id you know that there’s now Women’s Premiership rugby right on yourdoorstep? The ladies section of Bristol Rugby has recently moved to thePortway Rugby Development Centre, Sea Mills.The move has been very exciting as we are now the first women’s club in

the country to have an ‘independent’ facility.We plan to develop the game inthe city and beyond, but as we settle into our new home ground we’ll also belooking to get involvedwith other local rugby clubsand different aspects of lifewithin the community.We are a fun, thriving and

welcoming club, offeringaspirational players theopportunity to develop andgrow.We currently have twoladies teams: one in thePremiership and another inChampionship South West 2.We have high calibre coaches,

a wealth of talent, and a squadboasting a high percentageof county, divisional andinternational players.

Women’s Rugby comes to Sea Mills

No 41 Spring 2013

Next deadline is

Friday 31st Mayfor issue #42 Summer 2013

mobile: 07742592539

e: http://community-voice.org.uk

(please note change of tel no.)

for Sea Mills & Coombe Dingle

Author’s Plea for PhotosHas anyone in the area a photograph ofBowdens Farm, please? Until the 1950s thefarm stood on the site now occupied byBowdens Close, just o< Grove Avenue.

If you have one I’d like to scan it as I haveanother book coming out around August,Westbury to Avonmouth through Time. I’d liketo feature it in the Coombe Dingle se^ion.

And while I’m at it, would anyone havepi^ures of the area behind Westbury Laneand Arbutus Drive, before the post warhousing was built? By the way, the volumeincluding Sea Mills is coming out in 2014and that will lead towards the city.

Many thanks if you can tel 0117 9683493or email anthony_beeson@hotmail.com

Avonmouth and KingswestonNeighbourhood Meetings

Got something to say about where you live? Wantyour area improved? COME AND HAVE YOUR SAY

AT THE NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL, SEA MILLS!eg • got a pothole? • bins not being collected?

• young people hanging around shops etc?• want to be involved with your local parks?

• parking? • crime? • planning developments?Neighbourhood Forums are where you can resolveproblems affecting your area, and get informationabout local services, Councillors etc – as well asraising your own ideas for local improvements.

Next Sea Mills Neighbourhood Forum Tuesday 14 March 2013 - 6.30pm, Highgrove Ch,10 Highgrove Road, Sea Mills, Bristol BS9 2NL

Next Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting 11 June 2013 - 6.30pm - Highgrove Church,10 Highgrove, Sea Mills, Bristol BS9 2NL

Neighbourhood Community Officer tel:9223741

Our mission is to be the‘Best in the West’ – providingopportunities for women ofall standards to reach theirrugby-playing potential.As well as the rugbywe have a fantastic committee and brilliantsocial side to the club.We always welcomenew people who want to be involvedwith the club, both on and off the pitch.

If you fancy coming along to train or play,you’re welcome to join us on Tues & Thurs,7–8.30pm or for more information on anypart of club life, phone club captain HeidiChapman-Mercer on 07791163504.You can also find out more or get our latest

news, on the Bristol Rugby website,Facebook or Twitter (@Bristol_L_Rugby).We’d love to meet members of your

community who have an interest in rugby

and want to support our wonderful team.Remember, you don’t have to wait for the 6Nations or World Cup to come round againbefore you watch quality women’s rugby! Weplay home games on Sunday afternoons, sowhy not come and watch one of the remain-ing fixtures this season? We look forward toseeing you at The Portway RDC soon.March9th 2nds v Chipping Sodbury 2:30pm KO24th: 2nds v Supermarines 2.45pm KOApril 14th – a definite date for your diary as bothteams are playing at home: 1sts v Wasps and2nds v Reading. HC-M

Ouch! The ladies of Bristol Rugby in characteristically aggressive mood.

Oasis Brightstowe Academy has beenconfirmed as the most improved schoolin the country at GCSE. It achieved amassive leap in GCSE results A* to C,including English and maths, from 30% in2011 to 62% in 2012.

Principal Matthew Butler said: ‘When theresults came out in August I was thrilledfor the students who had met all possible

expectations. Now these results have beenconfirmed at an Academy level, I am just asthrilled for our staff and the local communitywe serve because it confirms what we haveknown here for a while, that Brightstowe isa great Academy with a very bright future.‘We will use these results to build on the

sense of belief the students already have inthemselves and adding that to their dedication and incredible efforts, I know wewill improve year on year from this point.’

• 1 •

Active Neighbourhood Transport

D

Applications are now open for Bristol CityCouncil’s Active Neighbourhood TransportGrants funded through Bristol’s LocalSustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) as part ofits Active Neighbourhoods Programme.

Local resident groups, traders associations,voluntary and community groups can applyfor up to £100,000 to help make theirneighbourhoods healthier, wealthier andmore pleasant places to be by encouragingpeople to walk, cycle or use public transportto travel to neighbourhood shops/services,rather than driving to other locations. Thedeadline for applications is 29 March 2013. Ifyou are interested in finding out more aboutthe grants, criteria for application and anapplication form, please visit:www.bristol.gov.uk/page/communities-grant.

BEST IN BEST IN THE COUNTRTHE COUNTRYY !!

I would now be the fourth generationof my family involved with towage and shipping in the Bristol Channel. Great-grandfather was a Tug Controller, Grand-father and Father were both Tug Mastersand my uncle a Bristol Channel Pilot.After my apprenticeship on the river

Avon I was made up to deckhand on theSea Queen working in and around Avon-mouth with my father as Master, butunfortunately father and son relation-ship did not run smoothly, so I asked tojoin a different tug and was promotedto Mate back on the John King.

From 1976-1979 I went coastal and deepsea towing which included towage of scrapvessels from the UK to northern Spain and I’m still gainfully employed to this day – I’vebeen successful in gaining Master Class 5and endorsement certificate.The Port is once again very busy.We dock

and sail ships and sometimes both on the sameday or tide. Some of the ships that dock atPortbury in particular are very large – so bigthat coal boats can only dock on spring tidesdue to their tonnage and draft. It can take

anything up to 7 hours to dock a ship of thissize and as many as six tugs to help with themanoeuvring – a magnificent sight!

Fondest memory? Towing SS Great Britainback to Bristol in 1970. All the banks fromWalton Bat to Portishead Point were linedwith people and small crafts were everywherehoping to get a glimpse!

I play an active part as an assistant Cub ScoutLeader with our own 126 Sea Mills ScoutGroup. I also enjoy walking and I attend StEdyths Church of which I’m very fond.

In all, life is good and I pray that it willalways remain so. Barrie Havens

• 2 •

When a young or not so young man’s mindturns to Spring their next thought is often… gardening! We have a good selection ofgardening books, general or specialist, andwe can get more from the Libraries Westarea. For more immediate information wecan help you look it up on the internet.

For younger ones we have a Chess club onthe 1st Saturday of the month 2pm–4pm,so why not come along and have a game –you can learn if you can’t play already.

Under 5s are catered for with our Bump &Rhyme sessions term time Tuesdays 10.45am.

Everyone’s very welcome to join us onalternate Saturdays for our Coffee Mornings– look out for the board outside.

If you call in during the next month you maycome across one of our young men who aregaining life skills by helping in the library aspart of a Duke of Edinburgh Award Schemeor work experience from Oasis Brightstowe.

On a more personal note, after 23 yearsin Libraries I have decided to retire and spendmore time with my family. During that timeI’ve seen many changes in the library service– some good, some not so good. The onething that’s never changed is the people –the staff with their commitment to doingthe best they can and the public with theirappreciation of the work we do.While I have only been here at Sea Mills for

a few years, I’d like to thank all our readersfor accepting me into your wonderful com-munity making me feel truly a part of it. Iknow I’ll miss the chats with you and helping(I hope) with your many queries – butmaybe I’ll now have time to read some ofthe great books you have recommended.

I know I leave you in very capable handsand with Customer Service coming high onthe Council’s priorities again I am sure youwill all continue to enjoy using the library.I hope to see many of you to say goodbyebefore I leave at the end of April. Eileen

• Also see ‘Library Laughter’ p. 4

LIBRARY JOTTINGS

It may come as a surprise to a lot of you butonce a doctor qualifies from medical schoolthey can continue to practise without beingregularly assessed by other doctors to ensurethey keep up with current developments andmeet the necessary professional standards.

Usually when you start out there arenumerous exams & hoops to jump throughbut when they become established it’s veryimportant they maintain these standards.All the doctors I know working in Bristol do

ensure they take time out to keep up to datebut it hasn’t been enshrined in law.This haschanged as from Dec 2012 – all doctorswill have to be revalidated every five years.

Hopefully that will give the public moreconfidence that their GP or hospital doctor isnot just ‘easy to talk to’ etc. but is also beingassessed by other independent doctorsoutside his/her practice to ensure their skillsand knowledge are up to date.That has surely got to be a good thing for

all of us (I want to make sure as a patientmyself that any doctors who treat me areup to scratch as well!) M McG

RECYCLING SMALL ELECTRICAL ITEMS

Tugboats... the time of my life!

It’s hoped the new service will further boostthe city’s recycling rates, with latest figuresshowing that recycling/composting/reuseacross the city was 52.77% for November(up from 49.13% for November 2011, andup from October 2012’s 50.97%).

Items being accepted from the kerbside are:alarm/clock radios, blender bases, calculators,cameras, CD drives/hard drives, coffee machines,computer keyboards, cordless phones, digi-boxes,drills, DVD players, elec toothbrushes/chargers,electric whisks/mixers, extension cables, hairstraighteners/trimmers, hairdryers, handheld

vacuum cleaners, heaters, irons, kettles, lamps,miscellaneous power tools, modems, papershredders, personal stereos, phones/mobile phones(incl base stations/handsets), printed circuit boards,printers, radios, remote controls, scanners,shavers/razors, small stereos, speakers, toasters,torches, toys,TV aerials and aerial boosters.

Please note: electrical items with screens,ie laptops, televisions, cannot be collected atthe kerbside as part of these collections; theyshould be taken to the Household Waste &Recycling centres or through the BulkyWaste Collection scheme. from a press release

REVALIDATION FOR DOCTORS

ew service now available: Bristol residents can recycle smaller electrical items aspart of their kerbside collection. Electrical items small enough for a supermarket

carrier bag can be left in a bag by your black box. Items with plugs or rechargeablebatteries, such as mobile phones, toasters, kettles, drills and irons are accepted too.

N

Sea Mills Boys & Girls Club

Open 4 nights a weekTuesday–Friday 6.30–9pm

Dance nights:Tues & Thurs 7-8.30.

Art session: Wed evening

OPEN ACCESS

Pool, snooker, football,basketball, media

Tel: 0117 968 4634

www.smbgc.co.uk

attended Sea Mills Junior School and then Portway School, and have alwayslived in Sea Mills. I started my towage career with CJ Kings and Sons on them.v. John King at the age of fifteen as a cabin boy. I was only asked one question

in the interview for this position: ‘Can you keep your eyes open, son?’

Barrie enjoying a moment ashore before setting sail

I

SMAD PRODUCTIONS(www.seamillsamdram.co.uk)

PRESENTS

WEST END DAYS AND

BROADWAY NIGHTS 2

Friday & Saturday 5 & 6 April

2013 Doors open 7pm

show starts 7.30,Sea Mills CommunityCentre, Sunny Hill, BS9 2NQ

Ticket Price £5 eachCome along and enjoy an evening of

songs and dancing from yourfavourite West End shows

KWAG has now identified it asfrom the Dining Room of the house.It has a remarkable pedigree.

In 1938 all ornamental fixturesand fittings were dismantled forturning the house into a school.The war intervened, the projectfolded, and Kings Weston Houseslumped into worrying decline. In1947 Lord Methuen expressed con-cern at the rapid decay of a nationaltreasure and that historic fireplaceswere stored in the cellar. He hadreceived assurances that theowners ‘have every intention ofreplacing these fireplaces in theirearlier positions in the house.’

This never happened; most were graduallylost or stolen. No-one ever thought onemight still be hiding after 75 years!

KWAG’s David Martyn said ‘We know alot about this fireplace. It was designed byRobert Mylne in 1764 as part of his refurbishment of the interiors for EdwardSouthwell, the MP for Bristol.

The design was executed by John Devall,one of the best craftsmen of the age, whoproduced similar works for royalty. It wouldhave been a very expensive commissionand this one really is the “Rolls-Royce” offireplaces.’

The previous sta< at the house hadtaken good care of the pieces before MrRoutledge took the house on. Over the 75years since the fireplaces were removed anornamental plaque has sadly been lostfrom the centre of the fireplace but enoughremains for it to be successfully reinstatedin its original location.

KWAG understands from Mr Routledgethat this is the intention as the restorationof the house progresses. The fireplace willbe kept safely stored in an undisclosed

location until it can be returned once more.• The Kings Weston Action Group is avolunteer organisation set up to prote^Kings Weston Park and House, fight forits future and prote^ its past.

Formed from a group of local and pro-fessional volunteers it hopes to increaseawareness of the history of the estate, takedire^ a^ion to improve and maintain thepark, and work with the City Council to in-form and secure a new plan for conservationand enhancement. For more information or to arrange an interview withKWAG please tel David Martyn, 07811 666671

• 3 •

@@@LETTERS???

St Edyth’s Church CentreAvonleaze, Sea Mills

Wednesday 6pmEverybody welcome —

Just pop in or phone Janice

0117 9799744

hen Norman Routledge, the new owner of Grade I Kings Weston House,mentioned a colle^ion of marble fragments to KWAG, the Kings WestonAction Group, it wasn’t expe^ed that they would prove so significant.

Mr Routledge kindly gave KWAG permission to piece together the parts to see whathe had and the results have been surprising. Working on the jigsaw of fragments on thecellar floor the parts slowly assembled into a complete 18th Century Adam-style marblefire surround — one lost from the state rooms upstairs since WWII!

Sea Mills Primary School Parents,Teachers& Friends Association committee would like tothank everyone who supported our ChristmasFair on 7 December last year! It was very wellattended, with lots of local visitors and a wholehost of parents and grandparents.

We’d particularly like to thank all the localbusinesses that had an advert in our programme,as it made a big impact on how much we wereable to raise. The fair raised just over £1300,which will all go towards our long term goalof purchasing outdoor play equipment

One way the residents of Sea Mills couldsupport the school is via the easy fundraisingwebsite. If you ever buy over the Internet thenplease read on… www.easyfundraising.org.ukis a website for raising money online for localcharities. If you use the Internet then go towww.easyfundraising.org.uk, and register thecharity of your choice – Sea Mills Primary School.When you buy something over the Internet

you go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk, and fromthere go to the site you want (eg eBay). Any siteyou buy from then donates money to yourchosen cause, without you doing anything extra.As a school we’ve been signed up to this since

October, and in 4 months have raised over £80through just 18 people using the site. If you usethe Internet and want to choose us as your localcharity, we’d be very grateful and will keepCommunity Voice readers updated on progress!

Date for your diary: Sat 6th July is the SchoolSummer Fair.We’d LOVE to see you there!

Naomi Clarke and the PTFA team

Residents are urged to take part in a review ofthe future of Neighbourhood Partnerships.TheMayor, George Ferguson, wants local communitydecision-making bodies to have more say overlocal services.

Neighbourhood Partnerships give communitiesa greater say on local services such as streetcleaning, park maintenance, recycling facilities,minor traffic schemes, highway maintenance &community safety.The consultation runs untilApril 1, 2013.The Mayor said: ‘The launch of Neighbourhood

Partnerships 5 years ago offered Bristol residentsthe opportunity for a real voice in the running oftheir communities.This consultation enables us toreview how things are working and what more canbe done to empower communities. I want Neigh-bourhood Partnerships to play a much bigger rolein the running of the city with more say over theirlocal services.’ The consultation will ask:Whatshould the purpose of Neighbourhood Partnershipsbe? How can we improve decision-making? Howcan we get more people involved? How can weimprove outreach, community engagement andcommunications?

How residents can get involved: complete the sur-vey at www.bristol.gov.uk/npask or contact us at(www.myneighbourhoodbristol.com, neighbourhood.partnerships@bristol.gov.uk, 0117 903 6415), orcome to one of our citywide events. from a press release

Shaping our community for the future

Kingsweston’s fireplace fragments on the cellar floor. KWAG

Ofsted declared Sea Mills Primary School aGOOD school in February. The achieve-ment of the children, behaviour, the qualityof teaching, leadership and managementwere all declared good.The inspectorsobserved lessons, looked at progress andattainment of the children, checked safetymeasures and school attendance and talkedto staff, parents, children and governors.There are 4 judgements in an inspection.

A school can be ‘outstanding’, ‘good’,‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’.Two years ago under old Ofsted regulationsthe school was judged ‘satisfactory’ so congratulations must go to all involved inthe great progress made.

Headteacher Kirsteen Craig was delighted:‘We knew we were good and now we’reaiming for “outstanding” in our next inspection. Staff and children worked hardover the last 18 months.Thanks must also goto the local community who have supportedus.This is a great school in a lovely buildingand we are very proud of our achievement’.The inspection report can be found on theOfsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk. GS

School’s great Ofsted

My friend and I walked to Sea MillsLibrary. I went over to the counter andasked, ‘Have you got a bookmark? Thelibrarian said, ‘I’ve got loads, but myname’s Neil.’

He went across to the Crime sectionand a pile of books fell on his head. Ihad a look at the brackets and told him,‘You’ve only got your shelf to blame.’

Then I noticed a lovely plant display inthe corner, which included a tall bullrush.I thought, ‘That looks like a good reed.’

After that I was going over to the photo-copier when I slipped and fell. Well, I wasin the non-friction section after all.

I got up and joined my friend by thephotocopier and told her that my husbandhad cut off the bottom of one of his trouser

legs intending to donate it to the library –so that’ll be a turn-up for the books.

I finished up in the Reference section as Icouldn’t exactly remember how to spellArmageddon – but it’s not the end of theworld. MW

• 4 •

Please remember…

Friday 31st Maydeadline for next issue

Cold as February. Flat light from a grey sky. Flakes of snow.Wind that comes at you with a knife.As the days grow longer the cold gets stronger.Still a week before we March – five weeks before we May.Yet weeds already thrust and buds are queuing with their carrier bags.Some are nibbled as they wait – this morning by a goldfinch My bird-book says a flock of goldfinches is called a charm.Two wood pigeons dance tip-toe on the higher branches.She knows why he asked her up and it wasn’t just for coffee.But it does seem a little early for this sort of thing… They won’t wait for the sun.Do that and you’ll wait forever – miss the wild sex the house hunting the best of the new caterpillars the bloody kids.

John Terry

COUNCILLOR DETAILS(Kingsweston Ward)

Simon Rayner (Lib-Dem) 0117 3534718simon.rayner@bristol.gov.uk To contact Simonplease email or phone for an appointment

Tim Leaman (Lib-Dem) 07584480588tim.leaman@bristol.gov.uk or write to Room 206,The Council House,College Green, BS1 5TR

Poets’Poets’ CornerCornerPoints from the City Council’s online newsletter

Sea Mills Garden Club have regular meetings,7.30pm every 3rd Wed, at Sea Mills MethodistRooms, Sea Mills Square.We are a friendlygroup, and are always happy to see new faces.We have a speaker each month, plus an

evening walk and a summer outing.

Future meetings :-20 Mar: Brian Bailey –

The River Severn from Source to Sea.17 April: Arthur Southern –

Butterflies of Europe.15 May: Bring & Buy Plant sale +

Forever Living Products.Annual membership is just £10 each, or

£18 per couple, due in January, with visitorsalways welcome at £2 per meeting.

FFI contact Gail Mitchell on 9685350 orEsme James on 9682571

Waiting for the Sun

AQUACLEAN

WINDOW CLEANING

TEXT YOUR ADDRESSFOR A FREE QUOTE TO

0771 245 9833

or call Mat/Shelley on0117 9098999

No job too big or small

One-off cleans carried out!

We also clear facias/guttering

www.aquaclean-bristol.co.uk

Sea Mills Garden ClubSea Mills Garden Club

You know when you’re taking up an old carpet youstop to read the papers used as underlay? The itemabove is a facsimile of the front page of the EveningPost, Jan 20 1939 found under a carpet recently.

Could it be that WWII was less to do with over-running Poland but more about the slap in the facethe Fuhrer suffered for his sister-in-law having towait half an hour to pay £9.13s 10d? Thanks to MV

The Noise comes to Sea Mills again thisyear. Over May Bank Holiday (Sat 4–Mon6 May) the churches in Sea Mills will jointogether to serve the local community,showing God’s love in practical ways.

Projects include rubbish/litter clearance,free sports, free events for Senior Citizensand a free fun afternoon on the Square.

Noise co-ordinators will work with localresidents and organisations to identify projectswhich will be most beneficial to Sea Mills &Coombe Dingle. If you can help with anycommunity-based projects during The Noise2013 please tel 9791399. The website iswww.thenoise.org.uk or email info@thenoise.org.uk

The Noise 2013

The Bristol Switch & Save scheme:You can reduce your energy bills by residents (and some small businesses) getting together as groups, see http://bristol.us2.listmanage1.com/track/click?u=b3f4ceaf77c3857c23d25800d&id=4f6dc904cf&e=a848f5610a

It aims to get a better deal for all. If lower fuel bills might help you — register by March 22.

How can we make Bristol a healthier city? A new strategy is being developed to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in the city now andinto the future. Find out more for yourself about this ambitious plan and have your say by visitinghttp://bristol.us2.listmanage1.com/track/click?u=b3f4ceaf77c3857c23d25800d&id=6c9cc6a00f&e=a848f5610a.

Community transport consultation:Do you use community buses,door-to-door services, mini bus hire, or taxi sharing schemes? The councilwants to know who should be eligible so as to prioritise services. Give your views on http://bristol.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=b3f4ceaf77c3857c23d25800d&id=322db89e23&e=a848f5610a.

Getting ready for benefit changes:The welfare system is changing and many people will see their benefits change. Find out more about the"bedroom tax", the local council tax reduction scheme, and be prepared for benefit changes. Seehttp://bristol.us2.listmanage.com/track/click?u=b3f4ceaf77c3857c23d25800d&id=9871b17534&e=a848f5610a.

LIBRARY LAUGHTER