Don't miss the big Abbotswood Christmas event on Saturday 30th November

Get your festive season off to a splendid start with the Abbotswood Christmas Fair and family event on Saturday 30th November from 4 pm until 6pm. This ever-popular event has lots to offer for all ages. Donkeys, live music... What's not to like? Santa will of course be there too, ready for the switch-on of the big Abbotswood Christmas tree.

Yate Heritage Centre summer events

Yate Heritage Centre is running a wide range of events aimed at young people during the school holidays:

• 7th August -Traditional Wash Day 10.30am—4pm
  Free drop in sessions. Children to be accompanied.
  Free Children’s Holiday Workshops 10.30am or 1.30pm
  Booking essential. Children to be accompanied.
   
• 8th August - Civil War Doctor & Craft
   
• 14th August - Heraldry Workshop
   
• 15th August - Roman Clay Workshops

British Lung Foundation Support Group for people with breathing problems opens in Yate

The British Lung Foundation Support Group for people with breathing problems is now in Yate.

Meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of the month (unless like July when we have 5 Tuesdays in the month)

So the meetings this year are Tuesday 23rd July, 20th August, 17th September, 22nd October, 19th November and 17th December in 2019.   The group meets in the Coffee Bar and lounge at the Armadillo. This venue is opposite Morrison’s which has good car parking, and also at the back of the sports centre which has ample parking too. Free refreshments are provided.

The support group is run by members, with speakers from the Sirona Team with to give advice or to answer your questions, they have the knowledge to help. It can be easy to feel you are on your own with your condition, but here you will find others who understand.

The group also has other guest speakers. So far they have had a visit from the Police to talk about how we can keep ourselves safe, and a wonderful man from Wapley Bushes Nature Reserve with ideas of places locally where we can go for a walk with ample parking facilities.

For further details please telephone Christine on 07973 637273 or 01454 882151.

Play Scheme at Abbotswood School during August

Four Towns Play Association will be running a free play scheme at Abbotswood School on Tuesdays and Thursdays during August - please see details below.

South Glos Waste Strategy consultation - change of emphasis

South Glos Council's proposed Resource and Waste Strategy is pivoting from the current emphasis on recycling - which has been very successful - to saving resources by reducing consumption. Examples are eliminating single-use items and reducing the amount of raw materials we all use.

There is a detailed strategy document and an online questionnaire, or you can download and print a paper version of the survey to post to South Glos or hand in at a local library or one stop shop. The consultation is open until Friday 27th September 2019.

There will be roadshows - our most local ones are:
02 July (Tuesday) at Waitrose, Chipping Sodbury between 10:00 - 18:00
28 August (Wednesday) at Yate Shopping Centre between 10:00 - 14:00

There will also be presentations at the coming Community Engagement Forums - the one for Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington will be on Thursday 11 July at St Nicholas Church, Abbotswood, Yate BS37 4LG.

Yate Women's Institute - come and join this new friendly group!

The new Yate WI meets on the second Monday of each month at Poole Court at 7.30 pm. Just come along, or email yatewiavon@gmail.com to find out more.

Plans for Yate Heritage Centre extension on display until Saturday

Come along to find out more and have your say about these exciting proposals.

Chipping Sodbury Big Lunch - 800 years and a time capsule!

This year’s Chipping Sodbury Big Lunch event will be exactly on the 800th anniversary of Chipping Sodbury being granted a Market Charter by King Henry III. This allowed William Crassus, the Lord of the Manor, to hold the first market in Chipping Sodbury in 1218.

The 2018 Big Lunch will be medieval themed and for this year only is taking place in August instead of June. It will be held on Sunday, August 12th 2018 from 12 noon to 6 pm.

Lots of medieval themed entertainment is planned including maypole dancing, a special medieval play performed by Sodbury Players, stocks, local bands and dance groups, plus much more to be announced! There will be a Knights and Princesses fancy dress competition for children.

It is planned to bury a time capsule on the day, sealed to be opened in 100 years. All businesses, groups, charities, organisations, schools and nurseries based in the town are invited to contribute items to the capsule which will be buried at the Millennium Garden. The aim is to provide a snapshot in time of life in Chipping Sodbury in 2018.

If you would like more information please email alexandra.womack@hotmail.co.uk

Items being included in the capsule will be displayed at the Big Lunch on 12th August. If anyone would like to help cover the costs of this historic project please get in touch.

Beating the Bounds on 6th May

Yate Town Council's annual Beating the Bounds walk takes place on Sunday 6 May - an ancient tradition revived as a family walk to explore Yate Common. Meet at the kissing gate opposite St Briavel's Drive at 3 pm.

Beating the Bounds is a traditional local activity for Rogation Sunday, walking round the boundaries of the Common so that people know what they hold as a community asset. In some places they beat the bounds of an entire parish, or ride round the boundaries of larger parishes.

The Common was nearly sold off for housing some years ago, but a determined campaign by local people (many now in the Focus Team) kept it in public ownership. This gives beating the bounds of the Common a special meaning. Please bring your children to show them what a lovely area we have just on the edge of the town.

Please come and join the walk. Dogs are welcome, and if you can bring a small child even better.  As long as they are don’t mind (too much) they get turned upside down at each kissing gate/corner and then given sweets, which is the local take on the original practice of beating them with sticks and then giving them a coin.

Kingsgate Park - congratulations and Easter Eggs!

Congratulations to Yate Town Council, their staff and all the volunteers of the Friends of Kingsgate Park! The park has been awarded FIVE STARS in South West in Bloom's Pride in Parks Award. It's a very well deserved recognition of all the hard work that has been put in.

Yate Town Council in conjunction with the Friends of Kingsgate Park will be holding the annual Easter Egg Extravaganza on Easter Monday from 10 am - until all the eggs are gone!

This is a free event, but please be aware the number of prizes available is limited. Judging of the Easter Bonnet Parade is at 11 am.

For more information, please contact Yate Town Council on 01454 866506.

Tackling loneliness - information evening 20 March

A recent survey by Contact the Elderly showed that a third of people had noticed a lonely older person in their community and been concerned, and 40% did not feel confident that they knew how they could help.

South Gloucestershire Disability Network are hosting an information evening for community members to find out:

• How to approach this situation
• What you can do to help
• What schemes exist to help isolated people locally

The event will take place on Tuesday 20th March at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Registration starts at 6pm, after which attendees can have some nibbles and a look around stalls of local organisations should they wish. The main event will start at 6.30pm, to end around 8.30pm.

The event is aimed at businesses, workers, volunteers and members of the community who have, or might have, contact with lonely people, but who may not be sure what they can do to help. The aim is to increase confidence and provide some new skills in approaching situations with potentially lonely people, as well as provide attendees with information about schemes which may be of use to others in the community – for example First Contact and Community Connectors.

Booking is essential via Eventbrite.

M4 Junction 18a - South Glos Cabinet set to support Western option

Following last year's consultation on a possible new junction 18a on the M4, South Gloucestershire's Conservative Cabinet looks set to support the Western option via Emersons Green as the preferred route.

This option involves re-aligning the motorway at Henfield. Residents have already contacted us to raise concerns. As yet we have seen no plan for how they intend to manage the additional traffic this will push through our villages and the residential roads in the south of Yate. Nor have we seen a plan for how, when or where a link will be provided from the new junction to Yate and how that will feed into the already congested road network in the town. If these issues are not properly addressed ahead of time, this new junction will just add to local transport problems.

What's on at Yate Library - December 2017

Christmas activities at Yate Library:

• Thursday 14 December - Christmas Rhymetime - Yate Library, 10.30am to 11am
• Tuesday 19 December - Christmas crafts - Yate Library, 10.30am to 12 midday
• Thursday 21 December - Stories around the tree (presented by Yate Library Teen Focus Group) - Yate Library, 5pm to 6pm

Regular events:

• Teen Focus Group meets monthly (3rd Thursday of the month)
• Rhymetime for pre-school children: Thursdays 10:30am term time only
• Exhibition space – Yate library showcases the best local arts and crafts for you to see, enjoy and even buy
• Lego Club for primary school age children, who must be accompanied by a grown-up.  One Saturday a month at 10:30am to 11:30am
• DigiLocal Club – Coding Club for 8-14 year olds.  Every Thursday, 6pm to 7pm. Places must be booked – email digilocal@hbb.org.uk.

Library opening over Christmas and New Year:

Click here for a list of Library Opening Hours over the holiday

For more details please check out the Yate Library web page

 

Chipping Sodbury Victorian Day this Saturday

Don't forget that it's Chipping Sodbury Victorian Day this Saturday (2nd December) from 1 pm to 8 pm.

Lots of fun for all the family - please see the Chipping Sodbury Victorian Day Facebook page for more details.

Abbotswood Christmas event Sat 25 November - fun for everyone!

The 4th annual Abbotswood Christmas Event takes place on Saturday 25th November in the Abbotswood shopping centre starting at 4pm. The attractions include:

• Dodington parish brass band
• Christmas bazaar
• Father Christmas  
• Street magician 
• Face painting 
• Living nativity with live donkeys
• Local school choir 
•  Big Christmas Lights switch-on by the Mayor of Yate

Reminder - Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes this Friday

Justa  reminder that the Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, which had to be postponed last month due to high winds, will take place this Friday 10 November at 7 pm.

This Owl Prowl will be led by well-known local expert Ian McGuire. Ian's owl prowls are a night-time walk in woodlands for all the family where you can learn about British owls through his iPad video presentations and through the evening he will be calling wild tawny owls in the hope that one will call back and possibly fly in for everyone to view.

Owl prowls are suitable for all age groups from 5 to 95 and usually involve a limited amount of walking. They are fun and fascinating and will leave participants much more aware of how amazing owls are and what they need to survive in the wild.

No captive owls are used at this event but Ian's success rate for calling in wild owls is approximately 60% so the anticipation of seeing a wild one is always very great. We're hoping that the tawny owls we saw last time on the edge of Wapley Common may put in an appearance once again.

Meet 7 pm at the Shire Way entrance to the Nature Reserve. Please wear sensible footwear and bring a torch.
(Organised by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, sponsored by South Gloucestershire Council)

Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington Community Engagement Forum 16 November

The Community Engagement Forum will be meeting 7 pm – 9 pm on 16 November at Poole Court, Poole Court Drive, Yate BS37 5PP.

This is your chance to talk directly to local Police and Fire and Rescue representatives, and Town/Parish and South Glos Councillors about issues of local concern.

There will also be a presentation about the work done by Abbotswood Action Group and the progress made in the Abbotswood area.

Pirate fun at Yate Library this Tuesday

A fun pirate-themed craft session is are being held in Yate Library this half-term.

All activities are free drop-in events for primary school aged children.

The pirate pandemonium sessions are taking place as follows:
Yate Library - Tuesday, October 24, 10.30am to 12pm.
Rhyme-times and story times are also taking place throughout the holiday at selected libraries.

Visit this South Glos web page for details.

New date for Wapley Owl Prowl

The Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, which had to be postponed last Friday due to high winds, has now been rescheduled for Friday 10 November at 7 pm.

This Owl Prowl will be led by well-known local expert Ian McGuire. Ian's owl prowls are a night-time walk in woodlands for all the family where you can learn about British owls through his iPad video presentations and through the evening he will be calling wild tawny owls in the hope that one will call back and possibly fly in for everyone to view.

Owl prowls are suitable for all age groups from 5 to 95 and usually involve a limited amount of walking. They are fun and fascinating and will leave participants much more aware of how amazing owls are and what they need to survive in the wild.

No captive owls are used at this event but Ian's success rate for calling in wild owls is approximately 60% so the anticipation of seeing a wild one is always very great. We're hoping that the tawny owls we saw last time on the edge of Wapley Common may put in an appearance once again.

Fri 10 November, meet 7 pm at the Shire Way entrance to the Nature Reserve. Please wear sensible footwear and bring a torch.
(Organised by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, sponsored by South Gloucestershire Council)

Wapley Owl Prowl and Dog Walk POSTPONED

This evening's Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes is being postponed due to forecast high winds.

We have a provisional date of Friday 10 November at 7 pm - we will confirm here.
EDIT - THIS NEW DATE HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED

Sorry for any inconvenience - the Conservation Group will be at the gate this evening to tell anyone who doesn't know it's cancelled.

The Dodington Dog Walk at Wapley tomorrow morning has also been cancelled for safety reasons due to continued high winds.