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. 9
Summer 2002
Contents
Next issue of Community Voice - Autumn 2002. Contributions by end September via Sea Mills Library or via website or email to communityvoice1@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Nice Noise & Noisy Noise
It's been a funny old season - a great time for celebrations (pace England fans) and generally nice noises, as many features in this issue reflect - but also a time of unease for Sea Mills, eg a mini crime-wave during April and May, and signs of persistent noise nuisance more recently.
Let's hope the police success in countering a shock mugging will lead on to effective action against the other antisocial elements. If you ex-perience problems, the main thing is to make sure you deal with the right agencies. If you have problems over noisy neighbours for instance then ring Pollution Control on 9223810; they operate a 24 hour service. Don't feel you have to put up with excessive noise, eg from high powered amplifiers. It can cause anxiety and stress leading to ill health, and carries fines for the perpetrator of up to £5000.
Another nasty, but one which could lead to a mindboggling range of accidents, is vandalised gutter gratings (storm covers) in the road. Ring Highways Repair on 9223838 if you spot a naked hole.
Old School Friends
It was an idea that snowballed into a great evening. Mia Tucker wanted to find out what had happened to her old school friends at Sea Mills Junior School (see page 3 of issue no. 8).
She thought maybe twenty people would turn up. In the end the school hall was packed with over 100 ex-pupils who had attended the school before World War ii.
Photos were eagerly examined and when 'English Country Garden' by Percy Grainger was played the whole place erupted: 'We used to walk into Assembly to that music,' said Mia.
Margaret Butt who lives in Sea Mills also thought it was a great success. Brother Ralph had travelled up from Teignmouth for the evening; Joyce Cox, Pam Gully, Monica Jenkins, Derek Robinson and Quentin Williams also helped to organise this splendid event. Maybe this is the beginning of other reunions?
| (GS) |
A Right Royal Fayre
Our special Jubilee colour picture
shows the fun of lording it over grownups at the school fete!
Casey and Jez Lloyd hold court with mum Maria and schoolteacher
Mr Wynne.
 |
Sea Mills Infant and Junior Schools held a Summer Fete with a royal flavour to mark the Jubilee. Both Heads dressed up as royalty and lots of pupils followed suit to enter the Fancy Dress Parade.
It was the first time the schools had held a joint summer fete and it was a resounding success. The only thing forgotten was booking glorious sunshine, but light showers didn't dampen the event in any way. The horses, coconut shy, barbecue, flower stall bouncy castle and other stalls ensured fun was had by all.
The total raised was over £1600 which will go towards equipment for both schools. A big thankyou to all who attended and helped to make it such a success.
| (VB) |
Cutbacks Curtailed!
In our last issue we warned of the problems that might face the Boys & Girls Club if funding were reduced after September. We've learned more recently, however, that funding will now continue until March 2003, which gives the Club a bit more of a breather.
Talks are going on in the youth Service on how the Service should be run and funded. Much of the problem has been a lack of key people, but this should be sorted soon. We hope to have better news in our autumn edition.
| (TW) |
Jubilee Jamboree
126th Sea Mills Scouts and Cubs attended the Jubilee District Camp over Bank Holiday weekend. 500+ young people took part in archery, abseiling, air riXe shooting, etc.
The Beavers visited the camp for a Fun Day on Sunday. The Lord Mayor visited sub-camps after the Promise Renewal Service. 126th won a large prize tub of chocolates for Best Decorated Sub-Camp.
The Group goes from strength to strength; there are girls in Beaver, Cub & Scout sections, more parents help and we have 3 more Leaders. Regular jumble sales are part of efforts to recycle items into the community and raise funds for the Unit. Hiring the hall is proving popular as a party venue: contact Ian Churchill on 9683447.
Surestart Getting Serious
- Our photo of the Jubilee party at Kingsweston House shows a small part of the crowd of between 800 and 1000 people who attended in glorious weather and took part in the enjoyable (and free) occasion, with plenty for everyone. There were all sorts of stalls, not forgetting the ever popular Bouncy Castle.
Part of the 1000 strong crowd making
merry at SureStart's inaugural garden party. (EN)
 |
The Kingsweston SureStart programme is beginning to get serious. A Programme Manager was appointed in April and the work to bring improved early years facilities to our area is well under way. More good news is that the SureStart Kingsweston delivery plan has been approved by the government unit set up for that purpose. This means the programme can now go to the next stage.
As many readers will know, some of the early SureStart provisions are already up and running, such as the weekly free Playbus sessions on the Square, plus extra toys, books and music instruments for local groups.
At St Edyths Parish Rooms Keep-Fit classes started Mondays, 10-11am from June 10, plus 'Bumps and Babes' Fridays, 1.30-3pm for mums-to-be and those with babies under a year (all classes free). The parents' groups have free crêches and welcome more mums and dads, while the Steering Group (which makes all the fundamental decisions) still welcomes new members - you can get free training if you are new to this kind of activity.
The 0-5s were the target age-group - if they'd been any older the gathering would have been classed as a 'rave-up'!
Follow FOSBR
- The line's new timetable - for 3rd June to 28th Sept - is now available. FOSBR deliver it to commuters at the station and it's displayed in the library. Shops wishing to stock it can contact Lionel White on 9445687.
The following is a precis of the head-line item - promoting the concept of a Bristol Metro - in the June newsletter from the Friends of the Severn Beach Railway (FOSBR):-
"FOSBR has had success keeping the Severn Beach line going, including getting service improvements. But what's now needed is a wider metro system incorporating the Severn Beach, Hallen and Portishead lines. With the future tram service this could be our transport backbone.
"Councils influence buses but have little power over rail, so local rail groups are needed to promote the Metro, eg by influencing employers and large organisations who stand to gain from easier travel. So, FOSBR is to produce a Metro glossy - based on their old 'S-route' leaflet - which explains local rail potential. Then new interest may pressure Bristol C C and rail providers to improve services."
The FOSBR website has more info at www.bigfoot.com/~FOSBR.
Barbecue Blow-Out
Although the hall and kitchen of St Edyth's Parish Rooms were no substitute for an outdoor barbecue the inclement weather meant that members of Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle Community Project managed to happily munch their way through burgers, baps, bangers and salads - washed down with a range of 'fine wines' - when they met indoors for their Fun May open meeting.
Members voted to investigate the cost and practicalities of placing a Millennium Marker (probably a piece of carved granite) on the Square, to be inscribed 'Sea Mills 2000'.
Many suggestions were received by the Project and £1400 was raised specifically for this purpose.
A noticeboard to advertise local events was also agreed, and this will be a 'DIY' project. Many thanks to those who organised an excellent 'blow-out', and to Dorothy Ridout for the granite idea. Thanks also to Graham Quinn and Mike Vincent for help with the noticeboard.
Then it was back to the burgers & sausages & salad & fine wines...
| (GS) |
Making History
Sea Mills Local History Club meet at St Edyth's Parish Rooms every Wednesday, 2pm - 4pm.
Members are compiling an archive of local sources which they recently displayed at the History Fest in the Industrial Museum. The display attracted considerable interest from visitors who were able to identify themselves in various group photos that depicted life on the estate over the last seventy years.
In order to increase the scope of the archive, we'd like to hear from anyone with old photos or other material we can add to our collection. Photos or other sources about Sea Mills Flower Show or the Methodist Church would be particularly welcome - please ring Andrea Button on 9563519, or Jane Macfarlane on 9684105.
Tiredness Tells
- driving when sleepy (8 times more likely)
- driving after 5 hours sleep or less (3 times more likely)
- driving between 2 & 5am (5 times more likely)
Did you know the average person in a developed country has a 1-in-100 chance of being killed in a road traffic crash and a 1-in-3 chance of being injured?
While speed control and traffic-calming measures are the most effective way of reducing road deaths, tiredness is thought to be responsible for a fifth of all traffic accidents. Factors associated with a substantial increase in the risk of car crash resulting in death or serious injury include:-
So, take tiredness seriously. It could save your life and that of those you care most about.
| (MMcG) |
Anyone who runs a marathon is mad!! Dr McGowan did the London Marathon in 3hrs 47 mins - and says he enjoyed the first 21 miles of it. The crowds were amazing and really helped pull him through.
What's more, he raised £2000 for Send a Cow (enough for 2 pregnant cows for Uganda and four pairs of goats for Rwanda) and £1,700 for Emmaus Bristol for a homeless community in the city.
Most of the money came from Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle people and he wants to say a massive thank you for your generosity. He also has no intention of running the London Marathon again!
| (VB) |
After School Club Ready For Action
- Mitch, Administrator 9553078, 4 - 7.30pm for bookings,
- Natalie, Senior Playworker, 07815 881502,
- Sue, Committee, 07968 092935 24hr answerphone.
Youngsters at play at the Community
Centre 30 years ago; note real hammers & nails! (TW)
 |
We're counting the days till we open! The Ofsted inspector has set a date and we (SOS After-School Club) are looking forward to meeting her. We kept the staff busy by running Taster Days in half-term - if you missed them we hope to go into both Sea Mills schools in July to play games at lunchtime so that everyone can join in the fun.
The taster days were a great success: "We played lots of games like Electric Shoe and Hot Potato, and some parachute games. We made some great displays for the walls. The staff were really friendly and I want to go again."
While the kids rushed around, parents enjoyed chatting to committee members who were able to answer their questions. We hope lots of you saw our display at the Library, and both schools have our leaflets and posters (don't worry, we'll take children from other schools, too!).
In September we will need 'walkers' to help us get children safely to the Community Centre.
We can offer a small payment for this, or free sessions at the Club.
If you're interested in this or would like to offer any other help please call:
'Memories'
One of the largest employers in Bristol was the Imperial Group which included Wills, Edward Ringer & Biggs and Mardon, Son & Hall, with factories in the Bedminster and Redcliffe areas.
Mardons made the packaging for the tobaccos, cigarettes and cigars sold by others in the group. They employed only female workers on the production line, the men being on the heavier work of feeding the machines and taking the finished product away. The women were employed as learners and had to be registered with the Paper Box Trade Board. They started at age 14 and then served a 4 year learnership.
In 1916 the starting pay was 4/- (20p) a week rising every 6 months to 11/6 (57½p) after four years - for a 52 hour week, 7.30am to 5.30pm (½hr lunch break) plus half day Saturday. After learnership they graduated to piece work; everyone stood at the belt taking work to fold and stick by hand. If you were in favour you stood at the start of the line for the best opportunity of earning. Tea was brought in and served in jam jars.
The finished boxes were taken by horse and cart - the horses being stabled in the arches under the railway near St Mary Redcliffe church.
The Imperial Group was quite enlightened in providing nurses at work and convalescent homes - one being at Clevedon. Sports facilities at Brislington existed for tennis, cricket and football, plus a flourishing gymnasium.
Mardons had their own fire brigade which doubled up as a security force.
| (MV) |
Summer Fayre
Saturday 22 June saw the Scouts, Cubs and Beavers' Summer Fayre taking place at the Scout Hut in Sea Mills. There were various stalls; games, raffle and jumble, but by far the most popular was that featuring the GSL, Ian Churchill, who was letting people throw wet sponges at him to help raise much-needed cash!!!
A new all-time record was set with the takings as the day managed to raise over £230, a total of more than £350 over the two weeks - an excellent total.
The Cubs were busy again the next weekend as they were all off to a Cubs Fun Trophy Day at Woodhouse in Almondsbury, taking part in lots of different sport activities.
| (VB) |
Letters
Extracts from two emails
I've been thinking of things to benefit the local community since I read the last Community Voice...
Lots of ideas are produced for the under 12s but something that would benefit teenagers and keep them off the streets would be a cybercafé. There are empty properties on the Square and down 'the dip'; couldn't one of them be made available for this?
Also, could the local Police Officer hold a 'surgery' to etch postcodes on children's bikes? I contacted Avonmouth but it seems the bikes have to get to Southmead for this. It's a long way for a child to go to get it done.
Finally, to calm traffic on the Square, why not alter the area at the 'divided roundabout' to mirror the divided road at Lawrence Weston's Longcross shops? With a Pelican crossing as well it would be safer for pedestrians. It would not affect traffic coming from West Parade, East Parade or St Edyth's Rd as they already have to give way. With more and/or improved shrubbery borders rather than rose beds the Square would be a pleasanter area.
Thank you for reading this; maybe it will trigger some ideas - which may be more plausible at least.
| (Caroline Atkinson) |
Thanks for these ideas. This is exactly how we hope local people will participate. See PC Thatcher's article on p 4 for reference to bike etching, and Stop Press below for latest on the Square's traffic calming.
Over the years Sea Mills Methodist Church has maintained a christian presence in the community together with work among young people in youth clubs and uniformed organisations. The congregation will continue to worship as well as maintain an active life of service to the community - eg lunch club, women's fellowship etc.
The church is not closing down but we are wondering how to raise money for a building that needs repair. One of the organisations we are in negotiation with is the Methodist Homes for the Aged who are eager to provide accommodation for people in the area.
But even if these plans reach fruition the church will remain together with opportunities for telling the good news of Jesus. We're anxious for people to attend worship and help us grow. We're committed to working with the other churches in Sea Mills, and though in general we are an elderly congregation it's a church full of wisdom.
| (Rev Ed Standhaft) |
Forthcoming Events in Sea Mills
- Meteorite Madness, 2 Aug, 2-3.30pm, ages 8-12, 50p
- Lunar Laughter, 8 Aug, 2-3.30pm, ages up to 12, free
- Fantasy Fun, 13 Aug, 2-4pm, ages up to 10, free
- All day activities, 22 Aug, except 1-2pm, all ages, free
- Party of the Planets, 29 Aug, 2.30-4pm, under 13s, 50p
- Bike etching, next date 1 Aug, 1-3pm
Sea Mills Library Summer Activities:
Jubilee Flower Show
Programmes with details of over 100 classes are now available at Sea Mills Library and other local outlets. Our theme this year is 'If you Grow It - Make It - Paint It - Bake It - Take It' then there's a class for your entry at the Jubilee Flower Show Sat 14 Sept, 1-5pm.
After all the recent flag waving there'll be a chance for youngsters to design a flag for next year's 10th Flower Show. We hope to commission a full size flag based on the winning design to be flown at our Show in 2003 - see your design flying high!
Also for youngsters is a chance to show skill and patience by growing an orange or similar pip to enter at this year's Show.
In the photography section we're looking forward to a really colourful display of Jubilee pictures - local street parties, events at the City Docks or your own family gathering; so do enter. For men only, have a go at Betty's All-in Fruit Cake - a guaranteed winner with all the family. Most important of all, come to the Show at the Community Centre, 1pm. Enjoy the energy and sounds of the Bristol Rhythm Band and have a great day.
| (JM) |
Goodbyes
Lin Hornblow of the Methodist Church will be leaving Sea Mills in July and moving on to Baldock, Hertfordshire. She will become an ordained minister in a year's time. Lin has been here for two years and has found the work challenging and interesting. We wish her well. She's also keen to let everyone know that the Methodist Church will not be closing (see letters page for more on this); Sunday services (morning and evening) continue as usual and all are welcome.
| (GS) |
Lux Furlong was the place for gongs
when the street ran their own Jubilee party. HRH is caught in a
majestic moment dubbing Jordan Cole with his jubilee
medal. (VB)
Young Footballers and Gymnasts
Have you heard about the two new clubs that will be starting in Sept-ember at Sea Mills Infant School ?
The School won a Lottery grant for setting up these two clubs. They are FREE and open to all 5-7 yr olds in the community (you don't have to attend Sea Mills School to join).
Both clubs will run on a Tuesday starting Sept 24 for two terms. Foot-ball will be 3.15-4.15 and Gymnastics 3.15-4pm. For more information tel Sea Mills Infant School on 9030088 and ask for Mrs Hill.
| (VB) |
Summer Security
Summer's here, or should I say the wet season - so when you finally venture out to mow lawns or cut hedges (or even sunbathe!) please remember to lock doors and windows as there has been a number of walk-in burglaries in the area.
Although we've had no incidents in Sea Mills yet, there have been some bogus callers. Ask for identification from anyone calling at your door. If you're uncertain about them please call the police.
If you need crime prevention advice, or just want a chat, please contact me on 01275 818181, or leave an answerphone message on 0117 9454380, or email me at Kmthatcher@aol.com - or at work on kevin.thatcher@avonandsomerset.police.uk
NB. Please note I'll be postcoding bikes at the library 4 July, 5-6pm and Thursday 1 August, 1-3pm.
Library Jottings
Thanks to those who came to our World War II talk. An enjoyable evening was had by all, so watch this space for future events.
We welcome Rik Humphreys to our team as a fulltime member. Rik joins us from Bath with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
We now have three more Internet terminals and 2 PCs offering FREE PowerPoint and word processing. Colour printouts are also available.
A full programme of children's activities has been arranged for the Summer holidays with extra dates and events now arranged (see Forthcoming Events above). Come in for tickets and an update.
More changes... coffee mornings now Thursdays 9.30-12; Story Time Mondays 2.15, & Thursdays 10.30; refreshments & toilets available at both. All are welcome and we look forward to seeing faces both new and familiar. For further information come into the library or phone 9038555. See you soon.
| (Rose, Linda, Mary, Rik and Shulah) |
Roy Beaton (1928-2002)
Roy, who was membership secretary of the Project, has died after a long illness. He was born in Bath and after five years in the army - where he became a very young staff sergeant - spent most of his working life at DRG (Robinsons) in the accounts department. As our membership secretary he did a magnificent job creating our membership data-base. We send our condolences to his wife Jean and family.
| (GS) |
Stop Press
The traffic calming scheme for Sea Mills Square is likely now to go ahead during the school holidays. No comments were received by the designers during the public consultation period, so we've only got ourselves to blame if we don't like it!
One feature will be an island separating the two lanes of traffic in the middle of the Square. The Project are hoping to beautify it to a certain extent with their idea for a Millennium Marker. Some additional artistic feature might also yet be possible.