BSTC 30th Anniversary
March 30th, 2023
On Saturday 25th February 2023, Bradley Stoke Town Council held a free Mosaic Bird Making Workshop for the local community to design a bird, with the aim of forming a mosaic mural to celebrate the Town Council’s 30th anniversary in March.
Many different groups and individuals from across Bradley Stoke came and made a bird, representing both the individuality and collectivity of our community. They have now been grouped together to create a flock of birds that are flying across the wall of the main Town Council office building.
Bradley Stoke Matters was very pleased to pop along to the local history drop-in event held at the Jubilee Centre on Friday 10th March in celebration of the Town Council’s 30th anniversary, where the mosaic was officially unveiled by Deputy Mayor Franklin Owusu-Antwi. The Council was also represented by Tom Aditya and Angela Morey during the unveiling. Former, long serving councillor and previous Mayor, Jon Williams, also spoke passionately about the origins of Bradley Stoke Town Council, and artist, Katie, who supported the 30 groups who took part in making the birds, also spoke about her involvement in producing the mural.
It was wonderful to hear so many local people relive early stories of moving into their new homes in Bradley Stoke and how many original families remain in the town to this day. The local history group offered a rich and interesting delve into materials from the archives, including the original brochures showcasing how the new homes would look, to original drawings and plans of the area revealing how things have changed through time. The Williams family also shared with visitors a comprehensive collection of scrap books filled with fascinating press clippings of newsworthy events and issues centred on the town over the years, a wonderful opportunity to reflect on local matters.
We were also delighted to receive a copy of ‘Landscape of the Past: The Hidden Heritage of Bradley Stoke’ a brilliant book by local historian Sharon Ubank with a series of charming photographs by Kim Baldock and illustrations by Susan Baker, a book which was generously financed by Bradley Stoke Town Council. Sharon continues to be remembered for her ‘Stokes Standards’ series of booklets about local history, and it is a testament to the spirit of the community that the late historian has a new road Sharon Ubank Close named after her in Little Stoke.
What a wonderful trip down memory lane! We have been involved in a couple of these events over the 18 years since starting Bradley Stoke Matters (including a back to the 80s event held at Bradley Stoke Library for Bradley Stoke’s 21st birthday!) and have previously published articles on local history in past editions, including a lengthy interview with the first and former Town Clerk David Chandler who I recall telling me how he first set up office in his own home before the first premises were found. Look how we’ve all grown!