This coming Saturday, 18th May, is the annual BSTFC charity match between a Bradley Stoke Town 11 (containing some ex BSYFC youth players) and an Ex- Professional/Semi Professional/Celebrity 11.

The entertainment will start at 1pm with the Bradley Stoke Youth U7s match before the main event which kicks off at 2.30pm.

Heart Angels will be there to entertain the crowd and refreshments will be available i.e. burger van, ice cream van and soft drinks/water on sale from the Jubilee Centre. There will also be a raffle with prizes to include various football items.

Bradley Stoke Scouts will be making the collections on behalf of Bradley Stoke Scouts, Bradley Stoke Town FC
and Bradley Stoke Youth FC.

Players confirmed so far for The All Stars Pro XI are:- Paul Burling – Britain’s Got Talent, Steve White, ex Bristol Rovers, Hereford, Luton, Swindon and Cardiff, Philip Mills, Stoke Lane FC and Greyfriars FC, Joe White, Bristol Rovers apprentice, Ben Walker, ex Bristol Rovers, Yate, Brislington and Winterbourne, John Rendell, ex Cardiff City, Ben Walker, Councillor; ex Southmead Athletic
and Joe Love, Manor Farm FC.

Hopefully the weather will be pleasant enough for us all to have a fun afternoon in the sun.

Come along and support your local football clubs!!

Neighbourhood Inspector Bob Evely is giving a talk to the South Glos Over 50′s Forum about doorstep crime on Wednesday 26th June between 2-4pm.

The talk is taking place at Patchway Community Centre, Roadway Road, Patchway. You can book your place by calling 01454 868570.

We’re working to raise awareness about distraction burglary and rogue trading. Read our top tips for staying safe http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/newsroom/roguetraders/

Eat Drink Bristol Fashion is off to a rousing start today with over 100 sustainability and provenance champions turning out for the Sustainable Food Summit, with Mayor George Ferguson kicking off proceedings with a pledge to ensure Bristol knows where its food comes from.

Introduced by Bristol’s Mayor George Ferguson, the summit features keynote speakers including council members, prominent farmers and chefs leading the way in sustainable food production and cooking.

Stakeholders including the Bristol Pound, Transition Bristol and the Soil Association – the UK’s leading charity campaigning for healthy, humane, sustainable food, farming and land use were all present to promote the cause.

Eat Drink Bristol Fashion’s Tapas and Champagne Bar is open on Queen Square from 13th to 27th May featuring Josh Eggleton’s “modern British” tapas, while 20 restaurants will ‘pop-up’ individually in the Fine Dining tipi to provide a culinary experience for 100 diners.

George Ferguson commented; “We want Bristol to know where it’s food is sourced. Now is a time for action if we are to make a difference as change takes a long time. Let’s make sure our children know where our food comes from and put provenance at the heart of our city’s make up.”

Amelia Twine, organiser of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion explained; “Eat Drink Bristol Fashion is committed to sustainability in food
production and our tapas menu has recently been recognised with a Soil Association Gold Catering Mark – making us the first event organiser in the country to achieve this fantastic accolade for the sourcing and treatment of their food. Our 15 day food bonanza begins today and we can’t think of a more fitting way to start it off.”

Bradley Stoke 1^st team recorded their first win of the season away to Bitton whilst the 2^nd romped home to a comfortable victory against Bristol Pakistanis. 3rds and 4ths matches were lost to the weather.

The 1^st team were put into bat first on a two paced wicket but put on a solid start with Adam Davis and Joe Coles putting on **** for the 1^st wicket.  The opening partnership was ended by a C Diaper slower ball that deceived the batsman leaving BS at **/1.  From then on wickets fell regularly with Steve Davis contributing 44 off of 47 balls to edge Bradley Stoke on to a below par 130 all out.

However in the field, left arm opening bowler Bhushan Mankar struck early for BS to remove Bittons top four, and then ran out the Bitton skipper leaving them struggling on ***/5.   From the other end left arm spinner Wayne Passmore got in on the act, bamboozling the batsman to claim figures of **/5.  A great bowling and fielding performance led by Dan Tobin who claimed three catches including the opener and the final wicket of the game which claimed victory for BS.

The seconds had a potentially tricky home tie against the ever dangerous Bristol Pakistanis.  The Pakistanis were first to bat and it
wasn’t long before Graham Purnell had removed the oppositions top three claiming match figures of 36/3. Bristol Pakistanis middle order rallied with scores of 44, 15 and 33 before being cleaned up for 157ao. Youngster Ashley Baber claimed 2/26 and a run out whilst spinner Chris Phillips took 2/11 and Captain Gareth Price claiming the last two wickets to leave himself with figures of 15/2.

Bradley Stoke lost two early wickets losing Tim Batt for 1 and No 3 Sriram Belakonda for 0. But the second wicket brought in skipper Gareth Price (61) and along with the ever consistent opener Paul Peterson (73) guided the home side to a comfortable victory with an unbroken 3^rd wicket partnership of 155 inside of 25 over’s.

The first team played their final match on Tuesday 30^th April earning a deserved home draw (1-1) with Seymour United, to finish to 2013 season mid-table.

There were 2 home games on Thursday 2^nd May: the Reserves, sponsored by Bradley Stoke Matters, ended with a 2 – 2 draw against Hallen B, with goals from Mohamid Amin and Carl O’Connell. The A team, sponsored by Lifestyle, ended with a  0 – 4 defeat to top of the table Rangeworthy.

On Saturday 4th May, the final home match of the season took place with the A team losing 0 – 4 to Stanton Drew Reserves who finished in 3rd place in the league, and finishing the season just below mid-table.

The B team won 0 – 1 away to Iron Acton but unfortunately ended at the bottom of the table after early season defeats but with a strong finish at the end.

Manager Ian commented ‘Despite not having a very successful season in terms of wins, it has been enjoyable to watch them play. I feel we just haven’t had the luck in some games but mainly it’s been not being able to field the same team consistently’.

On Saturday the 18^th May all teams will be playing in a Charity match against Mayors 11 at the Jubilee Centre, Bradley Stoke.  All proceeds will be split 50/50 between Air Ambulance and BSYFC/BSTFC.  Ahead of the game BSYFC U7s will play a match before being mascots and walking out with the adult team.

Why not come along and show your support! U7s kick off at 2:20 and adults kick off at 3pm

SGS College’s Bristol Academy of Sport under 14’s netball squad have finished as runners up in the Avon Netball Division 2 League. This is a fantastic achievement as the team have only been playing together for nine months.

Out of 12 games the girls have won a total of seven against well established clubs such as TeamBath and TJ’s that have been running for years.

The girls found out their success on Sunday 5^th May 2013 with the medals being presented at the Avon Netball Association AGM in June.

Bristol Academy Netball Club was established in June 2012 after demand from girls in the local area for a new Junior Netball Club. There is currently an U12 and U14 squad and the Academy will be launching an U16 team for next season.

Head Coach, Alii Hucker, said: “This is a great achievement for the U14 squad especially as it their first year as a team. The girls have worked hard this year and finishing in 2^nd place is fantastic and has made all the effort worthwhile.”

For more information on the Netball Club or the Netball Academy please contact Alii Hucker on 01179192616 or email Alexandra.hucker@sgscol.ac.uk

This year the Bristol Bikeathon returns with a brand new start point at the lake at Aztec West in Almondsbury. On Sunday 12^th May, starting at 10am.

Don’t miss out on this fun-filled day that will be sure to live long in the memory. You can cycle the route that best matches your abilty – a family-friendly 15 mile ride suitable for riders of all ages in the local area and is quite flat, utilising most of the bike paths and country lanes. A 30 mile route loops out to Chipping Sodbury and includes some of the region’s most picturesque locations. Or a 50 mile cycle through the beautiful South Gloucestershire countryside which takes you to the stunning little village of Castle Combe a pretty little village, nestled in beautiful surroundings on the edge of the Cotswolds. You may well recognise some parts of the village as it has been used as a filming location for blockbuster movies ‘The Wolf Man’, ‘War Horse’ and ‘Stardust’.

So come and see the beautiful sights that the South-West has to offer, including the magnificent conservation areas where you can get up close and personal to some wonderful wildlife.

This years Bikeathon will start from the Aztec Hotel. The event starts at 10am. You can turn up on the day and entry costs £12 adults and £8 for children (under 16).

Are you a parent, studying or just keen to work extra hours to earn more money?  Fancy a part time management role in Bradley Stoke?  Perhaps you’ve previously had a management role and are fed up with being offered junior roles just because you want reduced  hours?!

It can be tough to secure a challenging and well paid PART TIME job!

Why should you have to sacrifice an interesting job to achieve a good work-life balance?

At Cute Resource Solutions we are excited to be working with a nationally recognised brand who appreciates the value of such balance for their employees.  Our clients have a large call centre operation with flagship offices situated in none other than BRADLEY STOKE!

Due to the recent success of their inbound sales teams they have experienced rapid expansion. This expansion has caused the need for a proven people manager with a driven and motivated attitude towards sales. You will be responsible for the performance of your inbound team as well as being targeted against individual KPI’s and revenue targets.

This organisation recognises the importance of a well-rewarded and well-motivated team, reflected in their employment package. In return for hard work and enthusiasm they offer a competitive salary of £12,285 plus commission which typically results in £16-20k on target earnings.

We have a variety of roles available, but this particular part time role is 4 evenings a week 6pm – 10pm and 4 hours on a Saturday or Sunday.

If this sounds like the ideal role for you then please get in to contact with Louise on 0117 9467212 or email us on info@cute-resource.co.uk to learn more about the role, the company and the opportunity.

International Dawn Chorus Day 2013, will mark 30 years since environmentalist Chris Baines gathered friends to share the dawn chorus with him in celebration of his 40^th birthday and igniting an annual celebration of nature’s miracle with has grown on an
international scale.

Celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day on 5th May 2013
On 5^th May the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group will be hosting a Dawn Chorus walk around the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve as part of International Dawn Chorus Day 2013.

Bird lovers from Colorado to Flakkebjerg will be joining in this year’s event, rising early to hear birds greet the sunrise and appreciate how much wild birds contribute to our lives.

International Dawn Chorus Day 2013 will be the biggest and most interactive ever, with participates worldwide using the hashtag #idcd on Twitter to share their experiences of the event and upload images of the array of birds in chorus.

The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country organises the annual event, which, founded by environmentalist Chris Baines in the 1980’s, has grown from a small gathering in Birmingham UK to an international celebration of nature’s daily miracle.

If you would like to come along, meet at Stoke Leisure Centre at 5:50am ready to head to Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke. You’ll need to bring binoculars, drink and a snack if needed and make sure you wear suitable warm/weatherproof clothing and stout boots. It will finish around 8.30am.

A woman who ran a brothel in Bradley Stoke has been ordered to repay £1,115 and given a one year community order.

An investigation was launched earlier this year after reports were received of men calling at an address in Boursland Close and that young women were also seen there. Enquiries suggested the address was being used as a brothel.

A warrant was executed at the address and Jana Chmelickova, aged 46 and from Boursland Close, was subsequently charged with keeping a brothel.  During the warrant £1,115 cash was found at the premises.

Jana Chmelickova appeared at Bristol Crown Court today (Thursday May 2) and was given a one-year community order and subject to a curfew for three months. The court heard that Chmelickova’s benefit from crime was £1,115 and the cash was confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Chairman Ian Drew shares his thoughts on the 2012/13 season and would like to express his thanks …

We have been contacted by a local resident who is trying to raise funds to help with the ongoing veterinary treatment for 2 dogs, Faith and Hope. They are elderly, probably mother (10 years) and daughter (8 years), rescued from the welsh Mountains where they had been discarded like rubbish, no longer useful as breeding dogs in a puppy farm.

Rowe vets have very kindly offered their time at charity rates but funds are desperately needed to continue with the care and treatment as required.

Saved by the charity DogsFriends they spent the next 2 years being cared for in a stable.  As they became frailer a forever foster home was offered in September so they can know the love and comforts of a home life at last.

Both dogs have ongoing medical needs for Ophthalmology treatments. Faith has already had one eye removed and has glaucoma in the other. She is totally blind but has eye drops daily to keep the remaining eye healthy albeit sightless. Hope has eye pressure and sight problems and also cataracts, so tests and an operation is needed shortly. Both have regular eye checks to keep abreast of any problems arising.

Both ladies have skin problems associated with long term flea infestations, which were not treated whilst in the puppy farm and when living alone on the mountains.

This is an appeal asking if you could please help fund the veterinary treatments & eye surgery needed for these two very special senior ladies. Every penny raised will go towards making their life a little easier.

If you would like to know more about these lovely ladies or perhaps to donate to the Faith and Hope Fund please contact us as below:  Julie 01934 744745 or elliechivers@talktalk.net Diane 01454 312097 or sumayate@sky.com Glynis 01454 888055 or gsage@blueyonder.co.uk

Wheatfield had a very special visitor today – Mr Jack Lopresti, our local MP. Mr Lopresti joined them for their Friday morning Celebration Assembly during which the Bike It! crew gave a road safety presentation and the choir gave a fantastic rendition of ‘Sing’ – the Jubilee Song.

Mr Lopresti also  spent time being quizzed about his roles and responsibilities as an MP by the School Council.  At the start of the day he walked along Wheatfield Drive with 2 of the school governors to review the issues with the flow of traffic and parking in the local area and promised to convey any concerns to the Local Authority.  Later in the day Mr Lopresti tweeted that the highlight of his visit was presenting the ‘Golden Boots Award’ to 5R.

Stoke Lane AFC have Mini Soccer for reception age children. Why not come along and have some fun! Training is every Saturday morning at Stoke Lane Playing Fields from 10am-11am.

Stoke Lane AFC are a FA Charter Standard Community Club with  FA Level 1 CRB checked coaches. If you would like further information, call Steve Coward, Under 8 Manager/ Youth Development Coach :- 07806807477 or email scoward@sky.com or access our club web-site www.stokelane.com

Kerry Allen, who runs the popular Bishopston Matters Magazine, has two fantastic reasons to celebrate this week.

Formerly Kerry Macloed, the editor of the community magazine (33) tied the knot with her fiance James on Saturday. This week she has also been listed as one of Bristol’s top 50 ‘Happiness Champions’. As a counterpoint to the annual Sunday Times Rich List, the Bristol Post has recognised Kerry and other local men and women who bring smiles and cheer to their fellow Bristolians every day.

Congratulations to Kerry and James. May your happiness long continue!

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Meet-Bristol-s-50-happiness-champions/story-18746790-detail/story.html

Cyclists inSouth Gloucestershireare are set to benefit from safer roads thanks to a funding boost from the Government’s Cycle Safety Fund.

The council has been awarded £100,000 by the Department for Transport towards the cost of a £275,000 scheme to improve sections of the A38 in Filton and Patchway.

The proposed works will include new crossings, cycle paths and additional signage for sections of the A38 that pose particular safety risks for cyclists.

The proposals will be put out to consultation before work begins and it is hoped that the scheme will be completed by the end of the year.

Chair of the council’s Planning and Transportation Committee CllrBrian Allinsonsaid: “This is very welcome news. The council is committed to promoting cycling as a healthy and environmentally-friendly alternative to the car and we have already invested significant sums in the district’s cycle and walking network.

“With this additional funding boost we will be able to improve cyclists’ safety at known danger spots where cyclists cross or join the A38. The additional measures will make it easier for cyclists to navigate busy junctions, and to use off-road cycle and walk ways on some highway stretches.”

South Gloucestershire Council has invested significantly in the district’s cycle infrastructure in recent years as part of the jointCycling Cityproject with Bristol City Council.

The council has also recently announced a further £900,000 in improvements to three key cycle and pedestrian routes (Parkway to Cribbs Causeway, Lockleaze to Cribbs Causeway and Lockleaze to Parkway) supported by funding from the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

It’s the time of year to think about spring cleaning your houses, and that means paying attention to your smoke alarms too.

 Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) wants people to spring into action and dust their smoke alarms while cleaning their kitchens and other rooms.

Station Manager Rob Edwards said: “Smoke alarms save lives, and can give you and your loved ones vital extra seconds to escape a fire. But they can only do that if they are working properly and are kept clean . Without a properly working alarm, you could easily sleep through a fire and never wake up.

“Just two or three breaths of toxic smoke are enough to render you unconscious, so the early warning you get from a smoke alarm really can make the difference between life and death. At this time of year, we are encouraging anyone who is having a spring clean to remember their smoke alarms too. They also like a regular spring clean to make sure they stay clear from dust build up. You can do this by vacuuming the alarm with a soft bush attachment.”

We were delighted to hear from local resident Tony Hardy recently who this coming weekend will once again be running the London Marathon in aid of the mental health charity MIND.

Having first liaised with Tony back in 2009 when he approached Bradley Stoke Matters to help him find out if anyone would like to join him in setting up a social book club locally ( a resounding YES with an overwhelming 65 responses to the article resulting in 5 groups being set up!), we met up with Tony back in Jan/Feb 2012 when he was planning to tackle the marathon for the first time, and in doing so raise funds and awareness for MIND.

Having himself been diagnosed with ‘depression’ a few years ago, Tony understands first hand the difficulties in dealing with such a diagnosis as well as the vital support that MIND offers, commenting “One of the biggest problems is the lack of public awareness of the issues and the stigma still associated with mental illness. Hopefully by doing the London Marathon I can not only raise a bit of money but also help increase that public awareness.”

Tony has in no way been put off running in London following the shocking events at the recent Boston marathon telling us “Boston was so awful and pointless but it has made me and all the other runners that I know even more determined to run on Sunday. We’ll all be wearing our black ribbons with pride and thinking of those who suffered over there.”

We wish Tony all the very best for his endeavours on Sunday.  If you would like to help support Tony there are two ways you can help:

If you’d like a chance of winning a cash prize by guessing Tony’s finish time, he has set up a Guess2Give page here: http://login.guess2give.com/event/tony_hardy/1659

Or if you’d like to make a more “traditional” donation then he also has a sponsorship page here www.virginmoneygiving.com/TonyHardy

Alternatively if you’d just like to give moral support then Tony states that is absolutely fine and much appreciated too!

Patchway’s Student Business team dominated at the finals of the Student of the Year competition in Bristol.  The event, which was attended by many Business people from Bristol and South Gloucestershire as well as the Mayor of Bristol, celebrated the top achievement from the highest performing schools from 30 teams originally entering the competition.

Patchway was nominated for an outstanding 6 out of the 7 awards on offer, and won in an important three categories:  Best Project manager, Best team Performance and Best Product, which was an Engineering website for the client Atkins.

At the ceremony, the presenter of Best Team Performance award said of Patchway Power 4 (Rosie Foale, Rachel Benjamin, Lauren Brown and Lizzie Manley: “The client was extremely impressed with this team’s level of professionalism/presentation. From start to finish they came across as a group who knew what they were setting out to do – and most importantly, followed through!”  For Rosie Foale’s award of Best Project Manager, they commented: “She was able to keep the team focused and on track throughout the competition.  She ensured that all four team members stayed together and delivered to a very high standard throughout.”

Lauren Brown was also nominated for Best Student, one of four from the whole competition.  The audience was told that: “Lauren’s personal contribution has been outstanding. Her self-confidence inspired her team to deliver their proposals on time and to a high standard. She has is quietly confident and efficient approach with a very pleasant manner. Any employer should consider themselves fortunate to have such an employee.” Head teacher Jane Millicent said: “This was a fantastic achievement from all involved and exemplifies the skills and qualities that students develop during their time at Patchway.  Business skills are important in all walks of life and we pride ourselves on preparing students for successful future.”

Local MP Jack Lopresti has met with the Roads Minister, Stephen Hammond MP over the proposed M49 at Severnside.

Jack highlighted his support for the current bids to both the Highways Agency Pinch Point Programme and Regional Growth Fund 4 and made the local case to the Minister for the proposals.

It has been estimated that the new junction’s creation will directly open up over 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of development land and over the next 25 years this will accommodate up to 13,400 jobs on sites as an estimated £352 million is invested in new development.

In total, the scheme is expected to result in 16,600 jobs (including direct and indirect), over the 25 year economic life of the project.

Jack said: “I’m very grateful for the Minister’s time; the proposed M49 Junction would be of extreme benefit to our local area with the huge potential for local jobs and investment that’s it creation would bring. Anyone who knows the area is aware that the local road network is already over stretched and prone to large amounts of traffic. The new junction would make a real difference to local people’s quality of life. I’ll await the Governments response and the new junction will remain one of my key priorities.”