A party of students from Bradley Stoke’s twin town of Champs-sur-Marne (France) visited Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) for a day earlier this month.

The students were welcomed by members of the Bradley Stoke Twinning Association before going on to take part in a day of activities at the school, the Leisure Centre and the Willow Brook Centre.

In the afternoon, students from the visiting and host schools joined together for a music concert.

Priscilla Hellyer, teacher at the Lycée Descartes in Champs-sur-Marne, said:

“The students had an amazing experience in Bradley Stoke: they were impressed by the school and all its high-tech equipment, they were surprised to notice all the different subjects their counterparts study in Bradley Stoke (cooking, arts, object design…). They really enjoyed meeting them and working with them to help them prepare their French exam which will take place next Monday.”

“The concert given by students of both schools was also an event they will always remember. Then our students went to the commercial centre [Willow Brook Centre] and leisure centre to run an opinion poll: the people from Bradley Stoke proved to be very friendly and eager to answer their questions.”

“So that day was a success in many ways, and we wanted to thank again the teachers and staff from the Bradley Stoke Community School who did an amazing job to prepare our visit, as well as Tom Aditya and Chris Lee who welcomed us.”

The Twinning Association is due to welcome more guests from Champs-sur-Marne over the Bradley Stoke Community Festival weekend (1st-3rd June).

A welcoming Cheese & Wine Party will be held at BSCS on the Friday evening.

Saturday’s itinerary includes visits to the Georgian House and Cabot Tower in Bristol before returning to Bradley Stoke for the Community Fair. The day will then be rounded off with a skittles evening at Almondsbury Social Club.

Sunday will some of the visitors taking part in the Bradley Stoke 10k Run, after which a farewell lunch will be held at Baileys Court Inn.

More photos on PicasaWeb: album; slideshow

Related link: Bradley Stoke Twinning Association (The Journal)

Local runners, joggers and walkers are being encouraged to get their entries in for the 2012 renewal of the Bradley Stoke 10k Run, to be held on Sunday 3rd June as part of the town’s Community Festival.

Organising club Sole Sisters report that entries for the popular race have now passed the 300 mark, leaving fewer than 200 places available to be filled before the runners cross the start line.

Advance entry, available online or by post, costs £13 (affiliated)/£15 (unaffiliated). Entrants must be aged 16 or over on the day of the race and all finishers will receive a technical t-shirt and goody bag.

Race entries will also be taken at the Community Fair on Saturday 2nd June and on the day of the race, both subject to the entry limit of 500 not being reached.

Penny Greenwood, Race Secretary, reports that around 50% of the entries received so far are from local residents. Age is no barrier to participation and the oldest entrant (so far) is a man who will celebrate his 75th birthday on the day of the race.

The nominated charity for this year’s race is the new Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre that opened earlier this year in Bradley Stoke.

The “multi-terrain” race starts and finishes at the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Road, passing along a number of tracks through the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve as it visits the southern and central parts of Bradley Stoke.

The detailed race route together with recommended viewing points for spectators can be viewed on The Journal’s interactive map of the Bradley Stoke 10k, which has been viewed over 21,000 times since we produced it for the 2009 race.

As in previous years, The Journal plans to produce a comprehensive photographic record of the 2012 race. Any budding photographers who would be willing to take shots for us around the course on 3rd June are invited to get in touch ASAP.

Because this year’s race has been brought forward to coincide with the Diamond Jubilee weekend, which leads into the half-term school holiday week, Sole Sisters say they have been presented with “challenges” relating to the availability of club members and the engagement of marshals and volunteers. Offers of help from individuals and organisations would be greatly appreciated, they add.

Related link: Bradley Stoke Festival 2012 (The Journal)

Managers at the Willow Brook Shopping Centre in Bradley Stoke have declared war on waste – saving more than 50 tons of rubbish from being sent to landfill every year.

In the space of just six months, incoming property managers Colliers International have boosted the rate of waste recycled from 77.4 to 90 per cent with the remainder being reused or converted – and have reduced the amount sent to landfill to zero.

Mike Bull from Colliers International’s Investment Property Management team based in Bristol said it was an astonishing turnaround with important implications for similar centres:

“Colliers took over running the Willow Brook Centre in November of last year and embarked on a campaign to streamline waste management.”

The popular shopping centre produces between 220 and 240 tons of waste per year and almost twenty five per cent of this was being taken to landfill.

Mr Bull added:

“We diverted the waste to the MBT-AD plant at Avonmouth, which breaks down general waste in large quantities. The process allows for more items to be reused or recycled with the remaining material converted to compost.”

“We are delighted to report this has completely eliminated the need to send any waste to landfill – a projected saving of more than fifty tons every year.”

Willow Brook Centre Manager Scott Lahive said they were keen to highlight the savings made:

“This is a dramatic example of what can be achieved when an organisation rethinks its waste management policies. We can only hope our customers will be encouraged to take a leaf out of our book and think more carefully about their household rubbish as well. It has taken us four months of working closely with our waste management contractor to achieve this result and we are very proud of it.”

Colliers International was appointed to manage the 295,000 sq ft scheme, anchored by Tesco Extra, last October. The centre also includes 19,000 sq. ft. of high specification office space.

Colliers worked in conjunction with the Malmesbury-based Saica Natur waste removal company.

Source: Press release issued on behalf of Colliers International.

History was made in Bradley Stoke last night (Wednesday 16th May) at the Town Council’s AGM when Cllr Charlotte Walker (Con, Lakeside) was elected as Town Mayor for the coming year and so become the youngest female Mayor in the country.

Cllr Walker, who has lived in Bradley Stoke since she was 11, became the town’s youngest ever Councillor last year and was promptly elected Vice-Chair of the Council by her colleagues.

At 24, Cllr Walker is three years younger than fellow Lakeside Ward representative Cllr Robert Jones  was in 2008 when he took office as Mayor, at that time the youngest in the town’s history.

Cllr Jones, who acts as Press Spokesperson for the Town Council, was full of praise for his colleague saying:

“Charlotte has proven herself a fast learner in the last year and I’m sure she’ll make an excellent Mayor. The other Councillors and I are looking forward to working with her in the year ahead.”

Charlotte however isn’t getting carried away with the accolade of Britain’s youngest female Mayor and insists she just wants to do her best for the town’s 20,000+ residents saying:

“People are making a big deal about my age, but there are younger Mayors than me, it just so happens that they’re all men.”

“I’m just focusing on doing my best for the people of Bradley Stoke.”

If Charlotte needs any advice in her new role she won’t need to look far as she takes over the chain from older brother Ben, who steps down after two years in the role and is set to take the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council next week, assuming he survives a smear campaign against him that has surfaced in the last week.

The ambitious Mr Walker, who is rumoured to fancy himself as an MP, looks like he will continue to play a prominent role in Bradley Stoke politics as he allowed himself to be nominated to serve on all three of the Town Council’s committees for the coming year.

The outgoing Mayor’s last duty of office was to hand over cheques for £4,245.60 each to his two chosen charities for the year, The Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group and 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group.

Photo (L-R): Sara Messenger (Treasurer) and Gill Smith (Committee Member) of the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group receive a cheque from outgoing Bradley Stoke Mayor Cllr Ben Walker.

Photo (L-R): Clive Mason (Chair), William March and Edward March of the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group receive a cheque from outgoing Bradley Stoke Mayor Cllr Ben Walker.

The new Mayor’s charities for the coming year were announced as the Alzheimer’s Society Sports and Social Club (which meets at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre) and the Have a Heart campaign (supporting Childline).

Earlier in the day, Ms Walker was interviewed (as Mayor-elect) on BBC Radio Bristol’s Breakfast Show. Listen again here (for the next seven days).

Lead photo: New Mayor Cllr Charlotte Walker receives the chain of office from her predecessor (and elder brother) Cllr Ben Walker.

[Ed: The claim that Ms Walker is "Britain's youngest female Mayor" comes from the Town Council and has not been verified by The Journal.]

A big operation by the Avon and Somerset Police Force in Bradley Stoke this morning has resulted in the arrest of five young men.

The police helicopter was seen hovering over the area behind Bradley Stoke Community School between about 11am and 11:30am.

A covert police car, containing two plain clothes officers, was also involved in the operation – seen at the Leisure Centre before speeding northwards on Bradley Stoke Way.

Witnesses reported seeing Police Community Support Officers running through the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve and a message on Twitter spoke of four police vehicles heading down a road to reach a “wooded area” in the town.

A police statement obtained by The Journal explains:

“Police were called at about 10.20am today, Wednesday 16th May, to reports of young men riding a motorcycle on the footpaths at Savages Wood, Bradley Stoke.”

“Emergency response and neighbourhood officers, supported by the police helicopter, attended the scene.”

“A motorcycle, believed to have been stolen from Filton College on Tuesday 15th May, was found in bushes at about 11:15am and seized by police.”

“Five men aged between 20 and 24 were arrested and remain in police custody.”

UPDATE (17th May 2012) – also on this page of the police website :

“Five men arrested in connection with reports of a motorcycle being ridden on footpaths in Savages Wood, Bradley Stoke, have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.”

“Police were called to the incident on Wednesday morning, 16th May, and recovered a motorbike which had been stolen from Filton College the day before.”

“Anyone with any information which could help the ongoing police enquiries into the incident is asked to contact the South Gloucestershire Priority Crime Team on 101.”

“Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They never ask your name or trace your call.”

Local residents are being invited to get involved in the fight against an invasive weed that has become a problem in Bradley Stoke’s Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve, across South Gloucestershire and beyond.

Himalayan balsam is a non-native plant which is found along our rivers and streams and its seeds can quickly spread, smothering other native flowers and vegetation as it goes. The balsam can take over so much that the river banks are left completely bare during the winter months which can lead to increased erosion.

To help stop the spread, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has launched a conservation campaign called the Big Pull and it is looking for individuals, community groups and businesses to get involved and help pull up the weeds.

It is running free workshops with practical demonstrations where you will learn how to identify, pull and dispose of Himalayan balsam.

In Bradley Stoke, a free workshop is being held in the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve on Monday 21st May from 6pm to 8pm – meet at Bradley Stoke Library at 6pm.

The workshop will be followed by a community action day on Saturday 2nd June at the nature reserve between 10am and 1pm. For more details, visit the Events page of the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group website.

Cllr James Hunt, SGC Executive Member for Communities, said:

“Himalayan balsam’s aggressive nature can be bad news for our native flowers and that’s why we are launching this campaign to stop the spread. It’s easy to pull up and you can do your bit for your local community and learn some conservation skills while enjoying South Gloucestershire’s many scenic spots. So why not come along to one of the workshops and see how you can get involved.”

Environmental Projects Officer John Morris added:

“We get requests from local organisations and businesses for ideas for team days out and this is a great way for a local employer to show their support for conservation by volunteering their staff for a few hours to help make a difference. If you can spare the time, we can offer free training and support.”

Booking a place on the workshop is advisable. Please call 01454 863592 or visit the Big Pull webpage for further information.

Bradley Stoke Mayor Ben Walker has become the target of a smear campaign aimed at stopping him becoming the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, a position he is due to take on next week after serving for the past year as Vice Chair.

A letter alleging irregularities in the financial management of two construction companies of which Cllr Walker is a director was circulated to the local press early last week and its content appeared on an anonymous blog a few days later.

The author of the letter (since named by the Bristol Post as Julian Williams) says he is one of a number of Conservative supporters in Bradley Stoke who have “concerns about our local Councillor Ben Walker”.

The author points out that Cllr Walker established the second of the two companies in March 2011, shortly before making an application to have the first company dissolved and observes that such a sequence of events is often the hallmark of the establishment of a ‘phoenix company‘, which emerges to trade in the same activities as a failed company but sheds any liability to cover it debts.

He goes on to claim that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has since blocked the winding up of the first company, owing to “a lack of tax returns and submission of accounts”.

The author told The Journal that he is making the information public in order to “avoid future embarrassment for the party”.

His email concludes:

“Failure to submit appropriate tax returns on time and failing in corporate governance may be considered questionable conduct for a senior Conservative Councillor, particularly a Councillor who is shortly to become Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council.”

“These revelations have now rocked the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council, raising serious concerns for Councillor Walker’s colleagues, who may well under the circumstances now wish to identify another suitable candidate for Chairmanship of South Gloucestershire Council.”

“They may conclude that such stewardship of the Council at this important time may not wisely be vested in someone who has such pressing corporate and HMRC issues to resolve.”

Cllr Walker is rumoured to have ambitions of standing as a Conservative parliamentary candidate in 2015 and has also suggested that he might consider running for the newly-created position of Mayor of Bristol in the November 2012 election.

Appointment to the ceremonial office of Chair of South Gloucestershire Council would give the ambitious but relatively inexperienced politician useful media exposure over the next 12 months.

An article in Saturday’s Bristol Post reports that OPPO Complete Building Services Ltd [the company Cllr Walker wants to wind-up] “nosedived at the beginning of the credit crunch in 2009 after a client failed to pay about £60,000 which was owing to the firm”.

The Post article also reveals that Cllr Walker has personal debts that he is currently trying to pay off. According to the paper,  he has £6,000 of outstanding income tax still to pay to HMRC.

Cllr Walker told The Post:

“I am making every effort to rectify this situation as quickly as possible, despite these tough economic conditions continuing. This has in no way affected my work as a Councillor.”

Image: Article in the Bristol Post on Saturday 12th May 2012.

Read more: Mayor paying off thousands in outstanding income tax

Information about Cllr Walker’s two businesses, OPPO Complete Building Services Ltd and OPPO Holdings (South West) Ltd is publicly available for a small charge on the Companies House website.

The last annual accounts for Oppo Complete Building Services Ltd were submitted on 9th January 2010. They show that the company made a loss of £26,280 in the year ending 31st March 2008 and a loss of £13,374 in the year ending 31st March 2009.

Police investigating a fatal road traffic collision in Bradley Stoke this morning (Friday 11th May) are appealing for witnesses.

At around 8:20am, a Yamaha FZR 1000 motorcycle was travelling from the direction of the Aztec West Roundabout towards Trench Lane when the rider mounted the pavement in Wooodlands Lane for reasons that are unknown and struck a post.

The 24-year-old died as a result of his injuries.

The exact location of the incident is said to have been between Hawkley Drive and Westfield Way, near the former Yankee Candle warehouse.

Woodlands Lane was closed to traffic until around 10am, with First Bristol diverting its no. 73 buses along Pear Tree Road.

Officers investigating the incident would now like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or the bike prior to 8:20am. Anyone with information is asked to call the Collision Investigation Unit on 101.

UPDATE: Friends of the dead motorcyclist have this afternoon placed flowers and a lantern at the scene of the accident, which is at the Westfield Way bus stop on the eastbound side of Woodlands lane. They identified him as a Polish national who had lived in the UK for a number of years. He is said to have lived locally in North Bradley Stoke and worked at the town’s Tesco Extra store. The man’s family in Poland has been informed, they added.

Photo: Grieving friends pay their respects at the scene of the accident.

The Tesco Extra store at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre has announced that it is to introduce a £1 shopping trolley release mechanism to improve trolley availability, free up parking spaces and improve the local environment.

In a direct response to customer feedback, the £1 deposit – to be introduced from Wednesday 16th May – will improve the availability of trolleys at the mall entrances and deter the removal of trolleys from the Willow Brook site in Bradley Stoke.

Abandoned supermarket trolleys are a problem in many parts of the country, and Willow Brook and Tesco wish to discourage the removal of trolleys from the site.

As well as increasing the number of trolleys at the entrances, the new initiative will mean more available car parking spaces as lone trolleys will not be left blocking parking spaces. Walkways and pavements will also be clearer.

Shoppers will, of course, get their £1 coin back when they return the trolley to the trolley bays dotted around the car park and at the mall entrances.

In addition to working with a £1 coin, the trolley release mechanism can be operated with a charity coin available for a donation to charity from Tesco. Profits from the charity tokens will go to Tesco’s nominated charity, which this year is Cancer Research.

Pete Ballam, Store Manager at Tesco Extra, said:

“Occasionally local residents have been annoyed to find abandoned trolleys in the streets near to Willow Brook, they have asked us to introduce such a system and we have. We aim to keep the trolleys on site for our customer’s convenience.”

Customer Service Manager Rob Radford added:

“I am sure our shoppers will understand why we have introduced the scheme and will quickly get used to having a pound coin in their pocket or purse when they come shopping at Willow Brook..”

Source: Press release from the Willow Brook Centre

Residents of Bradley Stoke are invited to have their say at the Annual Town Meeting this Wednesday evening (9th May) at the Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Road (7:30pm start).

The meeting will receive summary reports from the Chair of Council (Cllr Ben Walker), the Chair of the Finance Committee (Cllr Roger Avenin), the Chair of the Planning & Environment Committee (Cllr John Ashe) and the Chair of the Leisure , Youth & Amenities Committee (Cllr Keir Gravil).

Members of the public will then have the opportunity to put questions to Councillors in an open session.

The Chairs’ full reports are contained in the Annual Report for 2011/2012, which has already been delivered to all households in the town at a cost of several thousand pounds. The report has also been available for download from the Council’s website since 19th April.

Written by the Councillors themselves, the report inevitably presents a rather biased view of the Council’s achievements over the past year, with the “huge savings” made by building a new office for the Council at a cost of £400k featuring prominently in both the Mayor’s and Finance Committee Chair’s reports.

Mayor Ben Walker reports that he is pleased with his Council’s new model for youth provision in Bradley Stoke, the introduction of which included closing the Brook Way Youth Club – a move which led to the loss of 13 youth worker jobs. South Gloucestershire Council has since decided to follow the path forged by Bradley Stoke Town Council by discontinuing support for all 13 youth centres that it currently runs with effect from April 2013, a move which Cllr Walker interprets as a “plaudit we [the Town Councillors] are very proud of”.

Also documented in the report is the attendance record of Town Councillors at meetings during the past financial year. Top marks again go to the enthusiastic Cllr Ben Walker, who has attended an astonishing 29 Council and Committee meetings, making him the only representative with a 100% record.

The enthusiasm of the other 14 Councillors (all Conservative) seems to have waned over the year after the euphoria following their election victory last May. Twelve months ago, the first Full Council meeting of the new administration saw 14 Councillors in attendance but by March 2012 this had dwindled to just six.

One newly-elected Councillor, Barry Mitchell (representing the Meadowbank ward), has attended just two meetings (from the 13 at which he was expected) over his first year in office. Other infrequent attenders have included Cllr Keir Gravil (11 from 24) and Cllr Ed Rose (12 from 29).

The current Vice-Chair of Council, Cllr Charlotte Walker (younger sister of the Mayor), has only attended one meeting of Full Council since September 2011.

According to a press release put out by the Council ahead of last year’s AGM, 24-year-old Ms Walker is “set to become the youngest Mayor in the town’s history” next week. A week later, on 23rd May, her elder brother is expected to be elected Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, having served as Vice-Chair for the past twelve months.

The Editor comments: Something the Annual Report doesn’t tell you

Despite repeated claims that it operates in a transparent manner, Bradley Stoke Town Council has shown itself to be increasingly secretive over the past year. A nadir of transparency came at the September 2011 Full Council meeting, when a batch of 13 decisions committing the Council to a total expenditure of at least £175,000 were waved through in a matter of seconds.

Members of the press and public present at the meeting had no idea what had been approved as the motion related to “recommendations” agreed at a so-called (informal) “Strategic Planning Meeting” held in private six days earlier. A report detailing the “recommendations” was only placed into the public domain when the draft minutes of the Full Council meeting were published a few days later.

The Editor of this newspaper brought the matter to the attention of South Gloucestershire Council’s Monitoring Officer, who instigated an investigation by a senior member of his legal team.

The investigation concluded that Bradley Stoke Town Council had acted improperly, as reports to be presented to Council meetings should be made available, along with the agenda, at least three clear days in advance of the meeting.

As a result of the investigation, the Town Council agreed to amend its procedures to ensure that “reports that accompany agendas are made available to members of the public at the Town Council offices at the same time the agenda is published”.

Local residents have been invited to have their say at a meeting to be held on the site of Bristol Rovers’ proposed new 21,700-seater stadium in Stoke Gifford. South Gloucestershire Council’s Development Control (West) Sites Inspection Sub-Committee is visiting the site this Friday (11th May) and supporters and objectors will be given the opportunity to address Councillors during the meeting. Opponents fear a worsening of traffic congestion around the Abbey Wood Roundabout if the plans are approved but supporters point out that most stadium events will take place outside of existing gridlock times. The football club is hoping to move to the new stadium for the 2014/2015 season, which is two years before the Stoke Gifford by-pass is scheduled for completion, as part of the North Fringe to Hengrove Bus Rapid Transit scheme. More in the Stoke Gifford Journal …

Opponents of a scheme to close Patchway’s Highwood Road to general traffic have collected more than 3,000 signatures in a petition to South Gloucestershire Council. The road forms part of a popular route between Bradley Stoke and The Mall and its closure will see local drivers having to choose between alternative routes along Gipsy Patch Lane and Hayes Way (the new road between Royal Mail and The Mall) or the M5 Motorway. South Gloucestershire Council says the road’s closure is essential to integrate the new neighbourhood of Charlton Hayes with ‘old Patchway’ but residents say it will leave them cut off from local services and force more traffic onto Coniston Road. More in the Patchway Journal …

A decision on two rival business plans to construct a museum to house Concorde “Alpha Foxtrot” at Filton is expected “any day”, according to the chairman of one of the groups involved. The decision rests with Airbus and the aircraft’s owner British Airways. One group, the Concorde Trust, has obtained planning permission to construct an aviation museum on land near the Vue Cinema at Cribbs Causeway but hit a snag last year when their bid for £2.9m from the Heritage lottery Fund was turned down. Another organisation, the Save Concorde Group, reported in February this year that it had presented an alternative “low-cost” proposal to Airbus and BA. More in the Filton Journal …

Ever thought of getting involved in voluntary work within your local community? The Patchway, Filton & The Stokes Volunteer Centre, based at the Patchway Hub in Rodway Road, can help put you in touch with suitable organisations. For more details, contact the Volunteer Centre or call in at one of the monthly drop-in sessions held at Bradley Stoke Library. More in the Patchway Journal …

There are plenty of events going on in and around Bradley Stoke over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

Animal lovers have the choice of two pet shows being staged in the town over the weekend, with the prestigious Bristol Cat Show at the Leisure Centre on Saturday followed by a less-formal Fun Dog Show in the Town Square at the Willow Brook Centre on Sunday.

Nature enthusiasts can get stuck in by joining the Three Brooks Conservation Group’s monthly workday on Saturday, when a wildlife survey is planned to be undertaken in the nature reserve. Meet at the tool store behind the Leisure centre at 10am.

Residents with concerns about local issues have a chance to chat with Town Councillors on Saturday morning at Bradley Stoke Town Council’s monthly Councillor Surgery, held in the Willow Brook Centre mall between 10am and 12 noon.

Also taking place on Saturday is a a ‘bring and receive party‘ (you bring something which you don’t want and receive something which others don’t want) organised by Patchway Concern about World Climate Change.

The disappointing news for bargain hunters is that the Trench Lane Car Boot Sale, which had been scheduled to restart on Sunday, has been cancelled because of a waterlogged field. The first sale of the year will now take place on Sunday 13th May, weather permitting.

Bank Holiday Monday (7th May) sees a Family Fun Afternoon between 2:30pm and 4:30pm at Little Stoke Baptist Church [BS34 6JW, map]. Organised by church members from all over Bristol, the event forms part of ‘The Noise‘ weekend, an annual initiative in which hundreds of volunteers work on practical projects within the community. Attractions promised include a craft zone, face painting, bouncy castles, inflatable games, café area and a talent show.

Related links:

• What’s On in Bradley Stoke
• What’s On in Patchway (Patchway Journal)
• What’s On in Stoke Gifford (Stoke Gifford Journal)
• May Bank Holiday 2012 Opening Hours in Bradley Stoke

Patchway Bring and Receive Party (Saturday 5th May)

On 5th May 350.org is organising a world-wide demonstration for everyone who is concerned about what our children and grandchildren are heading towards. You can take part in joining up the dots between these world events by coming to Willow Close, Patchway, between 3pm and 5pm for soft drinks, cakes, biscuits and to learn more about this.

Please bring one or more things that you will be happy to give away and receive things that others don’t want.

This event will held inside Coniston Community Centre, The Parade , if the weather is unsuitable for outdoors.

For further information please contact Phil Kingston on 0117 969 8198 or visit www.climatedots.org/ThingsHappen.

In the interests of safety please park in the adjoining roads of either Hawthorne Close or Willow Close.

Fun Dog Show (Sunday 6th May)

Tails will be wagging in Bradley Stoke on Sunday 6th May when the Willow Brook Centre hosts a Fun Dog Show in aid of the Bristol Dog Action Welfare Group (DAWG).

An opportunity to shine for the scruffiest mutt to the pedigree pooch, classes include Best Veteran, Dog with the most appealing eyes and the Dog the judge would most like to take home!

There are puppy classes, ‘beauty contests’ and obedience tests and lots of fun for dogs and their owners. There are Best in Show and Best Puppy trophies and rosettes to fifth place in each of the 14 classes and every dog will get some goodies!

So get your dog to bring you and the family along for a great day out. It’s all happening in the Town Square between 11am and 3:30pm.

Source: Press release from the Willow Brook Centre

Little Stoke Family Fun Afternoon (Monday 7th May)

For more details, read the flyer [PDF, 4.1MB]

Photo: DAWG Fun Dog Show in May 2011.

A band formed of sixth form students from Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) is preparing to launch its debut CD following a series of successful appearances at local music venues.

Little Intentions, an alternative/pop-punk band, is formed of Jack Steer (vocals & guitar), Ben Monnox (bass & backing vocals) and Elliot Mason (drums & backing vocals).

The band’s recent appearances have included gigs at The Fleece and The Louisiana in Bristol and Waves nightclub in Yate.

Little Intentions’ next gig will be at The Cooler in Bristol on 24th May, where they share the bill with Last Night’s Victory, Tyler Selway and Future Plans.

The band’s first demo CD entitled “Hard At Work” will be launched at a gig at Bradley Stoke Community School on Friday 25th May. Entry is just £2 and CDs will be available for £3. Doors open at 7:15pm, with support bands taking the stage from 7:30pm.

Another BSCS student band, A Holiday Rumour, have been in the news recently – thanks to their success in a national music competition.

The five-piece all-girl outfit performed at last month’s regional final of the Live and Unsigned contest in Cardiff and impressed the judges sufficiently to win through to the South West England and Wales area final in Reading on Sunday 27th May.

Success in Reading would give the girls a place at the prestigious Live and Unsigned Grand National Final which takes place at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday 14th July.

Both Little Intentions and A Holiday Rumour are scheduled to appear at Bradley Stoke Community Festival on Saturday 2nd June.

Related link: The Bradley Stoke Music Scene (The Journal)

Photo: Little Intentions (from the back cover of the CD Hard at Work).

Photo of A Holiday Rumour will appear here as soon as we can get hold of one!

Bus services described as “rubbish” by the Mayor of Bradley Stoke are to be subsidised by local taxpayers for at least three months until a new operator can be found to operate them on a commercial basis.

Wessex Connect, which operates the U7, U7A and U8 services, announced last month that it would be stopping the services from 20th May because, it claims, they are “commercially unviable”. The move would have left the whole of the south of Bradley Stoke without a daytime bus service for six days of the week.

But bus users attending a meeting of Bradley Stoke Town Council’s Planning Committee last week were critical of the way the services have been run since they were introduced in September 2011, as a replacement for the previous 71 and 72 services.

Around twenty-five members of the public attended the meeting and they were unanimous in their criticism of Wessex Connect, citing stories of ticket machines not working, buses running late or not turning up at all and drivers taking the wrong route.

Malfunctioning ticket machines not only resulted in revenue being lost but also led to an understatement of passenger figures, they observed.

Justin Thomson of Wessex Connect said the services had been losing “six figures a year” when his company took them over in 2007. They had hoped to increase patronage by, for example,  introducing new vehicles but had now been hit by a reduction in Government grant and increasing fuel costs. The company had also been affected by the recent loss of a 17-vehicle contract at its Bristol depot and needed to act now to protect jobs, he added.

Bradley Stoke Mayor Cllr Ben Walker told Mr Thomson:

“Yes, you can market a service and try and get news out on the streets. The fact is that bad news travels faster than good news and your service is rubbish. You aren’t going to get people on it.”

Roy Steele, Principal Transport Officer at South Gloucestershire Council, informed the meeting that a proposal for replacement services to cover a provisional period from 20th May had been discussed with Wessex Connect, adding that it was hoped to find a permanent solution from September 2012.

But he warned:

“The Council has a limited pot, so whatever we do now must be clawed back over the rest of the year”.

Confirmation of the decision to provide a taxpayers’ subsidy for an interim period came two days later, in a press release issued by the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council:

“After appeals from local Conservative Councillors and residents, the Council’s Integrated Transport Unit (ITU) has been involved in discussions with all the bus operators in the area in an effort to secure replacement services and demonstrating that there is a viable market for services in the town.”

“A new commercial replacement service is expected to be in place at the beginning of September and so, in the meantime, it has been agreed that an interim arrangement with Wessex Connect can be funded by South Gloucestershire Council to keep the U7 and U8 services running with some changes.”

The changes include:

• The interim service on the U8 will be slightly reduced from five morning peak journeys to four, with the first two journeys having the timing amended;
• The later return journey at 18:15 will not operate as the ITU advises that this service carries the least number of passengers to Bradley Stoke;
• The U7A will not operate as the ITU advises that this duplicates a number of journeys that Wessex currently provides on private contracts with employers in the area;
• The U7 will operate an amended route (MoD Abbey Wood will now only be served during am and pm peaks) with seven journeys during the off peak period giving local access to facilities Monday – Friday.

Conservative Councillors for Bradley Stoke South Rob Jones and John Ashe, who have been campaigning for a solution for alarmed local bus users, said:

“Although this interim arrangement will still mean changes to the U7 and U8 services, we welcome the relief this brings to the bus drought that our town had been facing.”

“We have been contacted by many local residents who had been concerned at the impact that Wessex Connect’s withdrawal of these services would have had on them and we would like to thank the council officers in the ITU who have been working on ways to minimise this impact.”

“We will keep on pushing for a more comprehensive commercially-operated bus network for all of Bradley Stoke because a community of our size really needs it.”

Timetables for the revised services are expected to be made available later this week.

Speaking on BBC Radio Bristol this morning, SGC’s executive member for planning and transport Cllr Brian Allinson said:

“We stepped in to enquire how much it would cost to continue [the services] and the figure was way beyond what we could pay because our budget had already been set for the year.”

“We’ve negotiated a slighly different frequency, which has brought the price down but it’s still going to cost us quite a lot of money to provide the service until September.”

“We’re in deep conversation with a number of major bus companies and we’re sure that by September we will have the matter resolved.”

A spokesperson from Council’s press office confirmed the details released by the Conservative Group but was cagey about revealing the cost to local taxpayers, telling us:

“We’re not yet in a position to disclose SGC’s financial contribution.”

Residents in three Bradley Stoke streets have applied to South Gloucestershire Council for road closure orders in order to hold street parties over the extended Diamond Jubilee weekend in June.

Subject to approval, Hayley Drive, Tarragon Place (both cul-de-sacs) and a short section of Wheatfield Drive will be closed so that residents can celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s coronation.

Tarragon Place will be closed from noon until 9pm on Sunday 3rd June, while Hayley Drive (noon to 10pm) and Wheatfield Drive (9am to midnight) will hold their parties on Monday 4th June.

There’s still (just) time for other streets to apply for a road closure, as today (Monday 30th April) is the deadline for applications.

Residents who want to close their road for a street party must give the council a description of the event and also notify neighbours of their plans. There is also usually a £124 fee, but this has been waived for all Jubilee street parties.

South Gloucestershire executive member for communities James Hunt said:

“At a time when we’re all leading ever more busy and mobile lives, street parties are a great way to meet your neighbours and build community spirit.”

“The Diamond Jubilee is a fantastic opportunity to throw a party and with the waiving of the normal road closure fee there’s no excuse not to get into the party spirit this June.”

“I hope everybody has a wonderful Jubilee weekend and look forward to seeing a wide range of events and activities across South Gloucestershire.”

Bradley Stoke Town Council has brought forward the date of its annual Community Festival to coincide with the Jubilee weekend. Highlights will be the toddlers’ picnic on Friday 1st June, the community fair on Saturday 2nd June and the Bradley Stoke 10k on Sunday 3rd June.

Another big local event will be the free Bristol Jubilee Concert at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, on the evening of Saturday 2nd June -  featuring Brit nominee and pop starlet Pixie Lott, supported by X Factor Finalist Misha B and Cheltenham band Young Kato. For details of how to get hold of tickets, visit www.mallcribbs.com.

The Queen’s programme for the weekend includes a visit to the Epsom Derby on Saturday, the Thames River Pageant on Sunday, the Buckingham Palace Concert on Monday and a national Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday.

Related links:

• Diamond Jubilee events in South Gloucestershire (SGC)
• The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (DirectGov)

Photo: Royal Wedding street party in Pursey Drive, Bradley Stoke (April 2011)

The female swan from the Three Brooks Nature Reserve lake was today found in distress by a dog walker, who thought the swan may have a broken leg. The RSPCA were called and were met at the lake by two committee members from the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group (TBNCG), Sara Messenger and Gill Smith.

The hen was, fortunately, not on her island nest or in the water but on the bank being protected by her mate. Alan, from the RSPCA checked the bird over and although a broken leg was ruled out the bird was very weak and was struggling to stand and he made the decision to take the bird to the RSPCA clinic in Bristol. Although no injury was found the bird was obviously in need of treatment and has been placed on a drip, it is hoped that she will improve in a few days, if not she will be sent to specialist centre West Hatch in Taunton for further treatment.

The swans have had mixed fortunes after making Bradley Stoke their home. Last year the pair had eggs broken, were harassed by dogs, shot at by two boys with an air rifle and (with the help of another local resident), survived the attentions of three men with a large hold-all. Although they hatched five chicks, they all got caught in the weir and although dog walker Michael braved the cob and got all five out, only two survived.

To give the swans the best possible chance this year, the TBNCG spent Saturday 11th February moving the swans’ nest from the bank over to the island. Ducks and swans, unlike other birds, cannot carry anything in their beaks, so they nest by pulling nesting material into a pile. To deter the pair from using their old nesting site, the group cut down all the reeds by the lake and transported them over to the island by kayak where four triangular nests were made. TBNCG’s ‘Bird Boy’ Rob Williams reported a month later that they had been successful and that the swans were now nesting on the island.

Read more about today’s events more on the Three Brooks Blog.

Related links:

• Three Brooks Birding Blog
• Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group on Facebook

Source: Press release by the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group

Photo: The female swan tends five eggs at her nest in April 2011.