Redcliffe Voice Issue 2

Highlights
Children and
Families
Treats
Time to get
P.03 and Eats P.04 creative P.06
issue 02 | Winter 2016
Local news for local people
It’s the most
wonderful time
of the year
W
ell, it’s that time of year again!
The leaves are golden, creating
colourful displays in our parks and
gardens, the weather is a touch
colder and the shops are bracing
for their favourite time of year! I love
this season with all its events and festivals –
Halloween, Bonfire Night, Remembrance Day and
a variety of faith celebrations, with preparations
for Christmas at the heart of the coming months.
As well as being a time for end of year reflection,
Christmas is a great time for celebration – and
what better way to celebrate than with food! Check
out some local cafes and sharing opportunities
on pages 4 and 5 - I enjoyed visiting them and
sampling their menus! And I hope you like
this new, longer edition – many thanks to St
Mary Redcliffe Church whose generous support
makes the newsletter possible. Keep sending
your news and views to me at the email below.
Get in touch by emailing me at the address below.
Seasons’ greetings!
For the
Christmas
diary...
At-Bristol Christmas
Ice Rink and Festive
Fair, Millenium
Square, until 3rd Jan
Christmas Lights
switch-on at St
Nicholas Market, 19th
November, 5.30pm
SMRT School Carol
service at St Mary
Redcliffe, Monday 16th
December, 7.30pm
Family Carol service
at St Mary Redcliffe,
24th December, 4pm
Bristol Shares Reading
A
new shared reading group has
recently started in Bedminster
Library, every Thursday from
11am-12:30pm. It’s hosted by The Reader,
an award-winning charitable social
enterprise whose aim is to bring about
a reading revolution, connecting people
from all communities and backgrounds
with great literature for improved wellbeing.
The sessions are free to attend and
open to people of all ages and abilities;
there’s no pressure to read but those who
wish to are welcome to contribute aloud.
All reading materials are provided, and
there’s free tea and biscuits too! There’s
no need to book in advance, simply turn
up on the day, but if you’d like to find
out more information please feel free to
contact either Emma Crago: emmacrago@
thereader.org.uk / 07970 247410 or
Sammy Weaver: samanthaweaver@
thereader.org.uk / 07812 238532.
“I look forward to it every Tuesday”
– Shared Reading Group Member
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For all your news, views and questions please
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01

Let’s go green
Growing & Sharing
Reimagine.
Redesign.
Remake.
T
he Redcliffe Neighbourhood
Development Forum is a
community group whose mission
is to reimagine and remake Bristol’s
Redcliffe Way. We want to create a new
neighbourhood heart for Redcliffe and
build a welcoming gateway to the city
centre. The aim is to make Redcliffe a
better place for people who live and work
here, and benefit the wider city.
We’ve been a bit quiet for a while, so
we thought it would be good to have a
meet up! Please join us on Tuesday 29th
November at Mokoko at 2 Goal Ferry
Steps, Wapping Wharf - we’ve been busy
and have some exciting news to share
Come and hear about
The start of the formal process to secure
a development partner to work with the
A chance to
have your
voice heard
community and Bristol City Council on
the Neighbourhood Plan
The release of the Final Draft
Neighbourhood Plan following
community feedback
The launch of a new community website
to campaign for the community’s vision
Please join us for celebratory cake, drink
and conversation about plans to create a
new heart for a new heart for Redcliffe and
the city. Book your free place at
www.redmeetup.eventbrite.com
Deck the
Halls
Exercise your creative
skills and get in the
Christmas mood!
Treefest, our annual Christmas tree
festival is back for its third year.
Running from December 9 – 14th
in St Mary Redcliffe, we’re hoping
for as many people to be involved
as possible. Local people and
organisations can enter and decorate
a tree, which will be displayed in
church for a week. Treefest is a great
opportunity to tell visitors about
yourself or your organisation,
while raising valuable funds for charity.
For more information and to
complete an online application,
visit www.treefest.org.uk
Form more information about Forum activities, contact Melissa Mean on
melissa.mean@googlemail.com or Karen Drake on karendrake@gmail.com
Winning Gardens
T
he Redcliffe Gardening Club has been working hard
in Somerset Square and other sites around the East
Redcliffe Estate for over a year. Their hard work
has paid off, with recognition in the form of a recent Third
Sector Award for small charities. The award was presented to
Growing Support (the organisation that helped start the club)
for their development of community gardens, the Redcliffe
Gardening Club being a key part of this work. The Club has
been buzzing with pride since receiving the award in October,
and is keen to encourage more members. All local residents
are welcome to join, with sessions taking place on Thursdays,
10am-12noon, meeting outside Faith Space on Prewett Street.
The Club is also holding a free festive wreath making
workshop in the community room at Proctor House,
on Thursday 15th December, 10am - 12noon
“It’s the highlight of my week”
- Club member
Photo: Rosa displays
her wreath, hand-made
from garden materials
02
Local news for local people

people at the centre
Children & Families
Service with a smile
T
he new children centre base is almost
ready for business...thanks to the
team at Double Tree by Hilton Bristol
City Centre. Human Resources Manager,
James Headford, took a minute to share the
experience with Editor Liz Mytton, while he
worked at the former Kids’ Company office at
Prewett Street premises a couple weeks ago.
“Every year, Hilton Worldwide has a
day of service. We’re committed to the
neighbourhoods we’re based in, so all around
the world, in 102 different countries, thousands
of staff members volunteer their time on one
day to give back to their communities. We did
150,000 hours of community projects last year
and we’re always looking to do something local
– and I don’t think we can get something more
local than right here, 100 yards from the hotel!
The volunteers had several jobs to do -
cleaning, decorating, renewing the kitchen
and bathroom, tidying up the back garden
and refurbishing old computers for use by
children’s centre staff and service users – all in
one day! In total 9 members of staff have been
involved in the work, but special thanks must
go to Des and the Kitchen Team at the hotel –
their fabulous packed lunches kept us going.
As a hotel, we’ve
supported several other
charities in recent years.
We’re currently involved
in the St Peter’s Hospice
Accumulator Challenge
– the charity give £50 to
participants and the aim is
to increase it. We decided to
hold a triathlon challenge
in hotel gym, and with 50%
of sponsorship still to come
in, we’ve already raised
£300. The Hotel will match
fund any sponsorship so
we’re hoping to raise around
£1000 for this great local
charity. We’re also selling
a few paintings in the hotel
kindly donated by some
Bristol artists and are holding a bake sale.
This has been a perfect opportunity for us to
help some organisations on our doorstep. In
the past, we’ve helped the Growing Support
gardening charity, who run the gardening
club in Redcliffe, donating free room hire
and refreshments for their meetings in the
Picture left to right:
John (General Manager),
James (HR), Adrian (Maintenance),
Matt (Nights), Adrian (Maintenance),
Elliot (Maintenance), Greg (Bar).
Also involved but not pictured
were Domingo (Restaurant)
and Jessica (Sales)
hotel. We also have a programme called Care
which aims to create a rewarding experience
for guests, staff and local people and with a
committee of junior members of staff, we
built the raised beds with the gardening club.
It’s something we enjoy doing – we like to
get stuck in! Team work definitely makes the
dream work.”
Children Centre News
Interested in working with children and families?
Redcliffe Nursery School and Children’s Centre would like to hear from you if you are interested
in volunteering. There are opportunities for forest support, reading, community groups, food support
and gardening. Please contact Helen Payne on 0117 9030334 for more information.
Winter Family Saturday
Craft activities, Refreshments,
Bouncy Castle, Tombola, Gifts for
Christmas
Time 10.00-12.00
Date 26th November
Place Redcliffe Children’s Centre
Cost £1.00 entrance fee per family
Baby Sensory (4 months-1year)
A drop- in sensory exploration
session for all families with babies
aged from 4 months to 1 year,
Time 1.00-2.30pm
Date Wednesdays during term time
Place Faithspace Community Hall
Cost £2.00 per session
Swimming
Informal and fun swimming session
for families 1 adult to 1 child ratio
Time 11.45-12.45
Date Fridays during term time
Place St Mary Redcliffe and
Temple School (meet at
Redcliffe Children’s Centre)
Cost £1.00 voluntary contribution
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For all your news, views and questions please
twitter.com/VoiceRedcliffe email Liz on: redcliffevoice@gmail.com
03

Local food
treats & eats
Momma Lou’s
L
ou has been building her little food
empire at 1A Nelson Parade since the
end of September. Though brand new,
she has already built up a strong customer base,
serving breakfast five mornings per week.
“I love cooking and my home has always been
a hub for my children’s friends – preparing food
for them is one of my greatest pleasures. That’s
where my nickname, Momma
Lou, came from – everyone
knows me as a feeder!”
As well as traditional
breakfast sandwiches, Lou
cooks a range of international
meals and snacks, including
jerk chicken and rice. “I like
to keep things versatile!”
Momma Lou’s is open
6am-3pm Monday to Friday.
facebook.com/Momma-Lous
Chatterton’s Cafe
C
hatteron’s Café, based in the old home of poet
Thomas Chatterton, is a family concern.
“Everyone who works here is related! Our
ethos is to offer a good service and to make everything
from scratch,” says owner Dawn Webber. “We had
to renovate the building before we could start the
café - it was empty for 25 years before we took it on
this year and it needed a lot of attention but working
together as a team we’ve managed to get moving.”
With a takeaway counter, patio area and seating on two
floors, the café is well placed to serve commuters, local
office staff and builders working in the Redcliffe district.
The café has a Christmas menu, is newly licensed to
serve alcohol and has plans to open during the evening
from January 2017. With such a busy season ahead, are
they enjoying life as café owners? “Yes, it’s fantastic.
It’s hard work but things are going really well.”
Find them: Redcliffe Way, Bristol BS1
@ChattertonsCafe facebook.com/chattertonscafe
Dawn Webber (right)
with her daughter Rhea,
who manages the café
“Everyone who works here is
related! Our ethos is to offer
a good service and to make
everything from scratch”
04
Local news for local people

treats & eats
Local food
Come to dinner
JOIN THE ARC
CAFE FOR
YOUR FESTIVE
CELEBRATIONS!
Available from
Mid-Nov, 12-3pm
We warmly invite you to a traditional Christmas meal at midday
on Christmas Day in the Faithspace Community Centre on
Prewett Street. Come and join us for fun and food to celebrate
Christmas with friends from your neighbourhood.
All are welcome and there is no charge, but you need to book
in advance by telephoning Chris and Lorraine Legg on
0117 9041533 or the Redcliffe Parish Office on 0117 2310060
before 10th December. We look forward to seeing you!
“We’re offering a traditional, festive
Christmas celebration with delicious
food along with quizzes for some
extra fun!” Chloe Diamond from ARA
Seasonal menu
Starters:
Spiced cauliflower soup
with fresh baguette
Homemade chicken liver pate
with Melba toast and chutney
Christmas has come early at
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School!
WHAT is it? A free Christmas lunch put on by
SMRT staff and students. Featuring music, games,
a raffle and plenty of Christmas spirit.
WHERE is it? SMRT School main hall
(Somerset Square BS1 6RT).
WHEN is it? Thursday 8th December
from 13.45-15.30 (doors open at 13.30)
There will be a free community Christmas Party
in Faithspace on Friday the 9th of December 5-7pm.
All welcome!
Mains:
Roast beef with creamy mash,
seasonal vegetables and gravy
Wild mushroom cutlet with
creamy mash, seasonal vegetables
and onion gravy
Dessert:
Christmas pudding with double cream
Chocolate torte with clotted cream
Tea and coffee to follow
£20 per head,
minimum table of 6
Please order at the cafe
on 01179298658
The Arc Cafe, The Undercroft,
St Mary Redcliffe Church,
Bristol, BS1 6RA
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For all your news, views and questions please
twitter.com/VoiceRedcliffe email Liz on: redcliffevoice@gmail.com
05

Entertainment
Get creative
Hitting the
right note...
Editor Liz Mytton speaks to
Tina Boydell from the Bristol
Ukulele Club Band, who meet
at The Colosseum in Redcliffe.
LM: So Tina, what’s the
purpose of the band?
TB: To have fun, learn and
enjoy your instrument, to
bring people together, feel the
joy from singing and playing
together totally regardless of
ability and skills, to entertain
ourselves first and anyone
else who will listen second!
Whilst many of us have gained
in confidence and now totally
love a good gig, there is no
pressure ever to perform
in public.
LM: How many people are
in the band?
TB: At the moment we
have around 30 on our list
butmost weeks there are
between 8 and 18 of us
regularly practicing
LM: Who can join?
TB: Anyone.
LM: Anyone? But don’t
you need experience?
TB: We welcome anyone
and everyone regardless
of level of ability, even
if that ability is at zero.
Just bring along a ukulele
and we’ll be pleased to
see you and help get
you started.
LM: What’s the age range
of members?
TB: Age no issue, except it’s
on a night before a school day!
Mostly our group ranges in age
from 18 – 86
LM: How often do you meet?
TB: We meet most Sundays
at 7pm in the back bar of
The Colosseum on Redcliff
Hill - the Cavern Club of
the ukulele world.
LM: Any recent highlights
for the club?
TB: Well, on the 21st October
2016, four of us became
recording artistes! We
recorded a backing track for
Tina (Second from Left) with
other members of the band.
a charity single in aid of
Integrate Bristol, the charity
that campaigns against FGM
and violence against women.
A couple of years back we did
a Ukulele Rock Opera in a bed
factory for Southville and
Bedminster Arts Trail but this
summer we played two sets at
the Tyntesfield Music Festival,
played at a cheese and cider
festival plus some street
parties and summer events in
local parks. We love meeting
new people, so come and
join us - we’re the rockinest
ukulele band in the West!
LM: Sounds, great Tina.
I might be tempted to visit
on Sunday evening soon.
Rise Up
RISE Theatre are returning with
their contemporary, original play
about two world weary adults who
discover what it means to dream
and believe again. ‘White Rabbit’ is
a beautifully crafted allegory written
by Bristol based Director Charley
Pinfold and brought to life by RISE
Theatre’s exciting, imaginative
performance style. Be prepared to
laugh and cry and engage in life’s
adventure in this unforgettable
story. Play suitable for age 10-100!
Where: SouthBank Club,
Bristol, Dean Lane, BS3 1DB
When: Sunday 27th November
at 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)
For tickets visit:
www.ticketsource.co.uk/
risetheatre or call RISE Theatre on
07960 944653
For more info visit the White
Rabbit Tour page: www.facebook.
com/TheWhiteRabbit2016 or
www.risetheatre.co.uk
Calling all budding actors!
Fun and inspiring theatre
devising sessions inspired
by the memories, stories
and spaces of St Mary
Redcliffe Church.
D
o you live in Redcliffe? Would
you like to work with a theatre
company, co-devising and being
part of an inspiring creative process? If so
this opportunity is for you.
PECo Theatre will be running creative
sessions from late January 2017 at the
Faith Space in Prewett Street. The project
is funded by Bristol Ageing Better, so the
company is very keen to encourage older
people aged 50 and over, as well as other
age ranges.
Activities will begin on Saturday, January
21st, 2pm - 4pm with a Memory Gathering
Tea Party, aimed at drawing as any people
with stories, memories and history of the
St Mary Redcliffe and surrounding area
as possible together to share with tea
and cake. Sessions will then continue on
alternate Thursdays, beginning Thursday
26th of January and continue until the
beginning of April. They will culminate
in a sharing of the developed ideas for
a new piece of theatre inspired by
St Mary Redcliffe.
Whether you’ved lived here a long time or
have just moved here, everyone welcome!
To find out more and register your interest
please email PECo Theatre’s artistic
director, Rachel Aspinwall at: rachel@
partexchangeco.org.uk or if you don’t
have email you can call 07888 846 456
between 10am and 4pm on weekdays.
06
Local news for local people

Putting faces to names
Redcliffe People
Faith in the
community
I
t’s been two years since Faithspace
started in Redcliffe, thanks to Sarah
James, a Methodist missionary working
to build community with faith at its
heart. Supported by the Methodist
Church and St Mary Redcliffe, Sarah’s role is to
provide Christian care and support to local people, to
develop the Church community centre in a way that is
open and affordable to all, and to be responsive to the
needs of the Redcliffe neighbourhood. This includes
creating a range of activities to encourage community
development and cohesion.
Make sure you don’t miss the Faithspace
Christmas party on the 9th December, complete with
Father Christmas, Christmas photo
selfies and more…and in the
new year, watch out for Messy
Space on January 15th, with
children’s activities, Bible stories,
food and fun!
Drop in on Tuesday mornings
for coffee at 10am, or for the
women’s ‘Needles and Natter’ a
sewing knitting and Craft group
at one o’clock and make friends!
There are plenty of other activities
happening at the centre – take a
look below.
Sarah James
Faithfood
Time 12.30pm – 1.30pm
When Monday
Cost Free
Ki Aikido
Time 7.00pm – 9.00pm
When Monday
Cost £3 per session
Coffee, tea and chat
Time 10.00am – 12.00pm
When Tuesday
Cost Free
Sew, needles and natter
Time 1.00pm – 4.00pm
When Tuesday
Cost Free
Redcliffe Lunch Club
Time 12.00am – 2.00pm
When Wednesday
Cost £4
Film Club
Time 2.30pm – 4.00pm
When 1st & 3rd Wednesday
of each month
Cost £3
Hymn Singing
Time 11.00am – 12.00pm
When 1st Wednesday of each month
Cost Free
Zumba with Paula
Time 7.30pm – 8.30pm
When Wednesdays from 7 September
Cost £5
Tai Chi
Time 12.00pm – 1.00pm
When Thursday
Cost £5
Women’s morning with
the ACE group
Time 10.00am – 11.30am
When Friday
Cost Free
Police Beat Surgery
Time 1.00pm – 2.00pm
When Friday
Cost Free
SILA (Sarcoidosis) Support Group
Time 7.00pm – 9.00pm
When 3rd Tuesday of each month
Cost Free
LinkAge Art Club
Time 2.15pm – 4.15pm
When Fridays
Cost £5
Bristol Bipolar UK Support group
Time 7.30pm – 9.30pm
When 1st Thursday of each month
Cost Free
Mothers’ Union
Time 2.30pm – 3.30pm
When 2nd Tuesday of each month
Cost Free
Post Card Club
Time 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm
When 1st Monday of each month
Cost £3
SMR Meditation Group
Time 6.30pm – 7.30pm
When Tuesday
Cost Free
For more information on these activities or to make a booking,
please telephone 0117 925 8331 or email infofaithspace@gmail.com
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For all your news, views and questions please
twitter.com/VoiceRedcliffe email Liz on: redcliffevoice@gmail.com
07

Local Notices
Get involved...
Have you heard
of the Redcliffe
Residents’
Action Group?
No? Well, you have now!
The group, set up to represent the interests
of all residents in the Redcliffe community, has plans to:
● Hold a Family Fun Day
● Develop activities for older people, including day trips
● Apply for funding to do a theatre trip
● Improve the neighbourhood
● Run social events
But it needs your help!
RRAG is interested in what you want to see in your area – contact
committee Chair Margi Johnson at margi-j30@hotmail.co.uk with your
thoughts and ideas. The group currently runs a Scrabble club on the first
Tuesday of every month in community room at Waring House at 7pm –
go along and exercise your word skills, while meeting other residents
including Margi, Di, Marky and other members of RRAG.
Redcliffe VOICE IS SUPPORTED BY:
Want to improve
your English or Maths?
New course coming to the Tenants’
Resource Centre in January 2017.
For more information, call Lucy
Fieldhouse at the Learning
Communities Team
on 0117 9039763 or email
Lucy.Fieldhouse@bristol.gov.uk
Watch this space...
As mentioned in the last
newsletter, St Mary Redcliffe
are on the cusp of quite a
major development project
to improve visitor facilities in
the areas around the church
and create new facilities for
the community to use, both
around the church and on
the site of the current church
centre on Prewett Street. An
information event was held
on 15th November to offer an
opportunity for local residents
to ask questions and give
feedback. We’ll update you on
the event in the next issue of
Redcliffe Voice. There are also
efforts to bring back to Redcliffe
an internationally important
piece of artwork – William
Hogarth’s altarpiece, Sealing
the Tomb. We’ll keep you
posted on our progress.
Section of William Hogarth’s altarpiece
Volunteers
needed!
What is volunteering?
Volunteering is about giving your
time to a good cause. You don’t get
paid, but you do get the chance to
use your talents, develop new skills,
and experience the pleasure that
comes from making a real difference
to other people’s lives, as well
as your own.
Who can do it?
Anyone. Whatever your age,
background or work experience, you
will have a skill that someone needs.
No matter how busy you are, there
will be something that you can do. It
can be trickier to find volunteer roles if
you are under 16, but not impossible.
Just ask us.
What can I do?
Anything. (Almost.) There are over
600 different volunteer roles available
in Bristol alone. You might be
interested in working on the ‘front
line’ or perhaps you’d be happier
‘behind the scenes’; either way,
there’s something for everyone.
For more information, visit
www.volunteerbristol.org.uk
08
Local news for local people