The local Co-op in Shirehampton High Street held their Easter Raffle in aid of Penpole Lunch Club.

They raised £140 for the local organisation and Sandra White received a cheque from the Co‐op staff on behalf of the Club.

Sandra picked the winning raffle tickets from a box

by Kathryn Courtney

The Golden Oldies receive a £200 Community Grant from Shire newspaper.

The Golden‐Oldies Charity run a Sing and Smile session at St Mary’s on the first Wednesday of every month from 10:30 ‐ 11:30 am. The sing‐a‐long groups aim to reduce loneliness and isolation among older, disabled and vulnerable people.

Up to sixteen people attend each month, but there is always room for more.

You don’t have to be a singer to enjoy a song with friends.

Bristol Libraries are all staying open, for the moment.

But the threat of closures and reduced services has not gone away. So a new ‘Friends of Shirehampton Library’ group has formed.

The ‘Friends’ aim to protect our Library by making it more accessible and user friendly. They will communicate the ideas and wishes the community expressed in the Library conversations and consultation events to the Council and work with the Council to implement some of these ideas in the near future.

Already there is an application for funding to make changes that will make the Library more accessible. But, as always, change and improvement is not just a matter of bricks and mortar. The ‘Friends’ need new members who might volunteer some of their time to working towards realizing some of your suggestions, things like creating a Public Living Room, setting up talks and events, encouraging schools to use the Library more.

If you would like to befriend your Library write to ash@shirecaf.org or come to the ‘Friends’ next meeting,

Wednesday 26th June, 6:00 pm in the Public Hall.

There will also be opportunities for Council training to volunteer in Libraries. Go to Libraries.volunteering@bristol.gov.uk to find out more.

More than 30 people came to a meeting called by Extinction Rebellion to discuss the Climate Emergency ‐ the serious risk we face of runaway climate change if we allow global warming to increase.

The group meeting decided to form a local Shirehampton action group which will work to raise awareness and to keep pressure on the government to take significant action immediately to drastically reduce carbon emissions.

The first meeting of the Shirehampton Local group took place on Tuesday 14^th May in the Cotswold Community Centre in Dursley Road.

The meeting discussed how the group will be organized and what actions each person would like to be involved in. This was an open meeting. Anyone who is concerned about climate change and would like to be informed of future meetings can contact maryrenee.slater@gmail.com.

If you want to know more about Extinction Rebellion you can Google them at www.risingup.org.uk, www.RebellionEarth, or www.ExtinctionRebellionBristol.

Renee Slater

The Easter weekend already seems a long time ago, but its message of new life continues to be celebrated. One of our members appeared on BBC TV on Easter Sunday singing her heart out with a choir at Bristol’s New Room, one of the earliest and most well‐known buildings in the history of the Methodist Church. The programme was co‐presented by Karen Gibson, famous for conducting the Kingdom Gospel choir which sang at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Some members of Shire Methodist church shared tea and chat (and an obligatory selfie!) with her during the filming.

Just before Easter Sunday, we enjoyed sharing the message of Good Friday in a walk around the village with friends from other churches, some even wearing costume! We celebrated the start of Easter itself with songs and prayers in Shirehampton Park in the early sunshine of Easter Sunday, followed by a delicious breakfast provided by our friends at St Mary’s.

We continue to meet with our friends from other local churches on the second Sunday of every month at 4.45pm to host a short church service at the Cotswold Community Centre, which is followed by refreshments. If a morning church service is not your thing, you are invited to join us there for just what you have been looking for!

Our regular Sunday services, starting at 11am, are in our own building on the High Street and continue to be a great encouragement to our members and visitors alike. We are joined each week by different speakers from around the area. Please note that we won’t be meeting in Shirehampton on 9^th June, instead we will be at Sea Mills Methodist Church to share Morning Worship as part of the Sea Mills 100 Celebrations, which looks set to be a wonderful weekend of fun and reminiscing.

On the first Saturday morning of each month, 10am onwards, we host our coffee morning, complete with bacon butties, bacon supplied by Woods, Shire’s well‐known family butcher. Please pop by and give it a try (if you haven’t already)!

You are also invited to attend our free events between 2‐4pm every Monday afternoon (except bank holidays) when we alternate between a film or afternoon tea. Our films range from the old classics like the Ealing Comedies (we showed Kind Hearts and Coronets in May) to recent award‐winners like La La Land. Both are a good opportunity to come and see our new colourful and comfortable seating which has replaced the cinema‐style seats which have given decades of service. If you are interested in buying some of the vintage cinema seats that used to be our church pews, please get in touch!

Our hall is used by many groups including Weight Watchers, the Dragon Club, Shirehampton Planning Group, the Shire Newspaper and Shirehampton’s new pop‐up market. If you are interested in hiring our premises please contact Bridget Williams (0117 982 0586)

However you are continuing to celebrate the season of Easter, may God’s peace be with you

April has brought some welcome news on two key transport projects in Shirehampton. The new railway station, to be called ‘Portway Parkway’ at the Park and Ride in Shirehampton has now been granted planning consent. This is an important part of Darren’s North Bristol Transport Plan, which seeks to deliver three major transport hubs at the key entry points into the city bringing rail, park & ride, parking and electric vehicle charging and cycle hire and lock‐up onto one site. These hubs wouldn’t just be great for residents needing to get into and out of town, but vital for our increasing commuter traffic as we try and persuade them to use public transport instead of their cars; reducing congestion and air pollution for all of us.

Darren also welcomed news that the council has submitted a planning application for the works to raise and re‐open the historic Iron Bridge (reference 19/01367/FB). From reading comments on the planning portal, social media and the emails Darren has received directly, he knows there are different views and preferences for how the bridge could have been fixed. However, given the period the bridge has been out of action, alongside the council’s severely limited financial resources and advice on the feasibility of options from English Heritage, Darren senses any alternative is highly likely to have been unfeasible or cost prohibitive or else the council would be pursuing it. Crucially for Darren, the new plans also ensure accessibility for those less able to walk‐up steps or who need flat access for wheelchairs and push chairs, thus making the bridge something everyone can use and enjoy. The application is due to be determined on 14^th May. Darren has also been pleased to see investment in the junction near the bridge which has been something of an accident black‐spot in recent years.

Darren is also pleased to see the former TOFs store on the High Street will re‐open as a B and M Express. However, whilst it’s good to see one less empty premise, we all need to shop local and support our vital small businesses wherever we can.

Darren will be hosting a Café Politics sessions at Morgan’s Coffee Shop at Kings Weston House in mid‐June, if you would like to attend, and informally chat about local issues or national politics over a coffee, please book your ticket via www.darren‐jones.co.uk/cafepolitics/

Darren Jones MP

Member of Parliament, Bristol North West

There was a winning start to the 2019 season when Bristol Arrow came to the green on April 14th. In rather cool conditions each side won two rinks, but the overall score ended in favour of City and Port by just six shots, in a game reduced to eighteen ends.

This was the first of almost fifty mixed friendlies to be enjoyed on Wednesdays and week‐ends between April and late September.

The first competitive game of the season was on Thursday April 25^th when Bristol St. Andrews C came to the green to open the 2019 Men’s Bristol and District season. Due mainly to illness City and Port played short on two of the three rinks and consequently had shots deducted at the end of the game. But the one complete rink did well and won by enough shots to bring about an overall victory and a welcome six points to start the campaign on a positive note.

The Ladies League team had to wait until May 1st for their first game, away to Portishead RBL. Ladies play two rinks and both were well contested. Each side won a rink but the hosts won overall by just two shots. City and Port picked up two points to start this seasons attempt to improve on last season’s excellent third place finish.

The ladies team has a busy time ahead with a weekly league game and participation in both Top Club and Inter Club competitions. This year’s opponents are Page Park and Ardagh respectively.

David Hinksman will be partnered by Ken Davies in the City and County pair’s competition away at Olveston in the first round.

Game of the season so far is undoubtedly the one between Julie Looker and Lindsay Collin in the first round of the Champion of Champions competition on May 7th. Lindsay is a bowler with many years’ experience at county and national levels who has won the competition and been a regional finalist in years past. So quite a challenge for Julie but with 21 shots the winning target, the game, which lasted almost two hours and saw 22 ends plus trial ends played was close throughout. There were never more than four shots between the two bowlers. With the approach of the 21 shot target the game became very nip and tuck, eventually reaching a score of 20‐20 just one more shot needed to win it. The final end, and shot was held by each player before that final wood came to rest and a measure was required to determine who was closest to the jack. By a very narrow margin it was Julie. What a good game and what a result for Julie who will now play Christine Batt of Henleaze in the second round.

Away from the green Sunday 16^th June will be Big Band Night, featuring The David Salt Big Band, lead by Andrew Champion, in the ballroom starting at 7.30pm.

Saturday 1st June FUN DAY from 12 noon to midnight. Events include Live Bands, Hot Air Balloons, Stalls and Fun Fair rides.

Regular Weekly events:

Youth Football: In conjunction with the lighter evenings the football training for the youth is back at the club grounds from 6pm to 7pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The club will be open for refreshments!

Skittles: The skittles have 2 lanes and games are played Monday to Friday 51 weeks a year with 32 teams playing with over 300 plus skittlers, ages range from 18 year to over 80. All welcome!

Bingo: Every Wednesday evening, starts at 8.30 pm. All welcome to enjoy a relaxing evening and who knows you may win!

Food: Every Friday food is served and co‐insides with the Happy Hour 4pm until 7pm.

Saturday 27^th April Filton Community Hall, Filton, Bristol

National Smelting Co Boxing Club AKA The Smelters held their third tournament of the season at Filton Community Centre on Saturday the 27^th of April. A sold out and lively crowd were treated to 16 contests. Two skills with no loser contests and fourteen hard fought competitive bouts. The host club featured in twelve of these winning and losing six each.

Fantastic wins for Juniors Ronnie Butler, Josh Pook, Jazper Peacey, Josh Power, crowd pleaser Logan Dorrington and heavyweight Dan Goldstone. Gallant battling loses for Harry Moles, Harvey Tyler, Warren Portingale, Owen Vaughan, Dwayne Horne & Kyle Cripps. Supporting bout wins for Brandon Charnock & Evan Crabb of Launceston ABC.

The Smelters would like to thank all of the Coaches, Boxers, Official and supporters that helped to make this the success that it was and another Smelters Belter of a boxing show.