebrating the company’s professionalism, friendliness, tidiness, and attention to detail.
Review by Bob Deacon of Bishopston Library
OPENING HOURS: HENLEAZE
The hard work of Danny and his company was also recently recognised and commended, with The Window Hub being named the ‘Best in the South West’ at the G24 Awards last year.
Monday (11am-5pm)
Tuesday (11am-5pm)
Wednesday (1pm-7pm)
Thursday (11am-5pm)
0117 3134 862
01392 642 634
Abbot: 01626 932 964
www.thewindowhub.co.uk
In 2025, The Window Hub will grow to cover domestic homes between Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and Lands End in Cornwall.
Friday (1pm-7pm)
Saturday (10am-5pm)
Sunday (closed)
For more information, please visit TheWindowHub.co.uk.
n PHARMACY COLUMN
Private adult ADHD assessment offered in community pharmacy
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a condition where the brain works differently to most people. This neurodevelopmental disorder is characterised by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. It affects how people focus, behave, and regulate their emotions. While ADHD is often associated with childhood and diagnosed then, many adults live with the condition—often undiagnosed—and face complex emotional and psychological hurdles as a result.
A UK study put the adult incidence rate at 3-4% (1.9 million). There is no one cause of ADHD, but it is considered a result of an often complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors, with genetic factors being responsible for 70%-80% of the probability.
The impact of ADHD across age groups will differ, reflecting both the individual's changing maturity and the changing circumstances and expectations surrounding them. As an individual matures, they may be better able to cope, yet continue to struggle due to the increased
behavioural expectations placed upon them. ADHD in adults goes far beyond difficulty focusing or being easily distracted. It often coexists with conditions like anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and even substance use issues. Studies suggest that nearly 50% of adults with ADHD also experience an anxiety disorder, and around 30% deal with depression at some point in their lives.
Living with undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD can take a toll on self-esteem and mental well-being. Adults with ADHD may struggle with time management, job performance, relationships, and self-regulation. Over time, these daily stressors can contribute to chronic feelings of frustration, failure, or low mood— creating a fertile ground for mental health problems.
It is a two-way street: mental health struggles can also worsen ADHD symptoms. For example, depression can make it harder to concentrate or maintain routines, while anxiety can amplify restlessness and emotional dysregulation. This cycle can be exhausting and disheartening—but it is unbreakable. Diagnosis is the first step to
0117 9246579
18 Kellaway Avenue, Westbury Park, BS6 7XR
effective management and care.
Partnering with MakeWell Clinic, Bedminster Pharmacy in Bristol now offers on-site Adult ADHD assessments. Pharmacy. With a longterm relationship with MakeWell colleagues, working together to establish physical health services, including COVID-19 vaccination clinics. This private assessment service, with input from a dedicated multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, takes a holistic approach, considering not only the symptoms but also the impact of ADHD on various aspects of their lives, such as relationships, education, and employment. For details about the service, including cost, self-referral and preassessment screening, please call MakeWell on 01908731293 or email: bookings@makewell. co.uk
Bedminster Pharmacy has taken a national lead on population health, and the hope is that, like many other services they have pioneered, NHS adoption will follow to ensure and protect universal access. To find out more about ADHD, please visit the Charity ADHD UK: https:// adhduk.co.uk
n WHAT'S ON
n LA SCALA DELI HENLEAZE
Join us for our Italian wine tasting evenings. Limited availability. Led by our in-house sommelier.
July 9 - Pride Tasting
July 11 - Rose, the summertime red wine
July 18 & 24 -Trentino Alto Adige
July 19 - Mountain side vineyards
August 1 - Mountainside Vineyards
August 7 & 22 - Friuli-Venezia Giulia
August 21 - "The Big 5" of Northern Italy
Sept 5 & 18 - Lombardia
Sept 6 & 19- The "Big 5" of Central Italy
Oct 3 & 23 - Veneto
Oct 4 & 24 - The “Big 5” of Southern Italy
Special events: WINE & DINE
6 wines paired with 5 courses
JULY 26 WINE & DINE - Puglia
AUG 9 WINE & DINE - Puglia
SEPT 20 WINE & DINE - Sicily
OCT 25 - Sicily
Private Events also available Bookings: www.lascaladeli.com
JULY 12th
n BLAISE COMMUNITY GAR -
DEN behind Blaise Museum, BS10 7QS. Open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Interesting walled kitchen garden, free to enter, new volunteers welcomed. Plants always available. Events: Plant & Pollination Day with Café on 12th July 10-2, and Café on 9th August 10-2.
JULY 28th
n HENLEAZE SENIOR FILM CLUB - SUMMER PARTY Join us for the Film Club Summer Party with music from the 50s and 60s, at 2pm, performed by Mini Concerts, who will be making a welcome return following their successful Christmas show. The entertainment will be complemented by a summery cream tea. Booking required, please call 0117 435 0063. Carers welcome, easy access. St. Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD. For more information, please call 0117 435 0063
SINGERS: Songs for Summer: Westbury on Trym Village Hall, Friday 4th July at 7.30 pm. Tickets £10 to include a glass of wine, available at wotsingers@gmail.org or on the door. Cash or bank transfer only please.
JULY 19th
n SUMMER FAIR - 2pm - 5pm - St Peter's Church Henleaze. Free summer fun for all the family! Craft and produce stalls, cake, refreshments, later life community information.
Weekly
n BRISTOL HOME LIBRARY SER -
VICE. A free home delivery service for Bristolians provided by local volunteers. For anyone affected by age, disability or caring responsibilities. 07714898558
REGULAR EVENTS
Various days
n WESTBURY WILDLIFE PARK
The park’s peaceful setting, with children’s play area and cafe, is open for you to enjoy with your friends and family from Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Refer to the website wwpf.uk for events, activities and volunteering opportunities.
n WEST OF ENGLAND BRIDGE
CLUB meet at the RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. Thursday afternoon is for improvers, and Monday and Friday afternoons, are for more capable players. These are EBU recognised sessions. You may come alone to any afternoon session or Wednesday evening when a partner will be found. The two evening sessions are Wednesdays and Fridays. For more information go to our website at www.woebridgeclub.co.uk or contact our Secretary Alan on 0117 4526947.
n PILATES CLASSES, Northcote Scout Hall, BS9 3TY. Mondays 9.30am (Improvers), 10.30am (Mixed Ability inc. Beginners); Tuesdays 9.30am (Improvers), 10.30am (Gentle); Thursdays 9.30am (Improvers), 10.45am (Mixed Ability - inc Beginners). Small, friendly classes. Please register interest before attending. Full details at www. mindbodypilates.org. Contact; Leanne 07817189474 or leanne@ mindbodypilates.org
Plants always available. Events: Café on 14th June 10-2 and Plant & Pollination Day with Café on 12th July 10-2.
Monday
n PLAY BOWLS at Canford Park in a friendly, social atmosphere. Qualified coaches and equipment provided. Contact: Les on 07305695579
n WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? North West Bristol Camera Club is a friendly local club with a membership ranging from beginners to those with considerable experience. You will be welcome whether you use a mobile phone or the latest mirrorless camera. Google NWBCC for more details.
n TEATIME CHURCH - Children and families are welcome to join us once a month at the back of Holy Trinity Church in Westbury-onTrym for crafts, games, stories and songs, followed by supper for all the children. There is also a baby/ toddler area and a monthly Lego challenge. This is a very informal service, where children/adults can learn a little about God and the church in a fun and friendly environment. All are very welcome! Please visit our website for further information and monthly dates https://www.westbury-parishchurch.org.uk/teatime-church/
n CANFORD BOWLING CLUB season has started again, and new members of any age or experience would be very welcome. Free coaching is available. Our open day is 25th May. Why wait? If interested please email canfordbowlingclub@ gmail.com or ring 07504254499. Come and give it a go.
n BRISTOL HOME LIBRARY SERVICE - We are a free service for any adult who lives in Bristol and who can’t get to their library but still wants books or audio books. Volunteers call monthly. Contact us if you would like to volunteer or know someone who needs us. BHLSVisits@royalvoluntaryservice. org.uk or 07714 898558
sessions, Meet and Stitch Plus and Workshops. More information here: https://bristolstitchers.wordpress. com/about/ Contact Joanne our Chair here: bristolstitcherschair@ gmail.com
n WESTBURY SINGERS: Westbury Singers - If you enjoy singing, we invite you to join our friendly, non-auditioned, 4-part choir in term-time on Monday evenings 7:30pm - 9:30pm at Reedley Road Baptist Church (far left entrance off the car park). Ability to read music useful but not essential. See our website www.westburysingers.org for more information, email us on wotsingers@gmail.com, or simply come along one evening!
n DICKENS SOCIETY. 7pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. New members welcome. See www.dickens-society. org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875 for further details.
n WESTBURY ON TRYM WOMEN'S INSTITUTE meets on the third Monday of the month in the Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, BS9 4AG, from 2.00 - 4.00 pm. We have interesting speakers, and extra activities of crafts, lunch club, skittles and outings. Our lively, friendly and inclusive group welcomes visitors at any meeting. For more information call Sascha on 07961619806 or Traci on 07766073917
n BRISTOL GOOD AFTERNOON CHOIR rehearses at Westbury-onTrym Methodist Church (BS9 3AA) 2-4pm (term time only). We are a fun and friendly, non-audition, community choir for both male and female voices - one of 32 Good Afternoon Choirs who ‘sing in the afternoon’ around the South West and further afield. New members are always welcome and, whether you come alone or with a friend, we will be very pleased to meet you! For further details please visit our website – www.goodafternoonchoir.org – or contact us on 01761 472468 or via e-mail at gac@ grenvillemusic.co.uk
Tuesday
JULY 4th
n CONCERT BY WESTBURY
n BLAISE COMMUNITY GARDEN, behind Blaise Museum, BS10 7QS. Open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Interesting walled kitchen garden, free to enter, new volunteers welcomed.
n BRISTOL STITCHERS - a friendly, independent creative members group which meets three times a month at Helliwell Room (Horfield Parish Church Hall, Horfield) offering Talks, Meet and Stitch
n WESTBURY PARK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Girl Guide Hut on Westmorland Road from 7.00 - 9.30pm. We are an active and friendly group with a varied programme plus extra ses-
sions for craft, coffee, book clubs, walks etc. Visitors are always welcome and for more information do call Sue on 07813795936 or email westburyparkwi@gmail.com
n PILATES WITH JULIE WATERS, Westbury-on-Trym Academy School, Channells Hill, Bristol BS9 3HZ. Tuesday 6.30 pm & 7.30pm term time only. Small friendly groups. Call Julie on 07817 809734 or email jules_waters@hotmail.com for more information.
n COMMUNITY SIGHT LOSS HUB, First Tuesday of each month, 11am1pm at Trinity Church, Henleaze. Join our coffee morning for blind and partially sighted people to socialise with others and receive advice and guidance from our experienced advisors. Tailored support also available by appointment by calling Sight Support West on 0117 322 4885.
n CARERS’ SUPPORT GROUP run by Bristol Dementia Action Alliance, held on the first Tuesday of each month, St Peters’ Church, Henleaze, BS9 4LD, 2pm-4pm. A chance for carers to share stories and gain support from each other. For further information, contact Tony Hall, office@bdaa.org.uk
n WESTBURY FOLK/COUNTRY DANCING - come along to have some fun folk dancing on Tuesdays 1.30 – -3.30pm at Westbury College in College Road. All dances are called and refreshments are available. FFI contact Christine on 07775 628524 or codonnell100@ btinternet.com.
n BRISTOL GOOD AFTERNOON CHOIR rehearses at Westbury-onTrym Methodist Church (BS9 3AA) on Monday afternoons 2.004.00pm (term time only). We are a fun and friendly, non-audition, community choir for both male and female voices - one of 32 Good Afternoon Choirs who ‘sing in the afternoon’ around the South West and further afield. New members are always welcome and, whether you come alone or with a friend, we will be very pleased to meet you! For further details please visit our website – www.goodafternoonchoir.org – or contact us on 01761 472468 or via e-mail at gac@ grenvillemusic.co.uk
n KEEP FIT WITH DANCE MOVES – at Horfield Methodist Church BS7 8SN, Tuesday mornings, from 10.15- – 11.15am, and at St Peter’s
Church, Filton, BS34 7BQ, Tuesday afternoons, 2- – 3pm. Improve your mobility, strength, co-ordination and general wellbeing whilst while having fun and making new friends. Suitable for all ages. Try first session free. For further information contact Eileen Scott on: 07969 929733, or email: scottyartois@ hotmail.com
n SCOTTISH DANCING TO GET FIT AND HAVE FUN Bristol Westbury Scottish Country Dance Club. Classes for beginners (Email: maggiekirkup@gmail.com) and more advanced dancers. (Tel: Cheryl 0117 4012416) at St.Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze, 7.30 to 9.30 pm. www. westburyscottish.org.uk
n COMPANION VOICES BRISTOL is recruiting new members . We meet in Easton on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm to learn soothing and uplifting songs by ear and build skills in sensitivity/compassion/loving presence to sing at the bedsides of people nearing the end of life. To join or support us in this work, contact Valerie on bristol@companionvoices.org. Visit www.facebook.com/ CompanionVoicesBristol and www. companionvoices.org.
n BRISTOL HARMONY WEST GALLERY CHOIR AND BAND sing and play lively church and village music from the 18thcentury. St Edyth’s Church Hall, St Edyth’s Road, Sea Mills, 7.30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. All voices (SATB), string, wind and reed instruments welcome. No auditions but ability to read music helpful. www.bristolharmony.wordpress. com or call Fritjof 0117 924 3440. Contact before attending.
n WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP meet on Tuesday mornings at Westburyon-Trym Methodist Church, 10.30am-noon. An interesting programme of speakers; come along to make friends. For more details, ring Kate 07905 064720.
n BRISTOL A CAPPELLA: Tuesdays 7.30pm, Victoria Methodist Church. Bristol A Cappella is an awardwinning mixed barbershop chorus of around 30 members who love to sing close harmony a cappella. Our songs are mainly from pop music, with a bit of rock and some musicals. www.bristolacappella.co.uk/
Contact: membership@bristolacappella.co.uk
Tuesday and Saturday
n BRISTOL HF RAMBLING CLUB
We are a friendly sociable club with a variety of walks. We have 2 Tuesday walks of either 8-9 miles or 5-6 miles. On Saturdays we have varying length walks including a hill walk eg Brecon Beacons once a month. If you would like more information please visit our website.
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
n FRIENDLY BRIDGE SW is a Bridge Club operating on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10am to 1pm at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. We also offer online bridge and face to face tuition. New faces are always welcome. Please email friendlybridgesw@gmail.com or call Gareth on 07921-788605 for further information.
Wednesday
n HENLEAZE CHORAL SOCIETYmeets at Henleaze Bowling Club, Grange Court Road, Wednesdays 7.30 to 9pm. A small, unauditioned choir singing varied music. New members welcome. For info, contact Kathy, 0117 949362 http:// www.henleazechoralsociety.org.uk/
n A CLASS FOR EVERYBODY! KEEP FIT, St Peter’s Church, Henleaze, Wednesdays, 10-11am, £8. Improve your health and wellbeing with this low-impact exercise class. With music from the 60s to today’s pop to enjoy a supple strength workout. Call Louisa: 07725 091429. Email Louisa: chairaerobicslouisa@gmail.com
welcome (MarkRThwaites@Gmail. com). Upcoming on 28th May, 4th June & 25th June & into July & August.
n GRIEF & BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP: Meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 2.00.pm – 4.00.pm. in The Goronwy Room, St. Peter’s Church, The Drive, Henleaze. BS9 4LD
n A GENTLE WAY TO KEEP FIT & HAVE FUN! CHAIR AEROBICS, St Peter’s Church, Henleaze, Wednesdays, 11.15am12.15pm, £8. Maintain and progress your strength, stability and balance at our seated and gentle standing exercise class. Songs from every era to enjoy and complement a workout for mind and body wellness. Call Louisa: 07725 091429. Email Louisa: chairaerobicslouisa@ gmail.comwellness. Call Louisa: 07725 091429. Email Louisa: chairaerobicslouisa@gmail.com
n GOLDEN HILL WI Meets the first Wednesday of every month. 1-3pm. Golden Hill Sports Ground, Wimbledon Road, BS6 7YA. A vibrant, lively, afternoon WI in BS6. We have a varied programme to offer members. Visitors and new members will be given a warm welcome. For more information contact Pam Scull at goldenhillwi@gmail.com.
n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB Wednesday morning whist drives, 10.00 for 10.30, all welcome. £2.00 including tea and coffee. Located in Grange Court Road next to Newman Hall. Please see our website for information and all social events. https://henleazebowlingclub.org.uk/social-events/
n WELCOME WEDNESDAY
Friendly and free coffee afternoon on the last Wednesday of the month, 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your local area. Call 0117 435 0063 for more information.
n AFTERNOON CAFE CHESS
BS9 - From 2.45pm - 4.30pm on two Wednesdays each month in Coffee #1 on Henleaze Rd - Feel free to drop in for informal chess over a cuppa - All ages and abilities
n COME AND ENJOY free tea and cake in a friendly atmosphere at Holy Trinity Church, Church Rd, Westbury-on-Trym every Wednesday 10.30-12. Call 0117 9508644 (mornings) for more information
n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcome- first visit free so come along and give us a try. For further information contact Tania by email at tanialake@ yahoo.co.uk
n HEALING Spiritual Healing is available from 2pm to 3.30pm by
the accredited healing team at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www.westburyparksc.org
n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE
For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30 start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www.westburyparksc.org
n SWIFTS INCLUSIVE SPORTS swimming sessions are for adults 18+ with any type of disability (hoist available) 7-8pm. £5 per session at Henbury Leisure Centre. Contact Karen Lloyd at 07734 335 878.
Thursday
n TODDLERS TOGETHER is a parent and toddler group for the community. It takes place every Thursday during term time from 10-11.15am at Westbury-on-Trym Methodist Church Hall, BS9 3AA. There are toddler toys, a baby area, a weekly craft activity, singing, drinks and biscuits and a final prayer to end the session. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation per family on the door. You can just turn up - no need to pre-book. To find out more about this group, visit https://www.westbury-parishchurch.org.uk/toddler-group/
n EMMANUEL WESTBURY TODDLER GROUP. A play group for children aged 0-4, their Parents & Grandparents. Every Thursday in term time, 10:15-11:45. Northcote Scout Hall, Great Brockeridge, BS9 3TY. £3 per family, payable on door. Includes homemade cakes, hot & cold drinks and all activities. Come along or look us up at https://
emmanuelbristol.org.uk/events/ emmanuel-westbury-toddlers/ or enquire by email to avbradley@ outlook.com
n FRIENDLY CLUB meets every Thursday from 2 - 4pm in the Methodist Church Hall, W-O-T. We are a lively group of older people who meet to chat, play Scrabble or cards. Trips out and entertainments are arranged, plus we have tea and biscuits for only £1! Do come and make some new friends.
n FRIENDS TOGETHER DEMENTIA FRIENDLY CAFÉ
A Dementia accessible café for all on the first Thursday of every month, 10am-12pm; The Randall Room at All Saints Church, Pembroke Rd, Clifton. Support, guidance, information and friendship with complimentary tea, coffee and homemade cake. No need to book – just come along and be a part of our community! For more information contact All Saints Parish Office: 0117 974 1355
n ARCHITECTURE & BUILDINGS
GROUP U3A meets at Henleaze United Reformed Church Meeting Room, Waterford Road, 2-4pm on the fourth Thursday of the month except July, August & December. We are a small shared interest group. No previous knowledge required. Contact Rod for further information. Email: rodathey@ gmail.com or call 07792 200949.
n SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING – Looking for a new hobby? Join us for fun, fitness and friendship (singles welcome). First evening free! Thursdays: New/
Inexperienced dancers 7–8.30pm (£4). Intermediate/Advanced dancers 7.30–10pm (£6). St Monica Trust, Oatley House Main Hall, BS9 3TN. www.rscdsbristol.info. Contact Ruth 0117 968 3057.
n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB
Thursday afternoon short mat bowls, 13.30, all welcome £3.00, tea and coffee provided. Located in Grange Court Road next to Newman Hall. Please see our website for information and all social events. https://henleazebowlingclub.org.uk/social-events/
n SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING Join us for fun, fitness and friendship (singles welcome). First evening free! RSCDS Bristol. New/ Inexperienced dancers 7-8.30pm (£4). Intermediate/ Advanced dancers 7.30-10pm, (£6). St.Monica Trust, Oatley House Main Hall, BS9 3TN. www.rscdsbristol.info. Contact Ruth 0117 968 3057.
n LADIES KEEP FIT - – Thursdays 10-11am, St Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze, £7. This friendly, popular session is suitable for all ages, levels and abilities; it is an all-over workout for cardiovascular fitness as well as toning, and has a dance element. Full information on the website: www.exercisewithlailibrooks.com; Email: laili@tiscali. co.uk to book.
n WEST BRISTOL ORCHESTRA is a small, friendly amateur group that enjoys music-making without public performances. It meets on Thursday nights in term time at St. Peter’s Church, Henleaze at 7.159.15pm. We would especially wel-
come more string players. Please visit our website for further details at maths.bris.ac.uk
n HENBURY SINGERS WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS at Stoke Bishop Primary School, Cedar Park BS9 1BW, 7.30 – 9.15, a warm welcome awaits you at Henbury Singers. We perform sacred and secular music under our conductor Andrew Kirk. No auditions. www. henburysingers.org Contact the secretary at secretary@henburysingers.org
n HEALING FOR WELLBEINGNEW TIME 5.00 PM TO 6.15 PM Feel more relaxed, peaceful, calmer. Drop in sessions (no need to book) with trained practitioners. Venue: Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. All welcome - donation basis. For more information, visit http://www. facebook.com/BristolHealingGroup or https://www.thehealingtrust. org.uk/healing/healing-centre or phone Selina 0117 9466434.
n HIGHBURY BADMINTON CLUB: Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458.wixsite.com/ highburybadminton Thurs 7:30pm mid September to End April, Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall
n BRISTOL BACH CHOIR are now recruiting new members. We are a friendly auditioned choir of between 30 and 40 singers. All voice parts are welcome. We rehearse on a Thursday evening at Bristol Grammar School from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. If interested please contact Julie at membership@ bristolbach.org.uk
OVER the coming months, the green space outside Sea Mills Library will be transformed into a fantastic community garden, thanks to the combined efforts of the Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle Climate Action Group (SMCDCAG) and the Friends of Sea Mills library.
Future plans are to complete the four beds and link activities to the library such as bug identifying kits for preschoolers, herb harvesting kits and recipe cards for the community, and holding sessions like making your own lavender bags.
Friends of Sea Mills Library are always on the lookout for volunteers, so do get in touch with the Friends group on contactus@ friendsofseamillslibrary.co.uk or Facebook at www.facebook.com/ friendsofseamillslibrary if you would like to help with the project.
meet on 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday from 2 - 3.45 pm in The Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. It is a friendly, supportive group for people with dementia and their carers. Anyone interested can phone me 0117 9426095 to book a place or discuss.
n HENLEAZE FLOWER CLUB welcomes new members. Annual membership £52. Demonstration meetings on 2nd Thursday of the month, 2pm, Bradbury Hall Waterford Rd. Henleaze. Plus optional Practice Classes on 4th Thursday. We meet every month except December and August. Please contact Jenny York, Club Chair yorkjenny2@ yahoo or phone/text 07880 700270
n FOLK NIGHT every third Wednesday of the month at the Victoria inn Chock lane, Westbury on Trym. 7.30-10.30pm. All musicians and singers welcome or just pop in and listen. Call 0117 959 0834
n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR
Come and join us at St Peter’s Church Hall. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278.
Friday
n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB.
Come along at 5.45pm on Fridays to see if bowling could be the sport for you. Coaching available. Experienced bowlers welcome. Situated in Grange Court Road, by Newman Hall. This is a friendly Club with good bowling facilities and social events throughout the year. Phone, Tom Logan, on 0117 962 1669 or email hbcsec@henleazebowlingclub.org.uk for further details.
n BRISTOL SPANISH CIRCLE -
Come and meet a group of friendly people and enjoy talks in Spanish, musical events and social evenings. We meet every month from September to June, usually on the last Friday of the month, at St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze. For info, see https://www.spanishcirclebristol.com/.
n HIGHBURY BADMINTON CLUB: Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458.wixsite.com/ highburybadminton Thurs 7:30pm mid September to End April, W-on-T Village Hall
n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR
Come and join us at St Peter’s Church Hall. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278.
n FOLK NIGHT every third Wednesday of the month at the Victoria inn Chock lane, Westbury on Trym. 7.30-10.30pm. All musicians and singers welcome or just pop in and listen. Call 0117 959 0834
Saturday
n SEA MILLS REPAIR CAFE offers sewing, woodwork, general, electrical and cycle repairs at the Methodist Church, Sea Mills Square, from 10am-12pm, every second Sat (except August). Voluntary service run by experienced repairers. Donations welcome. FFI see Facebook @ seamillsrepaircafe or email: repaircafe.seamills@gmail.com
Sunday
n WORSHIP FOR ALL MUSIC
SERVICE is a brand new musicbased service at Holy Trinity Church in Westbury-on-Trym. Please join us on the last Sunday of each month from 4pm-4.45pm to sing along with contemporary and traditional worship songs with live music and experienced singing leaders. All are very welcome and the service is suitable for children. Refreshments are served at the end of each service. For more information, please visit https://www.westbury-parishchurch.org.uk/services/
n BRISTOL ORCHESTRAL
PLAYERS are a friendly orchestra meeting monthly for workshopstyle rehearsals. We enjoy exploring varied classical repertoire, from well-known symphonies to lesserplayed orchestral works. Musical Director Nicola Ashton. Join us 6:30-9:00 in St Peter’s Church Hall Henleaze. New members very welcome, particularly string and horn players. Contact joannamellors34@ gmail.com or www.bristolorchestralplayers.co.uk
Wishes come true for disability dance school
By Rosie Watson
FLAMINGO Chicks, the inclusive dance school championing disabled children, made magic happen — taking 44 young dancers and their families to Disneyland Paris for the performance of a lifetime.
The group lit up the iconic Videopolis stage with a joyful, highenergy performance before leading the Disney parade, dancing proudly down Main Street all the way to the castle. Confidence soared and dreams became reality.
“The joy and transformation we witnessed was immeasurable,” said Katie Sparkes, founder of Flamingo Chicks. “Our dancers felt truly celebrated.”
Zee, one of the performers, said: “Dancing made me feel free, like a bird.”
Kian added: “We danced with passion and power.”
Noah summed it up as: “Supertastic — the greatest experience of my life!”
Now back in the UK, Flamingo Chicks continues to sprinkle Disney sparkle across its inclusive dance sessions nationwide, and the joy doesn’t stop there.
The annual 24-hour dance festival also made a fabulous recent return to the Trinity Henleaze United Reformed Church in Henleaze. This free event brought together nearly 300 people aged 1 to 100 to try out 24 different dance styles in a celebration of movement, inclusion and community.
Different dance events included mum and toddler ballet hour, under 5s nature theme mini-movers, inter-generational tea dances, uniting old and young, sessions with many local special needs schools, Agents of Change Youth club hour, contemporary dance, tap, commercial dance, and so much more.
Packed with costumes, colour and confetti, it was a true carnival of connection. Huge thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, local sponsors and all who supported via Crowdfunder.
Inspired? Help keep the magic going by donating here: crowdfunder.co.uk/p/may1002025 and for more about Flamingo Chicks, visit www.flamingochicks.org
Flamingo Chicks took 44 of its dancers and their families to Disneyland for the performance of a lifetime. The children performed on the Videopolis stage before leading the Disney parade all the way to the castle
n VINEYARD NEWS with INGRID BATES
Everything's looking rosy on the vineyard
THE vines have chosen a brilliant heat wave in which to flower. This is great news because it means that a high percentage of them will turn into little grapes. Last year we were not so lucky with the weather in flowering week and it was a real shame to see them get all cold, wet and soggy. This year, the flowering should much more successful. The grapes will be very small at first, but will quickly swell over the coming weeks. Hopefully we’ll get some rain during that period to assist with this process as well.
Because the varieties we grow are fairly mildew resistant, once the grapes have formed, we can be fairly confident they will be good to go come harvest time in the autumn. If they were not mildew resistant, there would be the ongoing threat of loss or damage through disease to contend with for the next couple of months. Stressful!
The vineyard is looking really good. We've had some good periods of rain and warmth so the vines have been growing really well and have not been water stressed. The dry periods mean that the insects have also done well and we're seeing very high numbers of ladybirds and butterflies this year.
On the wine front we’ve just released a new batch of sparkling white wine. This always seems to sell out very quickly and we always wish we had more of it so enjoy it while it lasts!
Thinking about how to pay for care, whether for yourself or a loved one, can feel daunting. Many people worry they’ll have to sell their home or quickly spend down their savings, but if you have over £250,000 in assets including savings, investments and pensions, plus a property, there are often more options available than you might realise.
And that’s where we can help.
Finding the best way to fund care is usually uncovered by taking a holistic view of the circumstances and often consists of using a combination of strategies.
For example, with careful planning it may be possible to:
• Use pension income tax-efficiently to help meet care costs
• Generate a sustainable income from savings or investments
• Consider specialist solutions like care fee plans
• Preserve as much of your estate as possible for your family
What’s right will depend on your individual situation and seeking advice early can help you make the most of your options, both financially and emotionally.
A note for those helping a loved one
If you’re acting as an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney, you have an important (and sometimes overwhelming) role. You’ll want to make sure any financial and health decisions are clearly in the person’s best interests and that means exploring all the available routes, not just the obvious ones.
As well as considering how to fund care, you will need to review the choices around the types of care available and what’s preferred, whether that is opting for receiving care at home or moving to a private care home for example.
Taking professional
advice can give you peace of mind that you’re doing the right thing and may uncover options that ease pressure for everyone involved.
If there are no LPAs in place, please do consider taking action sooner rather than later. The impact of not organising these documents is significant! We can help with this if you like.
At Harold Stephens, we specialise in helping families plan for later life with sensitivity and clarity. If you're thinking about care, or supporting a parent who is, we’re here to guide you through the financial side with confidence.
If you’d like to arrange a relaxed chat about your circumstances with one of our SOLLA Accredited independent financial advisers, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0117 3636 212 or email office@haroldstephens. co.uk
n BOOK REVIEW
Just a Little Dinner by Cécile Tlili, translated by Katherine Gregor AT THE close of August, four people come together for a dinner party in a repressive Parisian flat.
The whole kitchen has become an oven. Claudia has spent three hours preparing a curry, despite the heat, her face and chest taking on the same red hues as the jagged saffron. All that she has laboured over is to please the implacable Étienne, the orchestrator of the dinner, whose motives are entirely selfish: he needs something from his friend Johar.
Johar sits on a bench a few blocks away, breathing in the summer air and trying to be as late as possible for the unwelcome event. That day, she has been offered everything she ever wanted. Her husband, Rémi, has already arrived and tries to set an enthusiastic tone with his hosts, even as he sends his wife angry messages and longs to call his lover.
Alongside courgette flowers, toasted almonds, succulent raisins and rice, wine, whisky and cigarettes, are servings of false compliments, caustic comments, and lies, some necessary, some cruel. The evening will tear down facades and expose the fragility of the characters’ relationships; the slow disaster is fascinating to watch for all its inevitability.
Taking refuge with Claudia in the kitchen or with Johar on the balcony, feeling Étienne’s blood boil as he fails to guide the conversation and reaching out with Rémi to almost touch his wife, the reader moves seamlessly between their perspectives. One understands from each character how they believe others see them and how wrong they are.
The dialogue is deft, an excellent evocation of conversations in which no one is really listening to anyone but themselves. Étienne imagines that he chooses his words with the care of a master manipulator. Johar hears something quite different. Rémi plans an announcement which we never quite believe he will make.
Claudia’s silences are misinterpreted by all and what is taken for weakness or stupidity eventually emerges as a serene power. Tlili’s simple set up delivers a series of harsh and perfectly targeted punches, making for a brilliant drama. Elizabeth Moss, Heron Books, Regent Street
n FRIENDS OF REDLAND LIBRARY
Event: Beasts and Birds in Words, a talk by Liz Brownlee
Date: Thursday, 10th July 7pm (Doors open 6:45pm)Venue: Redland Library, Bristol
Admission: £4 (pay at the door – cash only)
Liz Brownlee is an award-winning poet. Her poems appear in hundreds of anthologies, have been posted in zoos, painted on puzzles, popped in gift boxes by Lush, and printed in her seven books. She is a National Poetry Day Ambassador and heads communication at the Children’s Poetry Summit.
Event: Desert Island Books — Books and the World of Crime
Date: Thursday, 24th July 7pm (Doors open 6:45pm)
Venue: Redland Library, Bristol
Admission: £3 (pay at the door – cash only)
This a panel event with panellists nominating their choice of book on crime and policing; together with a ‘wild card’ recommendation. The panel will include Clare Moody, the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner.
• These events are organised by the Friends of Redland Library. We are a voluntary group set up to support Redland Library, helping to sustain and improve its service, and also connecting it with the local and wider community. Redland Library is situated on Whiteladies Road, close to Clifton Down train station. FriendsOfRedlandLibrary.org.uk
Lasting Powers of Attorney Probate
n TURNER'S VISION
Seeing in the Sunshine
As the days grow longer and summer beckons, we’re all drawn outdoors - to beaches, gardens, festivals, and family outings. But while you soak up the sunshine, remember, your eyes need protection just as much as your skin!
Most of us know the risks of sunburn, but few realise the full extent of damage UV rays can cause to our eyes. Prolonged UV exposure has been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration, eyelid cancers and a condition causing yellowing of the whites of your eyes. Even a short afternoon in intense sun without protection can cause photokeratitis, a painful condition that’s essentially sunburn of the eye.
So how can you enjoy the sunshine safely while protecting your vision?
1. Always Wear Sunglasses Outdoors
Not all sunglasses are created equal. Fashionable lenses may look good but offer little to no protection. Look for sunglasses that carry the CE mark and clearly state they block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Polarised lenses also reduce glare, which is especially helpful when driving or by the water. At Turners Opticians our expert dispensing team can help you select lenses that suit your lifestyle, prescription, and personal style - so you don’t have to choose between your eye health and looking great.
2. Children Need Eye Protection Too
Children’s eyes are especially vulnerable to UV damage because they’re still developing - their eyes are more delicate, clearer and can absorb more light. and absorb more light. Whether they’re running around in the garden or splashing at the beach, proper eye protection matters. We know it’s not always easy to keep sunglasses on little ones, but well-fitted, comfortable frames (that they actually like) can make all the difference. You can even add a soft strap around the back to help keep them in place. Pair that with a wide-brimmed hat, and you’ve got a strong line of defence for their growing eyes.
3. Don’t Forget Everyday Exposure
UV rays can damage your eyes even on cloudy days. In fact, up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate cloud cover. And surfaces like water, sand, or pavement can reflect sunlight, increasing your UV exposure. As a good rule of thumb, if you’re applying sunscreen, your sunglasses should go on too. And if you’re not applying sunscreen you probably should be!
4. Consider Prescription Sunglasses or Transitions
If you wear prescription glasses, at Turners Opticians we offer prescription sunglasses or lenses that darken in sunlight and go clear indoors. These are particularly helpful for those with busy lifestyles who prefer not to switch between glasses.
5. Regular Eye Checks are Essential
UV-related damage often builds gradually and silently. Regular eye examinations allow us to spot the early signs of change before symptoms develop - and offer advice tailored to your individual needs.
At Turners Opticians, we believe great vision shouldn’t be seasonal. We’re here to help you protect your eyes all year round, with a full range of stylish eyewear and expert guidance to help you look after your eye health & vision. So this summer, enjoy every ray - safely. Your eyes will thank you in years to come.
Turners Opticians - World Class Eye Care & Exceptional Eyewear, whatever the weather.
Peter Turner is a Neuro-Behavioural & Independent Prescribing Optometrist at Turners Opticians in Bristol. He also works as a Senior Medical Optometrist at Bristol Eye Hospital. Peter has a specialist interest in visual development and visual performance.
n NEWS FROM S us WoT
Going on holiday? You don’t have to fly when you go to Europe. The best guide to travelling by rail to Europe is seat61.com. If you prefer to go by bus, flixbus.co.uk is a good site. If you do go on holiday anywhere consider supporting local businesses rather than big firms.
Himalayan Balsam is an invasive species that SusWoT is trying to eliminate from the Trym. It grows very fast and tall and smoothers native plants. It spreads steadily using seedpods that can send 100 seeds more than 5 yards. Seeds that get into the river can travel downstream and start new colonies of balsam on the banks that slowly spread inland. SusWoT has been balsam bashing for four years. To begin with there were large patches of balsam that each took many hours to clear. Large groups could easily spend a couple of hours clearing one area. Now the problem is very different. There are a lot of places where there are just a few plants. These are quite hard to find but if left will spread the balsam again.
The SusWoT Get Growing on
14 June had good weather and about 50 tomato plants were sold as well as peppers, and courgettes. The biggest attraction were the bees in the community garden. David Thorne brought along his bees and sold his Westbury on Trym honey. David takes his bees to schools to teach the pupils about bees and beekeeping. The bees are kept in an enclosed box during an event so nobody would get stung.
At the Library Garden the broad beans that had been sown in November were harvested for
David Thorne with his bees and honey in the community garden
the last time, removed and the bed tidied. Tomatoes, courgettes, a cucumber and a butternut squash were planted. The soil at the library garden is extremely poor, full of clay and building rubble! But it is slowly being improved.
Presentation in Keighley, Yorkshire, to the Wild Trout Trust. The work being done to improve the Trym river system is being recognised by Trout in the Town, a Wild Trout Trust Project. SusWoT has been invited to give a presentation to other groups
in July. Peter ColemanSmith will be talking about how the amount of wildlife in the river has improved over the past six years and Alex Dunn will talk about how the work to clean the river has been organised. SusWoT will be looking to learn from other groups across the country to see what they can do to improve the Trym more.
SusWoT has kept the Trym Valley Southmead clean(ish) with regular litter picks for a year. SusWoT will start to look for local volunteers to keep the Trym Valley clean in future. This is the first step in setting up a network of volunteers in Southmead to ‘Keep it Clean’. Bristol Civic Society are providing the finance to buy the equipment needed.
SusWoT meets on the last Thursday of the month in the Village Hall. If you want to get involved with SusWoT activities please come along and find out more, email suswot2050@gmail. com or visit suswot.org.uk.
Alex Dunn
“ It’s hard losing someone. The pain doesn’t really ever go away. But the setting here is so lovely and green, calm and peaceful, it helps. We can’t bring them back but when we’re among those trees they feel less far away.
And knowing that we’re helping create a woodland for future generations... that’s solace”
Chris, Bristol
The only funeral director in the UK creating a 100 acre nature reserve complete with its own chapel and reception rooms. Just 15 minutes drive from Cribbs Causeway. A whole morning or afternoon costs about the same as a brief service at a crematorium. Burial or ashes interment. Complete burial service from £1,795.
numbers below. I work through all four seasons and will work to your specification whether it’s long term, short term or just for the day. Thank you.
If you have any particular requirement not listed above please don’t hesitate to contact Katherine on the numbers below. I work through all four seasons and will work to your specification whether it’s long term, short term or just for the day. Thank you.
contact Katherine on below. I work through all and will work to your specification whether it’s long term, just for the day. Thank
