Could YOU help survey our traditional orchards?

Traditional orchards are a much loved part of our British heritage and countryside providing fruit and peaceful places to enjoy, as well as food and shelter for hundreds of rare plants and animals.

Since 1950 Natural England estimates that overall orchard area in England has declined by 63%, and it's probably higher in our area because of all the building developments.

The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) recently carried out an England orchard inventory, listing 321 potential traditional orchards in South Gloucestershire covering an area of 127.9 hectares. So far, owner questionnaires have revealed that 8% of traditional orchards in South Gloucestershire are in excellent condition, 40% in good condition and 52% in poor condition. 12 traditional orchards were in Environmental stewardship comprising 9.10 hectares. Further information about the national survey can be found at www.ptes.org.

The South Gloucestershire Orchard survey will now build on the work undertaken by the national survey and aims to fill the gaps, where survey data has not been verified and by identifying orchards that have been left out.

South Gloucestershire Council currently have a work placement volunteer who is looking at the 1915 maps to find out just how many orchards have been lost locally. It's early days but the losses for most parishes look to be around 90% which represents an area of anywhere between 3ha (Bradley Stoke) and 60ha (Thornbury).

Could YOU help with this community project? South Glos is currently looking for volunteers to take part in the survey and help verify the orchards in the parish.

You can find out more about the survey here. If you are interested in helping with the orchard survey  please email Sarah Wells sarah.wells@southglos.gov.uk or John Morris johnv.morris@southglos.gov.uk, or call 01454 863581.

South Gloucestershire Council offer small environmental grants for community groups or landowners wishing to restore or create traditional orchards, just like the one created at Wapley last year. Contact John Morris on 01454 863581 or email johnv.morris@southglos.gov.uk for more information, or download details from: www.southglos.gov.uk/environmentalgrants.

Lock that bike! Video shows how to avoid it being stolen.

Lock that bike! Video of New York bike expert Hal Ruzal in Bristol shows how to lock your bike - and how not to!

Cycleway link - new planning application "The Fishing Lakes Link"

South Glos Council has submitted planning application no. PT12/0895/R3F for an 800 metre length of cyclepath parallel with Westerleigh Rd, from its junction with Kidney Hill to the Green Lane that gives leads towards the Railway Path at Coxgrove Hill. This would avoid the "pinch point" under the motorway at the rail depot, and give a more direct route in due course to Emersons Green.

See the South Glos website for details - look under Documents, then "The Fishing Lakes Link" for full details in a very understandable form. If you wish to make a comment it has to be in by 17 April.

This is an extension of the Yate to Railway Path cycle link already planned. To get direct to Emersons Green, a further link would be needed via Lyde Green - there's no planning application for that at the moment.

Incidentally, the Joint Cycleways Group meeting due on 17 April has been postponed because the representatives from Sodbury Town Council can't make it. They're trying to reschedule for early May. We will report here after the meeting.

Have your say on children and youth services on Monday

Make sure you have your say on South Gloucestershire Council’s plans for its services for children and young people. The consultation website says:

"We believe we need to shift our emphasis from providing services to everyone towards supporting those who are most in need – and from reacting to problems towards preventing problems from happening"

The Council would be looking to partners such as the town and parish councils and voluntary bodies to take on the running of the youth centres and children’s centres.  

"If organisations do not come forward to take over these centres, it is expected that they will need to be decommissioned"

Last week Lib Dem Councillors submitted a number of questions to the Executive Member for Children and Young People raising concerns.

There will be a drop-in session 7pm-9pm next Monday 2nd April in Shireway Community Centre, Yate. If you care about services for children and young people, please come along.

You can find out more about the consultation and make your comments on the Council’s website.

Last chance to have your say on Yate Leisure Centre plans

You only have until tomorrow (Saturday 31 March) to have your say on plans by Circadian Trust, who run the South Glos leisure centres, to make changes at Yate and Thornbury Leisure Centres. Under the plans, Yate Bowls Club and other bowlers who currently use Yate would be expected to use Thornbury instead and the bowls hall at Yate would be converted into a home for King Edmund Acrogymnastics Club.

Information on the plans and feedback forms are available at both leisure centres and King Edmund Acrogymnastics Club. Alternatively you can respond online. There is a dedicated helpline and email address for anyone with any queries: 0800 073 1047 or circadian@jbp.co.uk .

Chipping Sodbury - Yate - Cribbs Causeway bus service under threat

Wessex Connect has announced its intention to discontinue the 482/483 services from Chipping Sodbury via Yate, Frampton Cotterell, Winterbourne and Bradley Stoke to Cribbs Causeway with effect from Sunday 20th May. The Evening Post reports that the company says the services are no longer commercially viable, but South Glos Council is holding talks with the company to see if the services can be reinstated.

Meanwhile, some minor changes come into effect from 1st April. South Glos say that the 342/X42 Timetable is being revised to improve reliability and punctuality. Monday to Friday 1805 Service X42 from Bristol, Bus Station to Chipping Sodbury, Wickwar Road is withdrawn. Saturday there is an additional journey at 0730 from Bristol, Bus Station to Chipping Sodbury, Wickwar Road to provide an earlier first journey. The Sunday and Public Holiday daytime frequency is increased from every 120 minutes to every 60 minutes. All daytime journeys will be operated on a commercial basis and will no longer receive financial support from South Gloucestershire Council.

Current bus timetables are available from the South Glos website.

Over 50? Looking for a job or considering self employment? Free workshop Wed 18 April

• Do you live in South Gloucestershire?
• Are you over 50?
• Have you been actively looking for a job or are you considering self-employment?

If you answered yes to all the above, the Red Door @50 Careers Workshop could be for you... Get help with finding a job or starting a business!


Wednesday 18 April 10.00 am to 2.00 pm at the Armadillo Youth Café, Yate Town Centre. 
Free Lunch provided.


Guest speaker from Marks and Spencer: ‘What Employers Want’


To attend, please request an application form by email from info@reddoorcoachingandtraining.co.uk


This event is delivered By Red Door Coaching and Training Ltd in association with South Glos Council.