The final public meeting of the Sea Mills & Coombe Dingle Community Project will be on Tuesday 4 November at St Edyths, starting at 7:30 pm.
Community Voice
No. 8
Spring 2002
Contents
Next issue of Community Voice - Summer 2002. Contributions by end June via Sea Mills Library or via website or email to communityvoice1@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Money Aimed at Sea Mills!!
February's Open Meeting of the Sea Mills & Coombe Dingle Community Project heard about welcome new initiatives to give youngsters a good start in life. First, the SOS after-school club (see p. 3 for more detail) is gradually taking shape and should be up and running by summer in the Community Centre where SOS have already spent £3000 to conform to standards.
This will give children at our primary schools a focus for their afternoons and holidays. With so many parents nowadays having to work all hours this facility is needed more than ever.
Secondly, and perhaps more crucially considering the importance of children's early experiences, the SureStart scheme is on track. This will provide better services for those with children in the 0-3 age range.
The effects of this could be very far-reaching but young parents must get involved, for this is one of those rare schemes that is actually backed by a lot of money but will only achieve worthwhile results if local people help give it direction.
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
At stake are amounts of money that could affect the quality of life in Sea Mills as never before. We are talking about capital funds (ie for buildings, equipment, &c) of up to £750,000, with revenue funds (wages & other recurring costs) each year for seven to ten years (eg rising to a maximum of £740,000 in years 3, 4 & 5 and then tailing off gradually).
The SureStart area covers Sea Mills/Coombe Dingle, & Lawrence Weston. And as Lawrence Weston receives major funding via the Single Regeneration Budget (which Sea Mills doesn't qualify for) we hope to see our fair share this time round. That's again up to the quality of our involvement, and it's good that local mums (not forgetting the occasional house-husband) are already getting together to decide their own needs & priorities (see p. 2 for detailed report).
Finally, spare a thought for the Boys & Girls Club (crucially important to our young people) which could be going through tough (see story this page). SM&CDCP has already been looking at how it can help the Club - perhaps others can help, too?
| (TW) |
Club Cutback Coming?
Worrying news from Sea Mills Boys & Girls Club - the grant from the Council may stop in September. The grant (about £13,000 per annum) is under review and a decision is yet to be made.
The club may have to cut back to conserve funds, eg, roof repairs and replacing the minibus.
But all is not finished. A group will do a 100 mile canoe test over the Spring Bank holiday and will take part in the National Water Sports at Nottingham. Plus the holiday at Glenborrodale will go ahead.
The Voice may have more about this in the Summer issue, and may post 'breaking news' on the website for the many who will want to make their concerns if it should come to that.
In the meantime for more information about the future of the club please contact John Donnelly on 9685167.
| (GS) |
Monster Tuck-in at Sunny Hill
| Christmas cuisine at the Community Centre -
yet another helpful project by the youth forum  |
As part of the Community Project's continuing efforts to involve young people constructively in the life of the community we've been happy to fund activities that young people themselves have proposed (with as little adult interference as we can manage!).
So it was with great pleasure that we received their report of the Xmas party they put on for older people:
"Recently the younger people of Sea Mills, particularly the Youth Forum, decided it was time to do something for the older people. So on 15 December a Christmas party was held at the Community Centre (luckily the fire damage didn't prevent it happening).
There was food and drink, a raffle, time to meet new people and a chance for a good sing-song (see picture this page). Although there were not many people there, those who did attend thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
A big thank-you is owed to those who helped in any way, and to those who made it possible.
A good time was had by all."
| (Katherine Brealey) |
Surestart Update
Kingsweston ward (which includes Sea Mills) has been named as the next area in Bristol for SureStart funds to improve services for children under four and their families. One of the first jobs is to set up a Steering Group to manage its development. Although it will include managers from services (eg Barnados, Social Services, Police, Health Visiting, Midwifery, Speech Therapy &c) parents from the area have also volunteered to serve on the Steering Group which should eventually be 50% parents - so we'd love to hear from anyone else who would like to volunteer.
HEARING YOUR IDEAS
We also started to consult people who work with young children and families to tell them more about SureStart and hear from them about services they'd like to see improved. We've held meetings at which about 70 people have put forward ideas and worked on plans for SureStart services. If anyone hasn't yet heard of SureStart, please let us know.
We have 75 families who'd like to be involved with SureStart. Parents are offering to be on the Steering Group, others have volunteered to take part in interviews for staff, and a group of parents meet Thursday afternoons at the Barnardos Family Centre to decide what services they want for themselves and their young children.
QUICK RESULTS
We've also commissioned a mori poll to find out more about the area; about 170 families with children under 4 have been randomly chosen for interview. In November we submitted a report to the London SureStart office which included ideas for some early services which could begin before the main part of the scheme - weekly Playbus sessions, a mobile toy library, & extra resources for the Bookstart programme.
The next step will be appointing a Programme Manager. And over the next few months a team will be investigating buildings which could be used for SureStart services and possible sites for a SureStart Centre.
GET INVOLVED
By March 6 we'll submit the development plan for approval; we already have a good idea of the sort of services local people say they would find useful. There's still a lot of planning to do, so we welcome more parents' involvement both in this early stage and later with running and evaluating the new services.
Contact Jennifer Hill or Helen Carlton, Barnardos Family Centre, Home Farm, Kingsweston Lane, BS11 0JE. Tel. 9824578.
Parents of under-4s are welcome at our Thursday meetings, 1-3pm at the Family Centre. Phone us if you need a creche place.
If Thursdays aren't convenient phone us anyway - we may soon start similar meetings on another day. JH
STOP PRESS
As a result of SureStart the Playbus is already visiting us in Sea Mills Square on Thursday mornings - and then look out for Fridays as well (when they have finished their current stint in Hartcliffe).
| (VB) |
New Lease on Rec
Shire Colts Junior Football Club are delighted to announce a 10 year lease from Bristol Council for use of the Club House at Sea Mills Park (the Rec).
The Club, formed 24 years ago, have an improvement plan for the Club House, and work will take place this summer ready for next season. It will continue over the next 2-3 seasons as funds are raised - significant expenditure for the Club.
Shire Colts have over 220 youngsters from the local area playing soccer each week and plan to base the younger age groups (up to under-12s) at Sea Mills. The Club are able to mark out 2 small-sided pitches (for ages 8, 9 & 10) plus two 11-a-side pitches for the 11s & 12s. The older age groups up to the under 16s will remain at the Club's other base at Stoke Lodge.
The Club already have many youngsters from Sea Mills, and hopefully many more will soon have an opportunity to represent Shire Colts.
Regular progress reports appear on our website www.shirecolts.net (the Club News section). If you have a youngster keen to play football please contact the appropriate Manager (see website) or contact Club Chairman Alan Bennett on 9620201.
| (GS) |
New Life for Centre
At last things are really happening at the Community Centre.
The fence is finished and the roof has been repaired. A security gate is being fitted and CCTV cameras installed. The main hall is to be given a facelift and the floor will be resurfaced.
The photographic club, art class and judo classes continue at the centre and there's a real possibility of dance classes (modern & tap) starting this summer.
Swift Music of Shirehampton Rd are starting electric organ workshops, and want to organise a young musician's competition in early summer.
For more details of this and other events, tel 3777073.
75 Years Ago
| How the Rec was looking in the '30s:
a view from the church tower. (J&D Fisher)  |
Mrs Cecelia Burke has lived in Sea Mills for over 74 years. She moved with her family from Redland when she was eight. Her father was a Council park keeper, one of his jobs being to look after Sea Mills Square, grass and flower beds. No-one was allowed to walk on the grass when he was about, including his daughter!
Hedges in Sea Mills were always cut to the same height and width. There was a small shop called Edwards at the bottom of Dingle View where she bought sweets. Mrs Burke enjoyed walking up the fields to the top of Kingsweston Down to meet friends.
She remembers the bus fare from Westbury was 2d, and 8d from Avonmouth to the Centre. She has fond memories of Sea Mills with good friends and neighbours. Now she's off to live in Downend with her daughter.
We wish her well.
| (GS) |
MacMarathon Man
26.2 miles seems a ridiculously long way to run, but to do it in front of thousands of people and have tv cameras there to see you suffer is even worse.
Dr. Mervyn McGowan runs the London Marathon on 14 April and is hoping to raise money for Send a Cow and Emmaus Project.
Send a Cow gives livestock to poor families in East Africa (mainly women) after they've been trained. They improve their nutrition and self-respect and give their first calf to another poor family.
The Emmaus Project aims to get homeless people into a community to be taught life- and job-skills.
You can sponsor Dr McGowan at the surgery in Riverleaze - don't forget to look out for him.
He assures us he won't be running dressed as a leprechaun!
| (VB) |
SOS - Coming Soon!
The SOS Club - Sea Mills Out of School Club - is coming soon! We had hoped to open in January, and although we've had to postpone this to later in the year it will be worth the wait! Children at primary school will be able to have fun with their friends, and parents will know their children are safe and happy after school and during school holidays.
Our NOF grant application was successful, thanks to the great work done by BAND, and we've received an initial payment to allow us to advertise for staff & carry out essential work on the premises we plan to use. We're working with the Community Centre to build secure storage for the Club's equipment and to ensure the building will meet standards needed for registering with OFSTED; last year they took over the responsibility for inspecting clubs like ours from Social Services. We hope you've seen our leaflets and posters. It's not too late to phone if you're interested in working for the Club, and we'd love to hear from people who want to help in other ways.
Phone Louise Baker, 9094298 or Sue Hazelden, 07815 881502 (24 hour answerphone).
| (SH) |
Sea Mills School Reunion
Only a few years earlier than the 1926/33 class, a gardening
group get down to business when the Junior School buildings were
brand new. Is this why the Flower Show is so good nowadays?
 |
Several ex-pupils have suggested we hold a reunion for all pupils born between 1927 & 1935. If anyone is interested please phone Monica Jenkins 9836314, Barbara Butt 9684903, Mia Tucker 9685778, Joyce Cox 9082926 or Pam Gully 9683770
'Memories'
My young days were spent with parents, brother and sister at no 8 Old Quarry Rd Shirehampton.
Mother was the last of a large family and we had uncles, aunts and cousins nearby. We had many friends and like them skated, played marbles, climbed trees and spent happy hours 'up the Quarry' and 'over the fields'.
During the war, like most families, we spent many hours in an Anderson shelter sleeping every night on a double mattress, Mother and Pop at one end and we three youngsters at the other. During air-raids we sang loudly from a song sheet 'It's a long way to Tipperary', 'Keep the Home Fires Burning', etc (enough to scare Jerry off!).
As the raids became more frequent and damaging, we children were evacuated, fortunately to family friends and an aunt and uncle. While we were away, during a particularly heavy raid in 1941 our parents' house was badly damaged by a bomb while Mother was eating her supper in the shelter and Pop firewatching nearby. As a result Mother, plus her few remaining effects, was taken by the local ashmen in their lorry to Sea Mills to occupy one of the empty houses kept for such people.
On reaching the Progress Inn she was asked, 'Would you mind if we stopped for a pint, madam?'
She readily agreed, and sat patiently waiting amongst her few remaining possessions until the men returned! They then took her to an empty house in Coombe Dale - amazingly right opposite the home of her closest friend, known to us youngsters aa 'Aunty Rose', and her husband, 'Uncle Jim'.
That was where we all spent many happy years, and where, thereafter, the ashmen were always treated to a 'cuppa and a piece of homemade sponge' every Friday during their rounds.
| (EW) |
Letters
Dear Ed
Regarding the comments in issue no 7, I find it hard that the Council have not come up with a scheme to stop vandals destroying the parks. We travel to Devon (Ilfracombe) regular and find all the parks acceptable to the public. The reason is the council in Devon pay £100 to anyone reporting vandals caught destroying flowers, swings etc, and it works. It's a pleasure to sit in the parks. Yes, you do have graffiti, but that is all. You must have a police force that will act, not one that takes all day to respond or not turn up at all.
Some people say Bristol is a nice tidy city; when we come over the bridge each time we say what a dirty city Bristol is.
| S Gibbins |
Thanks for this, the very first e-mail received at our address at: communityvoice1@hotmail.com
Treasure Trove
We're very pleased to be able to tell you our advert for a new treasurer for the Project has borne fruit. We welcome David Roberts of Clapton Walk who was voted at our last meeting, and takes over from Mike Vincent, who with Diane, will continue in charge of newsletter resourcing and delivery.
| (TW) |
Flower Show Looks Forward
This year the Flower Show will be on Saturday September 14, 1-5pm.
As usual the Programme and Schedule will be available late May early June from Sea Mills Library. There'll be classes for all age groups and interests; in particular the 30 Junior classes provide interest and activity for youngsters & their parents in the long summer hols. Over 65s handicrafts will be split into Male and Female sections to encourage more entries: 'The Times' recently suggested there's a new interest from men in flower arranging & display - we'd love to see this lead to many more entries at the Show!
There'll be a special place for all those photos of your Jubilee celebrations. And remember, this event offers excellent entertainment, refreshments and a real chance to see what goes on in your local community.
Do book this important date.
| (GM) |
Forthcoming Events in Sea Mills
- Cubs, Beavers, Scouts Jumble Sales 2 Mar, 27 Apr, 25 May. Summer Fayre Sea Mills Square 22 June.
- RSVP Tea Dances Methodist Church Hall Mar 14 & 28, Apr 11 & 18, 2.30-4.30. American Tea Dance Apr 25, Fancy Dress
- Infant & Junior Schools Summer Fete 25 May at Junior Sch.
- Sea Mills Library Easter Extravaganza Ages 10 & under, 26 March 3.30-4.30. 50p per ticket, available from Library. Golden Jubilee Celebration: June date to be advised, see Library staff for details.
Vacancy: Clerk to the Governors
Sea Mills Junior School have a vacancy for the above post.
Duties include copying & sending papers, taking minutes, & record-keeping. The fee currently payable to the clerk is iserk isk isssssble to the clerk islerk isssssissently payable to the clerk is £325 / year.
Anyone interested should contact head teacher Ian Caskie on 9030096 (note new number) for further details and an application form.
| (VB) |
Avonmouth Mini Hockey
Avonmouth Ladies Hockey Club's mini hockey section runs out of St Bernard's School, Station Rd, Shirehampton Tuesday nights 6.30-7.30pm during winter and spring school terms.
Young girls and boys learn hockey under a level 1 coach and play short mini hockey games. It's a fun sport that encourages team work and a sense of fair play.
Later on we involve youngsters with the junior section (at about age 11) and more experienced players can join our juniors for Sunday games. We currently have spaces for more players in our mini and junior sections, so come along and try hockey for a night! We keep costs as low as possible (£1/week sub), and we look for plenty of support in fund-raising events!
For more about Mini or Junior Hockey call me, Jan Wilson on 9828039.
SM&CD Community Project: Next Meetings
Please note in your diary our next meeting open to all will be on Tues May 21, 7.30pm at St Edyths Church Hall & will be a Special Fun Meeting!
Library Jottings
It seems incredible to think that 8 months have flown by since I arrived at Sea Mills. I would like to thank the whole community for making me feel so welcome and for continuing to support the library.
Can I start by letting you know that our phone no. has changed to 9038555. We have a full programme of events for 2002 and tickets are now available from us.
May I remind you of some of the services we provide; coffee mornings are on Fridays 9.30-12.00, children's story times Tuesdays 9.30 - 10.00, with tea and coffee for carers: full public facilities available during both events.
On the Information Technology front Encarta Multi Media Encyclopaedia is available on CD Rom for use in the library - an excellent aid to homework projects or quiz clues. Webwise, a self- teach CD Rom tutorial is also available, enabling people to learn how to use both Internet and E-mail.
Calling all Community based projects & groups: would you like a large free display space for up to 2 weeks to advertise your organization? We can help!
For further information on any of the above items please phone or call into the library where staff are happy to help.
We look forward to meeting customers both established and new, and on behalf of everyone at Sea Mills Library, I wish you all a Happy Easter.
| (Shulah Jones) |
Community Website & Email
Have you looked at your local website? Our thanks to Paul Hazelden who designed, updates and maintains it.
You can contact us via the website www.smacdcp.fsnet.co.uk or our new email address communityvoice1@hotmail.com
SM&CD Millennium Marker
- outings for elderly people
- plants and trees for the square
- benches and drinking fountain in front of the Methodist church
- statue on square
- children's activities
- recycling facilities on the square
- a crossing in front the library
- a new park
Pupils of Sea Mills Junior School recently looked at ideas on how to spend the £1400 raised at the Millennium Flower Show - something that marks the new millennium (maybe now incorporating the Queen's 50th Jubilee).
The marker needs to be a suitable memorial, something that will last, be that a physical item, or a service, or a sponsorship.
Here are some of the ideas from the pupils:
A final decision on how the money is to be spent will be taken at the Open Meeting on 21st May at St Edyth's Church hall.
Obviously the more views the better, so if you have any ideas or strong views come to the meeting, or email us with your ideas at - communityvoice1@hotmail.com VB
Beavers, Cubs & Scouts
The Cubs and Scouts have a busy calendar. The Scouts went on camp at the County Campsite whilst some Cubs and Scouts went abseiling at the beginning of February.
Coming up:- the Cubs will be off for the Shore Trophy Night-hike on 23/24 March, and then on 3-6 May both the Cubs and Scouts will be off to the Bristol West District Camp with a visit by the Beavers on the Sunday.
After all that the leaders will I'm sure need a well-earned rest, ready for the next event, the Summer Fayre on Sea Mills Square on 22 June.
| (IC/VB) |
Budding Performers
The Junior School has won a grant from the New Opportunitis Fund so that Drama, Percussion and Singing Clubs can be run for the pupils. The ACTA Theatre is coming in to run the Drama group & Bristol Music Service will help the other two groups. This hard work will culminate in a production in June by the pupils. We look forward to seeing it.
| (VB) |