Help make Yate a Dementia Friendly Town

Are you living with dementia? What would make life easier for people with dementia in our town? If you have ideas for making Yate easier for people with dementia or would like to know more please come to a meeting in Yate Parish Hall (the middle hall just along from the little Tesco) from 2pm to 4pm this coming Monday, 29th September.

Sue Walker is leading a campaign to make Yate a more dementia friendly place. Sometimes it's about knowing how to assist when someone is a bit confused. Many of the things are little things like numbering in the car park so we can remember where the car is......Our aim is to get a group of residents together to identify what could be done, and then set out about getting buy in. The Shopping Centre has already offered to help, and the Library has set up a Memory Cafe. Now Sue has won funding from Yate Town Council to support the project.

So - what Sue needs now is YOU - and your ideas and experiences. Do please come. If you cannot come, but have ideas or would like to be kept informed please contact Sue Walker on 310980.

Discover nature and find out about the sun this week

The Discover Festival continues with lots of local events. This Friday 26 September at 2 pm there is a Wild Walk in Yate to discover autumn wildlife, fungi and wild edibles with local naturalist Ed Drewitt on ramble around Goose Green. No dogs allowed except guide dogs.

Meet at Goose Green on the Frome Valley Walkway, at the entrance on Oak Close, BS37 5TW. Booking required - press the Book Now button on http://www.southglos.gov.uk/events/wild-walk-discover-autumn-wildlife-fungi-and-wild-edibles-2/

And this Saturday 27 September you can "Discover the sun!" starting 11 am at St. Nicholas’ Family Centre, Chargrove, Yate, BS37 4LG.  Discover more about the sun at this astronomy talk with the Cotswold Astronomy Society plus outdoor observation session using solar telescopes (weather permitting).

No dogs allowed except guide dogs. Age: 12 plus. Booking required - press the Book Now button on http://www.southglos.gov.uk/events/discover-the-sun-astronomy-talk-and-use-of-solar-telescopes/

Many more Discover Festival events are listed here: http://www.southglos.gov.uk/discover-festival/#!/

Abbotswood Apple Day returns for 2014 - Saturday 18 October

After its success last year, Abbotswood Apple Day returns by popular demand. It's a real community event with lots of activities for all ages.  Come and join the fun from 11am to 3pm at Abbotswood precinct and St Nicholas Family Centre!

South West In Bloom results for our area

Please pass this results list on to everyone you think may be interested, and remind them that the Yate and Dodington In Bloom certificates will be presented at our volunteers' evening, 7.30pm next Thursday 25 September at Poole Court. Everyone who has contributed to these splendid results will be welcome.

Congratulations to all concerned!

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YATE AND DODINGTON IN BLOOM RESULTS

PENNANT AWARD
GOLD PENNANT in Town and City (North) category

NEIGHBOURHOODS ON THE PENNANT ROUTE
Wapley Common and the Orchard for the Future - Level 5 Outstanding
Dodington Allotments - Level 5 Outstanding
Kingsgate Park - Level 5 Outstanding
Yate Heritage Centre - Level 4 Thriving
Yate Shopping Centre - Judged as part of Pennant route, not a neighbourhood

NEIGHBOURHOODS AWARDS

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve - Level 3 Developing
Yate Common - Level 3 Developing
Yate Station and Shops - Level 3 Developing
Bright Beginnings Pre-School - Level 3 Developing
St Mary’s Churchyard - Level 2 Improving
Kennedy Way Pond - Level 3 Developing
Lilliput Park - Level 3  Developing
St Nicholas Family Centre and Jacobs Well - Level 2 Improving
Abbotswood Community Greenspaces - Level 2 Improving


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SODBURY IN BLOOM RESULTS
GOLD PENNANT in Village and Small Town (North) category

NEIGHBOURHOODS ON THE PENNANT ROUTE
Batten Court - Level 4 Thriving
Chipping Sodbury High Street - Level 5 Outstanding
The Ridings - Level 5 Outstanding

Get some fresh air this weekend at Wapley Bushes

There are TWO events at Wapley this weekend:

Wapley Bushes Bat Walk Saturday 13 September

It's time to go detecting again! Join Avon Bat Group for a twilight stroll in search of bats. Bat detectors provided. Wear warm clothes and boots and bring a torch. Children must be accompanied, but they love this one, "going round the creepy woods in the dark"

Meet at 7.15 pm at the Shire Way entrance to Wapley Bushes (opposite Cherington, Yate, BS37 8YA)

Wapley Bushes Work Morning, Sunday 14 September

This workday will be the annual stream clearance when the Conservation Group hope to clear the central watercourse through the main woodland. The aim is to preserve the habitat of the rare local thin-spiked wood sedge. All welcome, though obviously children must be accompanied. Teenagers are very welcome - they're energetic! - and there will also be lighter tasks for people who prefer them. Please wear walking or wellington boots, and bring some gloves if you have them.

Meet at 10.00 am at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland (Opposite Cherington, BS37 8YA)

Explore historic collieries - just two of 200 activities for Discover Week!

This year's Discover Festival features more than 200 events, of which over 150 are free. Full information is available from the South Glos website, or the Festival leaflet is available from libraries or Chipping Sodbury Tourist Information Centre.

This year offers not one, but TWO collieries to explore and find out about out industrial heritage. It will be possible to visit both Ram Hill and Oldwood this weekend.

On Sunday 14 September you have a chance to go on a guided tour of the remains of Ram Hill Colliery near Coalpit Heath (10.00am - 4.30 pm) - you can find more details about Ram Hill here

Oldwood Pit between Yate and Rangeworth will be open Saturday 13 September 2.00pm - 5.00pm and Sunday 14 Sept 10.00 - 4.30 . More information, directions etc can be found on the South Glos Mines Research Group website.

Success as new proposals received for Wapley footbridge over railway

Paul Hulbert at the Wapley Footbridge

We reported previously that Network Rail's original plans for raising the footbridge from Shire Way to Wapley Common had been rejected by South Gloucestershire Council.

Network Rail have now produced much more realistic plans, with a bridge width of 3 metres which will accomodate bikes and pushchairs safely. They presented their plans to Dodington Parish Council's Planning Committee yesterday evening, and the plans will be made more widely available shortly.

The bridge needs to be modified to cope with the electrification of the main railway line. There will be a temporary footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists while work takes place, but unfortunately the temporary bridge will not be suitable for pushchairs.

Work is likely to restart in November, with the bridge being closed from December to March.

Children's book giveaway this Saturday

This Saturday, 13th September, Yate Library will be giving away 50 copies of bestselling book Diary of a Wimpy Kid to local children. The giveaway is in support of Good Morning Britain’s ‘Just Read’ campaign, to encourage parents and carers to spend ten minutes reading with their children every day.

Yate Library is one of 200 libraries across the UK taking part in the ‘Just Read’ giveaway which is supported by national charity The Reading Agency and children’s publisher Puffin. The campaign comes as leading charities, teachers, parents and businesses have come together to form  ‘Read On. Get On.’ It aims to support parents and teachers to get all 11 year olds reading well by 2025.

As well as the giveaway, children who visit the library on 13th September will be able to enjoy quizzes, puzzles, games and competitions. Children can come to the library dressed as Greg Heffley (the Wimpey Kid) or in something orange.

This event marks the end of the summer activities at Yate library. Thousands of children took part in the Summer Reading Challenge.

Please complete a short survey to support the campaign to update the Kelston Close changing rooms

Please help the project to update the changing rooms at our local playing fields! Dodington Parish Council manages the changing rooms at the QEII Playing Fields at Kelston Close.

Over the years, and with heavy use during football seasons, the changing rooms have become run down and look very sad. The good news is that Dodington Parish Council is seeking to completely renovate the building and the area around it.

The Council is preparing to apply for funding from the Lottery Funded Sport England Inspired Facilities Fund.

Your comments and views are needed to help make our application successful - please share this post and encourage local people to fill in the survey.

Click this link to complete the very short questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/qe2kelston

New memory cafe opening this Thursday

If you or someone you know is affected by dementia, there is a new memory café launching at Emersons Green library this Thursday 11 September.

Come along to the new memory café and meet other people in a similar situation. This is a friendly and supportive atmosphere where people and families affected by dementia can get together and share their own experiences over a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Staff and volunteers from the Alzheimer’s Society will be on hand to provide you with information and offer support. Although the café is run by the society with support from South Gloucestershire Council, the café is also suitable for people with other forms of dementia.

The library will be open as usual so you can also take the opportunity to borrow books or DVDs, use the computers free of charge, and find out about library services.

The café is open monthly between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Thursday 11 September, Thursday 9 October, Thursday 13 November and Thursday 11 December.

If you’d like to find out more contact your local Alzheimer’s Society on 0117 961 0693 or email bristol@alzheimers.org.uk

Update 12/09/2014: I've just been told that there's also a Memory Cafe at Yate Library, open from 2.30pm until 4.30pm on the last Thursday of every month. More details here.

Cineworld confirmed for new Yate Riverside cinema, opening late 2015

Cineworld have been confirmed as the main tenant for the new cinema and retail development, which will be called Yate Riverside. The main construction work will start early next year, aiming for the cinema to be ready late in the year, ready for Xmas.

Councillor Ruth Davis, a member of the Focus Team that has been fighting for a cinema in Yate for well over 10 years, expressed her delight that things are now happening: “Many previous shopping centre owners have told me they will try to get a cinema but nothing has ever come of it. Today Yate Shopping Centre's owners Crestbridge are delivering and I know that local councillors and residents are absolutely thrilled that things are moving forward"

“With the proposed expansion in housing, Yate needs to be a centre on its own and not reliant on Bristol and other shopping centres. Crestbridge promised us that high street names will come to Yate and we already have some, with others to follow. It is these shops that will draw in visitors to enable the smaller independent traders to succeed and make Yate a thriving centre.”

Steve Webb MP welcomed the news and said: “I’m delighted that the plans for the cinema complex have taken another step forward. After years of campaigning we are nearing the finishing line, and I look forward to joining other local residents in seeing films locally, hopefully by the end of next year”.

Still time to sign the "missing link" cycle path petition

If you missed the launch of our petition to gather support for completing the “missing link” of the cycle path from Yate and Westerleigh to Bristol and Bath, there's still time to sign it.

The path currently ends just south of Westerleigh. South Glos has been awarded some government money from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The cycle path project was part of the bid, but as ever not enough money has been awarded to do everything. The council will be deciding which projects should go ahead next March.

The petition is available online at http://tinyurl.com/cyclelink. Paper copies are available from Paul Hulbert by emailing paul.hulbert@gmail.com.

Old Sodbury to be made 30 mph?

South Glos Council is consulting about a proposal to reduce the speed limit on the main A432 Badminton Road through Old Sodbury from 40 mph to 30 mph to make the road safer. Click here to see full details of the proposals. The consultation runs until Friday 19 September.

Free Road Smart driving courses

The statistics around road safety are scary. 95% of all collisions are caused by human error and a third of all serious crashes involve people aged 17-24. Avon & Somerset Police are therefore keen for as many people as possible to attend a FREE 2 hour session to improve their driving awareness.

The sessions are available in Keynsham, Bath, Filton, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Chipping Sodbury and Yeovilton and are bookable for 17-24 year olds and for those aged 25 and over. This new and potentially life-saving session is available to all drivers. To see the dates on offer and to book a place visit www.roadsmart.org

And if you give them some feedback after the session, you will be entered into a prize draw for a brand new iPad!

Chipping Sodbury police station opening hours reduced

The police have announced that they are reducing the opening hours at the Chipping Sodbury enquiry office from this week. It will be will be open Monday to Friday 10am until 6pm, but will be closed for lunch between 1.30pm and 2.15pm.