THE LOFT GRUFFALO THE MUSICAL ROARS INTO TOWN page 18 SPOTLIGHT ON... NOAH’S ARK ZOO FARM GREAT FAMILY DAY OUT page 12 AUG 2010 ISSUE 13 Kingswood/Hanham/Longwell Green/Warmley/Cadbury Heath/Barrs Court & Oldland Read The Pigeon online @ www.the-pigeon.com Contact Us Today For Your FREE Market Appraisal 74 Regent Street, Kingswood. Tel: 0117 9677895 email: kingswood@taylorsestateagents.co.uk 13 Bristol branches ensuring we get you the best possible price for your property Rotary Club K ingswood Rotary Club has elected its first ever female president. The club has elected Lizzie Harris to be the first lady president in the group’s 71-year history. Ms Harris plans for a “happy and successful” year as president and is looking forward to continuing the tradition of supporting charity. Rotary - an international organisation through- out the world - is probably best known for its charity work, with its motto ‘Service Above Self’. Rotary International contd on page 3 GLASS & GLAZING 24hr tel: call Jon on 07793 033422 • UPVC Windows, Doors & Conservatories • Mirrors • Misted Units • Shopfronts • Soffits, Gutters & Fascias•Maintenance • Sash UPVC Windows All aspects of glazing for domestic and commercial LOCAL NEWS CHRIS SKIDMORE MP FIGHTS FOR FRENCHAY HOSPITAL page 26 & 27
Contact Us Today For Your FREE Market Appraisal74 Regent Street, Kingswood. Tel: 0117 9677895 email: [email protected]
13 Bristol branchesensuring we get you thebest possible price for your property
Rotary Club
Kingswood Rotary Club has elected its first ever female president.
The club has elected Lizzie Harris to be the first lady president in the group’s 71-year history. Ms Harris plans for a “happy and successful” year as president and is looking forward to continuing the tradition of supporting charity.
Rotary - an international organisation through-out the world - is probably best known for its charity work, with its motto ‘Service Above Self’. Rotary International contd on page 3
contd from front pagein Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) has over 55,000 members in 1,840 clubs.
The Kingswood Rotary club - first established in 1939 - has supported both local and international charities. Some of the local charities supported by the club have included Hop Skip and Jump, Jessie May Trust and the Kingswood Foundation.
To find out more about the organisation and its work, or to find out more about joining the group, please visit www.kingswood.rotaryweb.org.
New Business GroupA new business group in Kingswood has recently
been launched. 4Networking is a group that is both for business
and for social purposes and claims to work effectively in promoting businesses.
4networking’s online community has over 25,000 members from across the UK and also in other countries.
The Kingswood branch will be holding their 2nd breakfast meeting at The Wishing Well pub at Kingswood Aspects Leisure Park on Tuesday 10th August, with a third meeting taking place at the same venue on Tuesday 24th August.
For more information, visit www.4networking.biz.
Heritage Museum Special events at Kingswood Heritage Museum,
in Tower Lane, Warmley, will be taking place during the August bank holiday.
On the 29th and 30th August there will be a chance to explore the 18th Century brass mill, with its icehouse, grottos (not normally open to the public) and gardens. There will also be an art exhibition from local artists, and for children younger than 12 years there will be free games. Refreshments will be available.
The museum will be open from 11am until 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
The Company That Loves To PerformClasses for 6-9 years, 9-12 years and 13-18 years Centres at: St Mary Redcliffe & Temple School from 10-1pm Mangotsfield School South Glos 2-5pm NEW! Classes at YATE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY 2-5pm
Join Theatretrain NOW and appear in our next performance. Open to all abilities - no audition necessary.
Tel: 0117 9573513 for detailsPATRONS: SIR DEREK JACOBI KBE, KATE WILLIAMS, ALFRED MOLINA, FRANCES DE LA TOUR, CATHERINE TATE
www.theatretrain.co.uk
For young people aged 6-18 years of age1 HOUR Dance 1 HOUR Drama 1 HOUR Singing
Praise For CouncilSouth Gloucestershire Council has been praised
by the department of health for the way that it sup-ports people with learning difficulties.
The Regional Learning Difficulties Programme Board, which reports to the Department of Health South West, said that the work done by the council contained some great examples of good practice that should be shared with other local councils. It was said that the council helped a range of people with learning difficulties and the board were impressed with the work done to support and enable these groups.
South Gloucestershire Council was also praised for the way it supported both the carers and the fam-ilies of people with learning difficulties.
Councillor Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing said: “We welcome the comments made by the Department of Health and we will be pleased to share our progress with other authorities.
“Thanks and appreciation must go to all members of the South Gloucestershire Learning Difficulties Partnership Board, especially carers and those with learning difficulties.”
Leigh Campbell, Learning Difficulties Partnership Boards Co-chairperson said: “It is really good to hear that they like what we do. We try to help people as much as possible.”
Postcard Scheme A special new postcard scheme has recently been
launched to help look after some of the most vulner-able adults in the South Gloucestershire area.
The card contains useful telephone numbers and email addresses to contact if it is believed somebody may be being abused in any way - abuse such as physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discrimi-natory or institutional.
Ways to report abuse include calling the council on 01454 868007 and by emailing [email protected]. The police can be contacted on 0845 456 7000 or by calling 999 in an emergency, and you can also contact the Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161.
Councillor Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing and older people’s champion said: “This initiative makes it easier to help the more vulnerable in our society and we will continue to work with our partners to introduce ini-tiatives such as this.”
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Local Fly TippingLocal residents are being encouraged to report in-
cidents of fly tipping to the council.The fly tipping, which is causing problems for the
local wildlife, has been taking place in the areas of Oldland, North Common and Bitton and was high-lighted by Liberal Democrat councillors in their Focus newsletter. The watercourse at the bottom of Malvern Drive is one of the worst hit places for the dumping of rubbish such as bicycles, logs and dis-carded pallets, which have been causing blockages.
If you have any incidents of fly tipping, you can report them by calling South Gloucestershire Coun-cil’s Street Care scheme on 01454 868000. To vol-unteer to pick litter, please call the parish clerk Sha-ron Robbins on 01454 868102.
Music Master Class From Wednesday 25th August until Friday 3rd
September, the Urban Academy will be running a music masterclass for dedicated musicians aged be-tween 14-19.
The project gives the teenagers the chance to work with professional musicians including the popular singer songwriter and lead vocalist in Strangelove, Patrick Duff. The group will be writing 40 minute
original songs around the theme of Tales of Kings-wood Forest. At the end of the week the band will play at The Main Event - the popular festival organ-ised by Youth4Youth.
The Main Event is an award winning music and performing arts festival that is going to take place on 4th September. It showcases the very best of Bris-tol’s homegrown talent, and is run by young people for young people.
Headliners at the 2009 event were popular band Fightstar, and this year’s main act is going to be the post-hardcore band The Blackout.
Places for the project are very limited and the academy needs to hear all the entries either sing or play.
You can either send a CD, give a link to your Myspace page or other website, or email over an MP3. Further information on the project can be found at www.urbanacademy.co.uk.
Safer Stronger Meeting The next Hanham and Longwell Green Safer
Stronger Group Meeting is going to be taking place at Hanham Community Centre on 3rd August.
The meeting will start at 2pm. All members of the public are welcome to attend.
Across Down 1 Equine (5) 2 Large Planet (7) 3 Donations (13) 4 Get Together (6) 5 Example (13) 6 Rope (5) 7 Voted For (7)11 Specimens (7)13 Plan (7)14 Critical Situation (6)16 Nightclub (5)17 Requirements (5)
There’s no such thing as an ideal foster carer. Being able to support children & young people & hold on during the difficult times is far more important. Provided you have a spare bedroom, a caring nature and experience with children you could provide a young person with a happy home.
In return we will give you 24/7 support, up to £563.64 per child, per week and professional training - including the opportunity to study for an NVQ. We are currently recruiting in the South West of England.
Kings Chase Shopping Centre in Kingswood have organised a varied and fun filled events programme this summer to keep the kids entertained and the best thing is it is all free!
The events take place every Tuesday in August between 11am and 4pm starting on 3rd August with a Pirates Day. They have a Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike, which all the Mums will enjoy meeting too, so don’t forget your camera. Pirate storyteller Captain Blood will be telling his excit-ing underwater tales and there will be a treasure hunt and prizes for everyone in Fancy Dress.
August the 10th is Giant Games Day with Giant Connect 4, Jenga, Twister, Snakes and Ladders, Buzzer, High Striker and lots more. On the 17th youngsters will get the change to meet TV’s very popular characters Fifi and Bumble. The 24th is Circus Skills and Face Painting Day with members of the Kingswood Foundation. The final event on the 31st has an underwater theme with a Seaside Activity Bouncy Castle and an underwater
themed craft workshop with the wonderfully col-ourful and creative people from Makendoo.
These are exciting times for Kingswood, Boswells cafe opened recently and is a great place to enjoy a well earned break from all the activities and shop-ping.
Kings Chase offers a fantastic variety of shops, in addition to all the High Street retail-ers that you would expect to find, there are also several interesting independent stores where you can always find a bar-gain, and retailers that other small town centres in the area do not have, such as W. H. Smith, Sainsbury’s and depart-ment store Wilkinsons with their vast range of great quality products at great value prices. Kings Chase also has a number of fashion outlets; New Look, Select and Quest. Other stores include P V Turners for quality fruit and veg,
Just Beauty, Sonyx, David Christopher Jewellers, Kingswood Florist, Billing Pharmacy, Boots, Car-phone Warehouse, Phones 4U, Card Factory, Clin-ton Cards, Parsons Bakers, Specsavers, First Choice Travel, Smart Computers, Money Shop and banks Santander and Halifax.
Bristol Balloon FiestaFrom Thursday 12th until Sunday 15th August, the
hugely popular Bristol International Balloon Fiesta returns to Ashton Court Estate for its 32nd year - and it is set to be an exciting four days.
Among many of the events set to take place, there will be mass launches taking place every day at 6am and 6pm, where more than 100 balloons will be taking to the skies above Ashton Court.
There will also be the spectacular nightglows that will be taking place at 9.30pm on Thursday and Sunday, at which over 30 hot air balloons will be glowing magically in time to music.
Joining the fiesta this year will be the famous Red Arrows, who will be performing a remarkable air display, and there will also be over 250 stalls and caterers in the trade village.
With lots more entertainment including a craft marquee, this is an event for all the family and promises to be a great day out - around half a million
people are expected to flock from near and far for the unique fiesta.
The event is run by a not for profit organisation - entrance to the fiesta is free, with only a small charge for car parking. So why not go along and enjoy what is going to be one of the UK’s largest outdoor events this year?
For further information and regular updates, please visit www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk.
Festival Of The TreeFrom 23rd-30th August, Festival Of The Tree will
be taking place at Westonbirt Arboretum.During the week long celebrations, there will be
family activities, trails and much more for visitors to enjoy, while 12 sculptors will be creating works of art from sustainably felled wood. They will then be auctioned on bank holiday Monday in support of Tree Aid, the UK’s only forestry based development charity.
From Friday 27th August until bank holiday Monday, there will be stalls for all kinds of goods including crafts, furniture, sculpture and jewellery, creating the festival’s Exhibitree woodcrafts weekend. For more information, please visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt.
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Reading this advert? So are other people! Place your advert here and get your business seen and heard in Bristol’s Best A5!
SPOTLIGHT ON... Local Tourist Attraction Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
For a great day out in the summer, North Somerset boasts a fantastic gem in the form of Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm - a unique zoo and working farm.
Set in charming 100 acre grounds, the zoo boasts over 100 animals - including lions, tigers, siamang gibbons, meerkats, camels, white rhino, and giraffes, as well as plenty of farm animals, and there are plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with the creatures.
Beautiful deer amble when enter-ing the site making a lovely first impression, and when our party walked in we were immediately struck by how family friendly the site appeared. The zoo has some spectacular structures for young chil-dren to enjoy and there are well planned picnic areas with benches near the playgrounds as well as undercover areas for when it is raining. Over-all there are 12 play areas in the site, each one as exciting as the next.
Follow the path around and you will come across some wonderfully strange American Bison, who ap-peared to enjoy munching the grass, before coming into the zoo farm’s Africa area - home to rhinos, ze-
bras, ostriches and a friendly giraffe called Gerald! Of course, a visit to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm would
not be complete without a look at the lions and the tigers that followed. A special viewing tower made observing the animals very easy and is perfect for those who are more cautious about getting close to the enclosures.
A hands on area with goats and camels is fun and for a small price you can buy
food to feed them.Other features include free animal
shows in a 600 seat area, bumpy tractor rides, and keeper talks.
The zoo is amazing value for money - and there is further oppor-
tunities to save money with a season ticket that allows for discount vouchers
for family and friends as well as unlimited access to the zoo.
Overall, there is too much to enjoy at the zoo to fit in one page. The best thing would be to gather your family and friends two by two (hurrah, hurrah!) and discover for yourself.
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Wraxall, B248 1PG is open February to November, Monday -Saturday 10.30am-5pm. It is closed on Sundays.
For those of you who have never been to Bristol’s Bal-loon Fiesta, I implore you, make the effort this year. For those of you who have, you’ll already know all
about the fantastic spectacle which engulfs Ashton Court once a year, turning the estate into a buoyant sea of sway-ing colour and one of Bristol’s landmark attractions, which adorns a million postcards, articles and screen savers all over the South West.
First held in 1979, the Balloon Fiesta now attracts crowds of up to 100,000 per day. The increased popular-ity of the event caused Bristol City Council to close the Clifton Suspension Bridge from 2004, due to the added strain caused by the sheer number of pedestrians flooding to Ashton Court.
From Friday through to Sunday at 6am and 6pm will be the trademark mass assents, when over 100 balloons take to the skies over Bristol. This remarkable spectacle is not to be missed, as is the Night Glow, which takes place at 9.30pm. The Night Glow takes place on Thursday and Sat-urday and involves 30 or more balloons glowing in time to music. At 4.30pm on Sunday a rival form of aviation takes centre stage, as there is a fly past from the Red Arrows.
In fine weather, the Balloon Fiesta is a fantastic event for all the family. As well as the obvious main attraction, there are numerous bars, eateries and stalls as well as fair ground rides. For a special occasion, why not check out the Fiesta’s website for details of how you could be a part of the mass assent and take to the skies in one of the many balloons?
The Balloon Fiesta is open from 12 noon on Thursday the 12th until Sunday the 15th of August. Entrance is free of charge.
THELOFT
Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2010
AUGUST 2010
What’s on in The Loft!
At The Movies: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Expendables plus this month’s top films and DVDs
On The Stage:Michael McIntyre, Rhod Gilbert and The Gruffalo
Gigs and Music: Xavier Rudd, Bad Religion, plus gig and festival listings
Games:Madden NFL 11, Mafia 2, Victoria 2, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days and Grease: The Official Video Game
Official Charity 2010 The NSPCC
THELOFT
Rambo, Commando, Die Hard, Uni-versal Soldier; as a child I grew up on a diet of war. Then later, as
an adult I embraced a new generation of violence and death and exploitation in ti-tles like Sin City, Crank, Fearless and The Condemned. Then I had a dream and in that dream I dreamt that the heroes from all those blood-spattered films would unite creating a super-team of killers under the guidance of none other than John Rambo himself. They would give each other new names, macho monikers like Dan Paine, Toll Road, Hale Caesar, Yin Yang and Trench. They would arm themselves to the teeth and after being inexplicably wronged and outnumbered would rack up a body count that Ghengis Khan or Stalin would have been enviable of. Then I was struck with the realisation that I wasn’t dreaming, but watching a trailer for a new film and I was filled with an almost biblical joy; ‘The Expendables’ were a reality.
The film sees beret wearing sixty-some-thing Sly Stallone (sporting Tom Jones’ goatie beard and dye job) direct and star as Barney ‘The Schizo’ Ross, a void of emotion who heads up his close-knit team
of mercenary specialists on a mission to over-throw a ruthless South American dictator. But when rogue ex-CIA operative Mon-roe turns up with Steve Austin and turns things ugly, Ross realises that Arnie and Bruce Willis have set them up and sent them on a suicide mission. And this amounts to noth-ing more than the perfect excuse to watch a who’s who of buffed action legends of past and present doing what they do best; wisecracking, muscle-flexing and taking out an entire army of uniformed nobodies. Oh yeah, and save the girl and I dunno, maybe themselves for a sequel? All you need to know is that
as far as action romps go, this is the stuff dreams are made of.
Is it me or have I seen Michael Cera in this movie before? Playing the geeky, awkward guy again. Between jobs
and in a terrible garage rock band. Smit-ten by the Indie chick who he somehow manages to score a date with. But then bang! In walks her ex and suddenly watch-ing Michael Cera in this movie just got a whole lot more fun. Because this particular
movie is an Edgar Wright movie (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and in it he’s playing bass playing comic book hero Scott Pil-grim. So if he wants to keep the girl of his dreams, he’s going to have to man the hell up and battle for her heart, which in this case means defeating all seven of her evil ex-boyfriends.
It’s been a long wait since Matthew
Vaughn refreshed the comedy palate ear-lier in the year with Kick Ass and it seems that with Wright at the helm, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World may be destined to be every bit as irresistible. Already a proven talent, Wright is a director unafraid of his influences who freely riffs on their styles, paying homage but with a twist in that his characters are every bit as aware of the source material as he is. In this case it’s a misspent youth of video games, comic books and power-chords that explode into everything from the high-octane battles and musical set-pieces to the cinematic language and eye-candy aesthetic. It re-mains to be seen if the move across the pond, ramped up budget and the absence of his trusted stars in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will detract from what makes Wright’s own brand of anarchy so damn enjoyable. But then again as my old mum would say, sometimes it’s better to try something new than let it go stale.
RELEASED: Friday 20th AugustSTARRING: Every Action Hero you can think of since 1980DIRECTOR: Sly Stallone
By Tom Elgar
By Tom Elgar
THE EXPENDABLES
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
RELEASED: Wed 25th August STARRING: Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth WinsteadDIRECTOR: Edgar Wright
vDVD
THE LASTAIRBENDERRELEASED: Fri 13th AugustSTARRING: NOAH RINGERDIRECTOR: M. NIGHT SHYAMALANShyamalan caused a stir with his earlier films, most notably Signs and The Sixth Sense, but of late has been universally panned and made little impact at the box-office.
The Last Airbender, based on the hugely successful Nickelo-deon animated TV series, is a live-action feature in which human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire. Set in a world of Asian-influenced martial arts and magic, it tells the story of Aang (Noah Ringer) and his quest to save the world from the ruthless Fire Nation.
The release date has been delayed until mid-August to trans-form the image into 3D, and it looks set to be breathtaking.
CEMETERY JUNCTIONIn Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant’s first collaboration on the big screen, this semi-au-tobiographical adolescent jaunt has their char-acteristic warmth to match the 1970s look. Not a classic but a good film nonetheless.
WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE - A FILM ABOUT THE DOORSFans of Jim Morrison and The Doors will need little persuation with this one. If you missed it at the cinema then go out and get the DVD. This is a must-see documentary, Woo...Yeeah!FOUR LIONSChris Morris has spent the last five years on this much anticipated film, and if you haven’t seen it, it’s provocative and then some. Think combining suicide bombers with Morris’s fear-less comedy and you’ve just begun. Brilliant!.GOING POSTALChock full of marvellous and magical may-hem, this colourful return to Terry Pratchett’s Discworld sees conman Moist Von Lipwig running the Ankh-Morpok post office amidst a menagerie of curious characters.
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DELIVERY & COLLECTION
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THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICERELEASED: Wed 11th AugustSTARRING: NICOLAS CAGEDIRECTOR: JON TURTELTAUBThe lure of Harry Potter’s riches
has proved too tempting for Hollywood as they attempt to dabble with magic this month. Although it lacks the allure of Rowling’s world, there are enough tricks, shiny things and wizardly bust-ups in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice to keep both kids and adults entertained. At least one thing is certain, expect sequels... and lots of them.
SALTRELEASED: Fri 20th August STARRING: ANGELINA JOLIEDIRECTOR: PHILLIP NOYCEIf you’re a fan of The Bourne Tril-ogy then this is a film for you... because it’s basically The Bourne
Identity but with Angelina Jolie. The premise is simple, CIA agent Everlyn Salt (Jolie) is accused of being a Russian spy attempt-ing to kill the President. Thus ensues a series of chase scenes, explosions and martial arts style fighting. It probably won’t top Bourne, but it could be interesting.
SHUTTER ISLAND
It’s 1954 and we’re off to the asylum this month as Martin
Scorsese cranks up the melo-drama and then rams it home in the Hitchcock-esque Shut-ter Island. Leonardo DiCaprio shines as US Marshal Teddy Daniels, sent to investigate a patient’s escape from the island asylum. But why’s no-
body willing to help? What are they hiding? And what goes on in that lighthouse? It’s these questions Teddy must an-swer whilst battling the anxieties in his own troubled mind. But as the headaches get worse and the answers only yield more questions and conspiracy theories Teddy must work fast to unlock the island’s secrets, or become the next patient in the asylum.
PIGEON HOT PICK
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in THE PIGEONCovering Local and Bristol-wide Gigs, Film, Theatre and Comedy.
ADVERTISE HERE for as little as £36 per month
GIGS AND MUSICTHELOFT
Eighties Californian punk rock leg-ends Bad Religion are set to play the O2 Academy this August as
part of a handful of UK dates on their latest European tour. Having recently celebrated their 30th anniversary last spring with a tour that saw them trailed by a camera crew to record a ‘30 years live’ collection, and set to release their 15th studio album, ‘The Dissent Of Man,’ later this year, the boys from Bad Religion are showing no signs of slowing down.
Having been credited with the late 80s revival of punk rock as well as influencing a large number of punk and rock musi-cians throughout their career including The Offspring, NOFX and Pennywise, this is sure to be a classic gig of old hits and new and everything in between.
Tracks to look out for will be “21st Cen-tury (Digital Boy)” and “Infected,” as well as their soaring three part harmonies and their religious and politically driven lyrics.
Xavier Rudd’s relentless world tour comes back round to the UK be-fore advancing on the U.S., how-
ever this time he’s stopping at Bristol’s O2
Academy, come August 3rd – and to all world music enthusiasts out there, this is not a gig to be missed.
For those of you who have not wit-
nessed this musical phenomenon be-fore, prepare yourselves for some mind-blowing electrified slide, funky rhythmic grooves and heart-stopping ballads, all of which echo his first-nation Australian influences.
For years Rudd’s ‘one-man band’ live act created one of the biggest, foot stomp-ing sounds to come out of Australia, and as if it wasn’t enough, this year’s tour sees him joined by the incredible two-piece rhythm section, Izintaba, from South Afri-ca to promote his latest and fullest album recorded in Byron Bay entitled ‘Koonyum Sun.’
Many years ago, Xavier was adopted into the Yolngu clan of Northern Queens-land and the ‘Koonyum Sun’ album truly resonates his devotion to their Indigenous teachings. This latest album is riddled with ancient traditional melodies and spiritual rhythms passed down from when time be-gan, so much so that his discography be-comes a spiritual journey and to witness it live will leave you breathless and begging to catch him every time he stops by.
It seems the latest addition of Izintaba has allowed the already phenomenal musician to channel his truly astounding abilities into a trio that does not disappoint to bring you a sound that encapsulates everything from folk and blues to acoustic and funk. Xavier Rudd’s performance is the definition of ‘roots’ music; it’s dynamic and its influence is growing… fast. This will be a rare treat.
BAD RELIGION
XAVIER RUDD PLAYSO2 ACADEMY By Pat Hammett
O2 ACADEMY
AUGUST Gig listings
THEKLA
COLSTON HALL
FLEECE
THUNDERBOLT
GRAIN BARGE
BIERKELLER
THE LOUISIANA
01: Jah Wobble & The Nippon Dub Ensemble02: Not Advised03: Xavier Rudd07: Bad Religion12: China Crisis04 Sep: Skankers
06: Larry Miller07: Lenny Savage13: Benito Johnson14: Demolition Blues Band20: Kate Leahy26: Simon Lynge27: John E Vistic Experi-ence28: Laid Blak29: Katey Brooks02 Sep: Steve Bush & Fran Fey
04: Lipshock05: Hope Sandoval & The Warm Intentions06: Taint07: Surface Unsigned Semi Final11: Minnaars13: Surface Unsigned Semi Final14: New Rhodes16: Attika17: Never The Bride21: The Hit Ups28: Gimme Shelter30: The Worldonfire01 Sep: Static Thought04: Doreen Doreen
12: Steve Mason / Olo Worms
04: Silver Apples / The Koolaid Electric Company28: Ugly Duckling29: The Chords / The Universal
10: Agnostic Front / All Will Suffer16: Sabbat / Imperial Vengence / Cinders Fall18: The Argent Dawn / Tides Of Virtue / Feral Eve
01 Sep: Jonsi03 Sep: Daz’s Rock 4 Charity
13: Mango Factory
5th-8th: Big ChillEastnor, HerefordshirePrice £155/student £120/13-17 £60/0-12 £4Headliners Kelis, M I A., Massive Attack
26th-29th: Sham-balaSecret location in the MidlandsPrice £109/15-17 £59/5-14 £25/0-5 freeHeadliners TBA
AUGUST Festivals
v
DIEGOBy Zosia Crosse
When Venue magazine said that Bristol band Diego made
music ‘to watch planets to’, they were spot on. Only that was a year ago; now Diego are making musical planets of their own. Their new EP, available at the end of the month, is testimony to their growth and so-lidity as a band. With the sensitive snare of new girl drummer, Emily Wilson, a fairytale xylophone and a cascade of strings, ‘Escape’ makes a triumph of a title track, as Kieran Jefferson’s lead vocal and the band’s four-part harmonies create an ethereal and poignant treat. The
heartfelt bass is ever present and adds to the lilting shower of sound that shows Diego at their most grand. They are ready to be big.
Second track, ‘Just Know That I’m Around’, provides shimmering cymbals and sincere but hopeless lyrics reminiscent of Coldplay’s ‘In My Place’; one to listen to when it’s raining. And lastly, the retrospective yet far reaching ‘Past Imperfect’, with big notes and a reverie induc-ing melody.
I would happily dwell on planet Diego.
PIGEON HOT PICK
ON THE STAGETHELOFT
When Ricky Gervais moved state-side in search of the Hollywood dollar, the British comedy crown
went up for grabs with a number of embat-tled stand-ups and crowd-pleasing com-edy quiz panellers all vying for the throne.
However, with his jolly posh persona and keenly obser-vant eye, it was Michael McIntyre who soared high above the rest and asserted himself as the new darling of British comedy.
So far he’s won Best Stand-up at the 2009 British Comedy Awards, signed a £1 mil-lion book deal and seen his ‘Hello Wembley’ stadium tour become the
fastest selling stand-up DVD ever. Mc-Intyre it seems, is laughing all the way to the bank. But this is comedy’s David Cam-eron, a man with a solid work ethic who you won’t find resting on his laurels for
long. His hugely popular Comedy Road-show has just been commissioned by the BBC for a second series and so McIntyre’s back on the road this summer, testing ma-terial for the new series.
He arrives at the Tobacco Factory this month to introduce John Gordillo, a stand-up recently returned to the circuit after di-recting shows for Eddie Izzard and hosting the little seen topical show RDA. His work is smart and edgy, often running close to the bone, which should mean that it proves a good foil to McIntyre’s crowd pleasing in-offensive exuberance.
But it’s McIntyre that people will be coming to see, and while ardent fans will be bursting spleens at the mere sight of the Muswell Hill funny-man bounding on stage, some will be wondering whether or not McIntyre will have some new tricks in his comedy locker to give added depth to his work in 2010 and keep him comedy royalty for years to come.Tobacco Factory: Aug 25th-26th
Since the Gruffalo was first published in 1999 it has enchanted children and their storytelling parents alike.
It has been animated into a BBC film, au-diobook and the Gruffalo himself is now a favourite cuddly toy and even ride-on suit-case! This month the musical stage play of the Gruffalo roars to The Hippodrome to delight children left hungry for holiday entertainment.
If you don’t have a child under the age of eight, then it maybe that you haven’t come across the Gruffalo yet. Based on an old Chinese folktale, the story cen-tres around the mischievous mouse and his journey through the deep dark wood, where has to employ all his cunning to avoid becoming dinner for the fox, the owl and the snake. He concocts a tale about a terrifying beast to spook the forest’s hun-gry inhabitants but what will he do when he comes face to face with the very beast he imagined... the Gruffalo!
The three person production has been
touring nationally and internationally since 2001 and has been seen by over a million people in over 4000 performances. It is solidly acted and packed full of charming
musical numbers that take full advantage of the well-known rhymes from the book. This is one summer show guaranteed to have your children enthralled!
By Tom Elgar
THE GRUFFALO
MICHAEL MCINTYREBy Tom Elgar
LIVE MUSIC ● EVERY SUNDAY ● 8PMDJS ● EVERY THURSDAY ● 9PM - MIDNIGHTA quality selection of the finest local musicians and DJs per-forming every week
AUGUST Show listings
THEATRE ROYAL BATH
HIPPODROME
TOBACCO FACTORY
THE TOBACCO FACTORYTHE BREWERY THEATRE
COLSTON HALL
JESTERS
BRISTOL OLD VIC
THEATRE ROYAL BATHUSTINOV
THEATRE ROYAL BATHTHE EGG
WWW.TOBACCOFACTORYTHEATRE.COM
v
Last year was a big one for Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert. A sell-out tour, sensational performances on ‘The Royal Variety Performance’, ‘Live At The
Apollo’, and ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ as well as numerous appearances on BBC2’s Mock The Week and Never Mind The Buzzcocks well and truly so-lidified him as a household name.
This year has seen Rhod back on TV with his own show ‘Work Experience,’ which saw him attempt a number of jobs including hairdresser, refuse collector, soldier and parent.
Finally the Welsh Wonder has been released back onto the stand up circuit and is once again gruffly shout-ing about ridiculous things such as duvet tog ratings, service station mince pies and lost luggage. You can catch Rhod at the Bristol Hippodrome on the 31st August. Tickets are £24.50. Booking Line: 0844 847 2325
PIGEON HOT PICK
RHOD GILBERT
THELOFT ENTERTAINMENT PAGES in THE PIGEON
Covering Local and Bristol-wide Gigs, Film, Theatre and Comedy.
ADVERTISE HERE for as little as £60 per month
1: John Hegley: The Adventures Of Monsieur Robinet
2-8: Les Miserables9-11: The Gruffalo 12: Back For Good14: Beyond the Barricade 15: ABBA MANIA17: Elvis On Tour - 75 Special 18: In the Flesh - The Pink Floyd Show19-21: Rock Around The Clock 29: One Night Of Queen 31: Rhod Gilbert02-04 Sept: George’s Marvellous Medicine
6: Mark Olver, Joseph Wilson, Noel Britten7: Joseph Wilson, Noel Britten13-14: Tom Price, Duncan Oakley, Kevin Shepherd19: Pride Bristol presents Rhona Cameron20-21: Jim Smallman, Scott Denyer, Pierre Hollins 27-28: Sully Sullivan, Johnny Candon, Quincy
16-20: Kompany Malakhi Summer School 24 Aug-4 Sept: Beanfield 13-18 Sept: Act Before You Think: Short Course In Meisner
01-14: The Good Soldier 18-04 Sept: The Chairs10 Sept: Patrick Monahan In I Walked, I Danced, I Ran17 Sept: 1, Beach Road22 Sept: Water’s Not So Thick23-24 Sept: Land Without Words25 Sept: Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick
1-22: Oliver Twist (Recommended for 8+)02-04 Sept: Spring Awakening11 Sept: Stories And Fables For Kids Who Like Sitting At Tables16 Sept: Classic Jackanory18 Sept: The Confetti Maker25 Sept: Burt’s Magical Musical Farmyard
14-25 Sept: The Red Shoes23-25 Sept: Inua Ellams’ Untitled
07-18 Sept: The Rivals19 Sept: The Magic Of Motown20-25 Sept: The Country Girl26 Sept: Pam Ayres27-02 Oct: Carrie’s War
02-05: Eddie King’s Unforgettable Tour Of The Forgotten25-26: Michael McIntyre 29: Peter’s Friends01-04 Sept: Hit Me! The Life And Rhymes Of Ian Dury05 Sept: Nearly Naked Chef
07 Sept: The Drifters11 Sept: Theatre Tour11 Sept: 80’s Mania13-18 Sept: Spamalot19 Sept: Busting Out20 Sept: Vampires Rock21 Sept: Flawless23 Sept: The Armstrong and Miller Show25-26 Sept: Peppa Pig’s Party28-01 Oct: Oklahoma
GAMESTHELOFT
Mafia II 27th August 2010 - X360, PS3, PC
Released on August 7th is one of this year’s most anticipated games, Mafia II - the sequel to the award winning Mafia. The game begins in Empire City when World War II is spread-
ing across Europe and as time passes players find themselves among 50s fashion and hot rod cars. Mafia II features tracks from some of the American golden era’s most influential artists, adding to the game’s brilliant atmosphere.
Fans of action packed gangster games will love the game play, which is packed with heart stopping car to car chases, hand to hand combat and intense gunplay, and the whole experience will leave you eagerly looking forward to the next release in this excit-ing series.
Madden NFL 1113th August 2010 - X360, PS3
With the disappointment of the World Cup all over, now is the time to console with the games console and have some fun with a different type of football.
American Football comes to life in this new Madden NFL game for both beginners and experienced followers of the series, with a combination of simple and quicker play.
Special features include an all new play calling system, Game-Flow, which allows you to call plays like an NFL coach with ease and simplicity. This new system also enables players to spend more time playing the sport on the field rather than in the playbook – making completing games much quicker.
The game is full of improved animations and control options and there is also an enhanced online functionality and a new broadcast and audio presesntation. The whole package delivers the remarkable Madden NFL experience, which is well known among the game’s fans.
Victoria 213th August 2010 - PC
Victoria 2 is a fantastic new strategy game for the PC, set in the colonial era of the 19th century. Choose a country and take control of it – and guide the na-
tion through industrialisation, political reforms, military conquest and colonisation. The population of your country will react to your decisions, based on political awareness, social class, as well as their willingness to accept or revolt against their Govern-ment.
Special features include several different types of Govern-ment, historical gameplay to a large map that covers the entire world, and the chance to play as over 200 different countries.
This game is certainly not light-hearted – but those who love a good strategy game, particularly those who are interested in this era, will spend hours enjoying Victoria 2.
Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days20th August 2010 – PC, PS3 X360
Eagerly awaited Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days is prob-
ably one of the most realistic crime shooter games around today. There are seven differ-ent weapons to choose from – and then the game begins! Follow the intensely danger-ous criminals across the run down streets of Shanghai for a criminal rampage. This thrill-ing game is certainly not for the faint-hearted player…
Grease: The Offi-cial Video Game27th August 2010 – DS, Wii
Grease: The Official Video Game is the perfect party
game for these long summer nights! Players can sing and dance to all the best songs with up to eight budding T-Birds and Pink Ladies in party mode, practise singing and jiv-ing in the quick play mode, or play chronologically in the sto-ry mode. Grease is a top qual-ity game that is guaranteed to entertain the whole family.
THELOFT ENTERTAINMENT PAGES
in THE PIGEONCovering Local and Bristol-wide Gigs, Film, Theatre and Comedy.
THE PARK CENTREHigh St, Kingswood, South Glos, BS15 4ARTel: 01454 862190. E: theparkcentrekings-wood.co.uk.
WARMLEYCOMMUNITY CENTRE20 Deanery Rd, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 9JBTel: 0117 9674282. E:[email protected] HALL HIRE AVAILABLE FOR WEDDINGS, PARTIES, MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES. WARMLEY CLOCKTOWER
Tower Road North, Warmley, Bristol BS30 8XU. Tel: 0117 9671655. AFFORDABLE ROOM HIRE AVAILABLE
High St, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 4AB.Tel: 0117 9674120.
MONDAY10am-noon ART CLASSES tel. 07894661624.10am-11.30am & 1pm-2.30pm SCRIBBLES tel. 3307942. 6.30pm-9pmTAE-KWON-DO tel.9664069.TUESDAY7pm-9pmBOXING CLUB tel. 07814670851. LABOUR PARTYtel. 9498281.WEDNESDAY10am-2.30pmGUYS & DOLLS tel. 9322222. 1am-1pm (1st & 3rd week) EAST BRISTOL ADVICE SERVICE tel. 3789200.2pm-4pm (4th week) LOCAL HISTORY GROUP tel. 9833028.
6.30pm-9pmTAE-KWON-DO tel. 9664069. 8pm-10pm (2nd & 4th week)HEATHBURY LADIES tel. 9323087.THURSDAY1pm-3pmPARK ROAD PROJECT tel. 9513838.PARISH COUNCIL tel. 9615021.FRIDAY9.30am-11amGENERAL EXERCISE tel. 07722240310. BLOOD DONORS (monthly) tel. 9912035. 7pm-9pm JUDO tel. 07875099356.SATURDAYHall available for children’s parties. Please call the number above for more details.
MONDAY9.30am-11.30amPARENT & TODDLERS. 4pm-7.30pmSTOP SMOKING GROUPtel: 0117 33024395pm & 7pm SLIMMING WORLD tel. 07774 060149.TUESDAY3pm-5.30pmKUMON tel. 01454 2024587.30pm-9.30pm 1st Tuesday of the month,HISTORY SOCIETY tel.9834692.
WEDNESDAY10am-12pmARTS & CRAFTS GROUP.1st Wednesday afternoon of the month at 1pm FLOWER ARRANGING.1pm-3pm Monthly.EAST BRISTOL ADVICE SERVICES. THURSDAY3pm-5.30pmKUMON tel. 01454 202458.5pm & 7pmSLIMMING WORLDtel. 07774 060149.
THURSDAY10am-11.15amYOGA tel: 0780155084210.30am-12.30pmCOFFEE MORNING12pm-2pm (4th Thursday)QUILTING GROUP7pm-8pmBOX-FIT CLASS tel: 07737589110FRIDAY9.30am-10,30amBOX-FIT CLASS tel as above
Longwell Green Community CentreShellards Rd, Longwell Green, Bristol BS30 9DU.Tel: 0117 9323722.E: [email protected]
Monday2.00pm-4.00pm: BADMINTON. 7.30pm-9.30pm: MUSIC SOCIETY.Monday-Friday 7.30pm-11.00pm: SKITTLES & bar. Every weekday afternoon/early evening children aged 3 - adult:LONGWELL GREEN SCHOOL OF DANCE & DRAMA Tuesday9.30am-11.00am:SLIMMING WORLD.2.00pm-4.00pm: STROKE CLUB.2.00pm-4.00pm: THE TUESDAY CLUB. 4.00pm-5.00pm: JUNIOR DISCO DANCING. Tuesday & Friday 7.00 & 7.15pm-10.30pm: BALLROOM DANCING.Wednesday12.30pm-4.30pm: SHORT MAT BOWLS.5.30pm-7.45pm: WEIGHT-
WATCHERS.6.30pm-7.30pm: PREGNANCY FITNESS CLASS. 7.30pm-10.30pm: BINGO NIGHT.7.30pm-11.00pm: MEMBERS’ BAR.8.00pm-9.30pm: YOGA Thursday1.30pm (alternate weeks): STROKE CLUB.2.00pm-4.00pm: ART CLASS.6.00pm-7.00pm: SLENDER TOUCH. 7.15pm-9.30pm: LONGWELL GREEN ORCHESTRA.7.30pm-10.30pm (every 3rd week): AVON SCALE MODEL CLUB. 7.30pm-8.30pm: WELLNESS CLASS. 8.00pm-10.30pm: LINE DANCING. Friday10.30am-12.30pm, 1.00pm-3.30pm: SHORT MAT BOWLS. 2.00pm-4.00pm (every 2nd week): ARTHRITIS CLUB.
CLASSES
CLASSES All at the centre are currently mourning the loss of entertain-ment secretary and treasurer Robert George Threader, known as George.
As well as being an important part of the centre, George was also secretary of several junior and senior football teams, going back 40 years. He raised money for the teams, even taking a junior team to America. He leaves behind 2 sons and daughter-in-laws and five grandchildren and will be sadly missed. August entertainment at the Centre continues with duos 2 of Clubs on August 7th, Juz Two on August 14th, Beaver on August 21st and Fascination on August 28th. A quiz night takes place on Saturday 23rd August and bingo nights occur every Wednes-day and Sunday of the month.
Monday MORNING:CHILD SING AND SIGN CLASS, tel. 9500017.AFTERNOON:LINE DANCING, tel. 9674439. WOMEN’S INSTITUTE (2nd week) tel. 9492661. EVENING:LADIES KEEP FIT, tel. 9372403. HANHAM NATURAL HISTORY (4th week), tel. 9322643. BEGINNER’S SALSA CLASS, tel. 0117 9834784. TAI CHI, tel. 9674439. TuesdayMORNING:YOGA, tel. 9248610.COFFEE MORNING, tel. 9611255.ROSEMARY CONLEY, tel. 01275848533. AFTERNOON: WE CRAFT, tel. 9674439. PALETTE ART, tel. 9605281.EVENING:
SLIMMING WORLD, tel. 9525773. PILATES, tel. 07771847775.WEIGHT WATCHERS, tel. 08457123000.CHESS, tel. 9676734.BRISTOL BOX FIT, tel 07737589110.WednesdayMORNING:SLIMMING WORLD, tel. 9041431.AEROBICS, tel.9613327.LITTLE FOLK TODDLER GROUP AFTERNOON:HANHAM HISTORY SOC, (1st & 3rd week) tel. 9871132. FLOWER CLUB, tel. 9374157.NAIL CUTTING & FOOT CARE (60s +), tel. 3300117.LEISURE ART CLASSES, 2.00pm, tel. 0117 9675430.EVENING: WOMEN’S INSTITUTE (3rd week), tel. 9608494. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, tel.
9674439. BINGO NIGHT, 7.00pm, tel. 0117 9674439.BRISTOL ARMY CADET FORCEThursdayMORNING:SLIMMING WORLD, tel. 9602802. COFFEE MORNING, tel. 9674439. AFTERNOON:YOGA tel. 3778768.HANHAM RETIREMENT CLUB, tel. 9324196. EVENING:SLIMMING WORLD, tel. 9602802. BIG KNITS - (3rd week), tel. 9071097. HANHAM LACE CIRCLE (4th week), tel. 9329307. BEGINNER’S BALLROOM AND SEQUENCE, tel. 9573352. HANHAM ART CLUB, tel. 07880548481.FridayMORNING:SHORT MAT BOWLS, tel. 9674439.
Following the success of the Michael Jackson Experience, ABBA Inferno is go-ing to be coming to Hanham Community Centre on Friday 22nd October. This year, tickets can be bought online and will be available soon to purchase. The children and family nights return this month on Saturday 28th August. The night will begin at 7pm. The community centre’s annual general meeting is going to take place on Wednes-day 29th September. All members are wel-come to attend the meeting which starts at 7.30pm.
Summer Reading Over the summer holidays, Hanham Library will
be welcoming all children to join them for some space themed reading fun.
The library is going to be holding several events over the rest of the summer - the first is Space Sculptures on Thursday 12th August between 2pm and 4pm. Lucy from CreateXchange will be at the library with Special Space Animation.
On Thursday 19th August, the library will be host-ing Space Chase. The activities take place between 2pm and 3.30pm, with rockets at the ready and plan-ets on a plate!
The fun continues between 2pm and 3.30pm on Thursday 26th August with Lunar Landings - full of amazing aliens and astronauts. Finally, there will be a creative writing competition on Friday 27th August.
All of the events are free and you can get further information by calling Hanham library on 01454 868006.
Willsbridge Market New weekly markets are now taking place at the
site of the old Jarretts Garden Centre on Bath Road. The markets sell a wide range of produce includ-
ing meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, cakes, bread, plants and more, and run from 8am until 2pm every Friday. There is plenty of free parking at the site.
Warmley Flower ShowOn Saturday 14th August, the Warmley Flower
Show is going to be taking place at Warmley War Memorial Hall and Community Centre, with gates opening at 2pm.
At the show, there will be a wide range of awards, such as the Siston Parish Council Allotments certifi-cate for the best-kept allotment, and the new Herbie Fussell Trophy for the best harvest basket.
There will be classes for home baking, handi-crafts, photography and sugar craft, as well as areas for flowers and vegetables, and the show will have a licensed bar, a raffle and stalls.
The flower show will also include a children’s area with competitions and classes, and local author Andy Lunness will be officially opening the event at 2.30pm.
The Warmley Flower Show is raising money for the Barth Syndrome Trust - more information can be found at www.barthsyndrome.org.uk.
For further information on the flower show, please call 0117 967 4282.
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Write to the editorThe editor of The Pigeon is always interested to hear the views of Pigeon readers on local or global issues. If you feel strongly about what is going on around you, then don’t be silent, WRITE TO THE EDITOR at Conker Publishing East, P.O. Box 240, Bristol, BS10 5XG or email: [email protected] Editor,
Thank you to Kingswood Council for the hands that are now back on our clock tower. We have missed them in the past few months and it is good to see the clock back in its former glory.
I would also like to thank Kingswood Parks Department for their efforts in Kingswood Park. It always looks well cared for and colourful in all the seasons. Mrs M. Amos
Family Fun Picnic Friends Of Troopers Hill will be holding a picnic
this month that is guaranteed to be fun for all the family.
International storyteller Cassandra will be at the picnic leading some exuberant storytelling. There is also going to be a juggling workshop run by circomedia - the centre for contemporary circus and
physical theatre - and plenty further activities in the craft tent.
The picnic is going to be taking place from 3pm on Saturday 14th August, and with the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta taking place over at Ashton Court in Bristol, Troopers Hill is also going to be a great spot to watch the balloons floating along.
For more information on the picnic or other events at the hill, please visit www.troopers-hill.org.uk.
Flower Show On Saturday 14th August, the Fishponds Horti-
culture Show - sponsored by Activite Fishponds forward - is going to be taking place at Fishponds Methodist Church, on Guinea Lane.
At the fair there will be classes for flowers, veg-etables, floral art, domestic produce, photography, handicrafts and art. Also featuring will be a raffle, a sale of produce, and classes for children. Light re-freshments will be available.
The schedule of classes and entry forms are availa-ble at many Fishponds outlets, as well as Fishponds Methodist Church Office between 10 and 11.30 am on Friday mornings. Please telephone 0117 9650442 for further information.
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A word from your Conservative MP... Chris Skidmore Fighting For FrenchayThe downgrading of Frenchay hos-pital is perhaps one of the most important issues in the local area. This is why I called a debate in Parliament on the decision to axe Frenchay hospital’s Accident and
Emergency facilities and instead establish a new su-per hospital at Southmead in Bristol, taken as part of the Bristol Health Services Plan back in March 2005. The plans dictate that Frenchay is to become a com-munity hospital, the development of which will take place around 2014, shortly after the new £400 million super hospital at Southmead opens.
Five years may seem a long time ago, however over those past five years, the future of Frenchay hospital has remained an ongoing point of concern and de-bate. The decision to downgrade Frenchay has been a deeply unpopular one, which has been challenged by both South Gloucestershire Council and tens of thousands of local residents- nearly 50,000 of whom petitioned the then Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt, to allow for the decision to downgrade Frenchay to be referred to an independent reconfiguration panel. For myself, that is 50,000 reasons why Frenchay should be saved, yet this petition was rejected, as was
a request by South Gloucestershire Council Health Scrutiny Sub Committee that the matter be referred to the same panel. Instead, the then Health Minister Lord Warner said he saw “no reason to ask the Bristol health services plan to reconsider...There is no need to refer the decision to the independent reconfigura-tion panel.”
Those campaigners fighting for Frenchay were met with brick wall after brick wall. Back in October 2007, there was further hope that the then Secretary of State for Heath, Alan Johnson, might reconsider the case for the government’s decision. However, he simply replied to the request by South Glouces-tershire Council Health Select Committee by stating that “The previous Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt dealt with the referral on this issue ... it is not intended to revisit that decision.”
Ultimately, the decision of the previous government not to allow for an independent inquiry has resulted in the current situation we now find ourselves in today. Five years after the original proposals for the Bris-tol Health Services Plan were formulated; contracts for the new super hospital at Southmead were finally signed in February 2010. The result of this, I was informed by the new Health Minister Simon Burns during the debate, has ultimately dealt a deathblow to
A word from your Conservative MP... Chris Skidmore contd from page 26any chance of Frenchay hospital retaining its acute hospital facilities. I was also informed that, with the contracts having been signed under the previous gov-ernment, that to reverse this decision seems to be im-possible, and would come at massive cost to the NHS and the government with the legal implications that this would involve.
So why have I decided to call a debate in Parliament on the future of Frenchay? For one, I have a duty to-wards my local community to stand up for the best possible local hospital. For my constituents, many of whom have contacted me over the issue of Frenchay hospital and the loss of its accident and emergency fa-cilities, that is all that they want: a good local hospital. This is what I believe we must work in government to achieve: good local healthcare facilities so that local communities are able to feel safe and secure.
We must also accept that regardless of the previous government’s decision, we are where we are and must continue to look forward.
I want to ensure that the maximum possible fa-cilities remain at Frenchay. There has been voiced concern over the future of some of the world-class facilities at Frenchay. For instance, the Head Injury Therapy Unit (H.I.T.U.) that deals with brain injury rehabilitation services for the community; the deci-
sion on where this will be located has yet to be taken, and I will be campaigning for it to stay at Frenchay. As the local MP for an area which depends heavily on Frenchay, I do not want to see Frenchay hospital, if it has indeed lost its Accident and Emergency facilities, run down to the ground and stripped of these world class facilities.
The downgrading of Frenchay hospital is testament to Labour’s record on the NHS in the local area of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire. It is, in my own mind, both a tragedy and a national disgrace. In this, the second decade of the twenty first century, local services should be becoming more convenient, more local, not less so. Many constituents are ex-tremely worried about the consequences of the move to Southmead; how, in times of greatest need, they will be able to reach a hospital over the other side of Bristol, at times when perhaps their life might depend on it.
For what still is an excellent, world-class treatment centre, Frenchay hospital is quite simply too valuable to lose.Chris Skidmore Conservative MP for Kingswood, tel 0117 9736812; email: [email protected]. Write to Chris Skidmore, House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA.
Boiler Services - from £50 Old Combi Boiler Replacement - from £1700 (This Includes New Worcester Bosch Combi Boiler Programmer & Powerflush)
Kingswood Leisure CentreLabour councillors have triggered a special council
meeting to examine whether a public consultation on the future of Kingswood swimming pool was up to scratch. The council wants to replace the existing learner pool with a gym, shorten the main pool from 33m to 25m and create a new shallow-end for learner swimmers.
The quality of the information collected during the consultation was so poor that we cannot be sure that resi-dents’ opinions have been heard. Of the 400 people who responded to the consultation, 57% objected to the pro-posals but over a quarter of these were members of clubs, many of whom don’t live locally. 30% of respondents were members of the public, but a massive 43% (170 peo-ple) could not be identified as residents or club members.
We are fully supportive of a refurbishment but we want to be sure that it will provide facilities that local residents want. We just do not know whether local residents are happy to see the learner pool replaced with a shallow-end in a shorter main pool.
Walkabout TownKingswood councillors went on walkabout in and
around the town centre with local business representa-tives and Officers from Safer South Gloucestershire and StreetCare in mid June. Over 30 different issues were spotted and reported to various agencies. The cleanliness (or rather the lack of it) of the town centre featured heav-ily on the list as did the deteriorating state of the pave-ments and road. Within the next year the council will be altering the junction of Moravian Road and Regent Street so that buses don’t mount the pavements.
Police PresenceWe warmly welcome the joint police-council announce-
ment that when the Civic Centre re-opens next summer after a refurbishment, the police will have a dedicated service window for local residents. The current One Stop Shop remains open throughout the building work.
Government Cuts In addition to scrapping the school re-building pro-
gramme, the new Conservative-Lib Dem government has clawed back a massive £4.8 million that had been prom-ised to South Gloucestershire Council this year. This money was earmarked for road safety, transport schemes, community safety and the Connexions service. Whilst savings have to be made, these early moves show that neither the Conservatives nor the Lib Dems intend to pro-tect important services.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery’s series of late night openings has now begun - with the Museum remaining open every Wednesday until 8pm.
Visitors will be able to enjoy all aspects over the museum, including the galleries, exhibitions and the cafe.
The nights will also include talks, performances and music. For further information, please call 0117 9223571.
Pigeon ReporterAre you interested in becoming a reporter for The
Pigeon? We are currently on the lookout for an ac-tive member of the community who has time on their hands and would like to attend local events on behalf of The Pigeon.
An interested and good knowledge of the local community is essential and you must be available on weekends and have your own transport.
If you think you’re that person, then please con-tact the editor by email on [email protected] or call 0117 9445512.
Chicken Keeping ClassIf you would like to learn about how to keep
chickens, why not find out about what’s involved at
Annie Hall’s Poultry in Siston? On Saturday August 7th, there is going to be a half
day class for anybody who is planning on or has just begun to keep chickens in their gardens.
There is also a short course about taking care of chickens for children over five on the same day. Children will receive a snack and refreshments.
Places must be booked in advance. For more infor-mation visit www.anniehallspoultry.co.uk.
Silver CyclistsLife Cyclist’s new project aims to get people over
the age of 55 back on their bikes. Silver Cyclists provides rides for older people who
can cycle but haven’t done so for a while. The rides will be mid-week during the day and start in Easton, Lawrence Hill and Bedminster and will be gentle and sociable.
To find out more, please call Julie Hares on 0117 353 4580.The contents of this publication are the copyright of The Pigeon and may not be repro-duced in any form what-so-ever without prior written permission. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy in the information contained in this magazine, The Pigeon or its publisher cannot be held liable for any errors or inaccuracies that may occur. Any opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The Pigeon and its publisher can not guarantee the validity of goods or services advertised in these pages and can not be held responsible for any situations that may occur between readers and advertisers. All studio images and content is used for the purpose of publicity and no copyright infringement is intended.
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