NEWSLETTER (08:15)
Are you interested in helping children to learn to read?
We want to make sure that all out children get off to the best possible start
in their education, and being able to read well by the age of 11 is a vital
part of that. Some of our children are in need of some extra help to get them
reading well, and all the evidence shows that this is best done as early as
possible, so we are inviting you to step forward and volunteer to read in
school with some of our 5, 6 and 7 year olds.
The commitment you will be making will be for 1hr per week (plus travel time to
and from the school) for 10 weeks. Most of the schools we are working in are in
the South of the city at present and we are expanding to include schools in the
central area as well.
Training and travel expenses will be provided (see below for contact details)
Bereavement befriending service for BS3
Are you aged over 50 and living or working in the BS3 area?
Would you like to help an older person who has been recently bereaved to
rebuild their lives, make new friends and get involved in their community?
Then perhaps you would like to get involved in a new ‘pilot’ project that is
being set up by Cities of Service in partnership with CRUSE Bereavement Care
and the Southville Centre. This is a new project, which will eventually be
rolled out across city wide.
To get involved you should be:
a.. Aged 50+;
b.. available to meet your befriendee once a week for a minimum of 6 months
(maximum 12 months);
c.. living or working in Bedminster, Southville or Windmill Hill.
Training will be provided and out of pocket expenses will be paid.
If you’re interested in either of the above opportunities, or would like some
more information, please get in touch with Dominic Murphy on 07584480615 or
email <email obscured> or <email obscured>
Healthwatch Bristol
Healthwatch Bristol invites you to join us at our Open Event to discuss:
- your experiences of children and young people's services
- how children and young people's services can meet the needs of young
people
Healthwatch Bristol Open Advisory Group:
Children and Young People's Health and Wellbeing.
Date: Tuesday 31st March
Time: 5.30 - 8pm (sandwiches will be provided at 5.30pm and discussions
will begin at 6pm)
Venue: The Station, Silver Street, Bristol, BS1 2AG
Children and Young People told Healthwatch:
"We need more mental health and wellbeing support".
Healthwatch Bristol is making sure that message is heard across Bristol and the
UK and we want everyone to get involved in shaping the future of health and
social care services for children and young people. If you are a young person,
parent, carer, someone working with children and young people, commissioner or
just interested in health and wellbeing, then we need your input.
Join us on 31 March 5.30-8pm at The Station to have your say and learn what
Healthwatch has been doing. Booking is essential and can be completed on The
Care Forum website. Please click on the following link to book your place:
http://tinyurl.com/k3wobq2
Greater Bristol Pollinator
You might be interested in reading about the recently launched Greater Bristol
Pollinator Strategy. If you’d like to find out more please follow this link
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/research/ecological/community/pollinators/pollinator-strategy/
This webpage also has a very good animation that explains why pollinating
insects are so important.
Although a lot of our patches encourage wildlife, maybe we could do something
specifically bee-related, like planting specific plants or making 'bee hotels'.
If there's anything you've got any ideas about and might want to organise, do
let us know.
We are going to take part in the Bristol Get Growing Trail which is on 6/7 June
this year where food growing projects open their gates. Patchwork will do an
activity on the community orchard from 2-4pm on Saturday 6th (perhaps a
'pollinator' one?).
We are potentially going to be starting a new orchard site this year, depending
on permission from the Council. We'd like to plant some trees on the patch of
land on the corners of Dean Lane and Warden Road. We have just heard that the
Greater Bedminster Community Partnership has approved the bid that we put in
for Green Capital funds with Good Gym, subject to us receiving permission to
plant (this money would pay for all the trees, compost etc). Will keep you
posted....
Our monthly sessions start again on 26th March, 6.30pm - I'll let you know the
meeting place nearer the time.
Who are the Partners?
The attached list shows the organisations that are currently registered as
‘partners’ within the Greater Bedminster Community Partnership. Please check
it for accuracy. We are particularly keen to identify small, often street
based organisations. These small groups undertake very important work in our
community. We can’t support them, if we don’t know that they exist. If your
group would like to be a GBCP partner, please contact the secretary on
<email obscured>
Possible funding source
This is hot off the press and may be useful to some of you in future. It’s a
pretty limited pot so the early bird…!
£6 million new funding to give communities even greater local control – this
may be of interest to you and your organisation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-million-new-funding-to-give-communities-even-greater-local-control
Handfuls of Harmony: Join us? Sing with us? Work with us?
Since receiving its Peoples Millions funding in January, Handfuls of Harmony is
now working to organise a range of singing workshops in different setting
throughout South Bristol. We’re looking to create a huge intergenerational
choir, bringing children, teenagers, parents, teachers, older people, local
businesses and even local footballers together! Would you like to be involved
or do you work for an organisation that might want to be part of this?
The core Handfuls of Harmony choir starts again on Thur 26th February from 7pm
– 9pm at Ashton Park School and welcomes new members. You don’t need to be an
experienced or confident singer to join in and all the songs are taught by ear.
We meet on 8 Thursdays between now and our concert at St Paul’s Church on
Coronation Rd on 16th May.
Go to www.handfulsofharmony.org for more info about the project and the core
choir and please email Rosey now at <email obscured> to reserve
your place. Contact Roger at <email obscured> with more general
enquiries.
BeeBristol and BeeBedminster
BeeBristol is a grass routes community project that has been given a small
grant by Bristol Green Capital. We build awareness of the decline in all
pollinators though art and community events. We also manage beehives, build bee
hotels and aim to plant six meadows this year to create habitat for Bristols
hardest workers. Along with other initiatives and the council, we want to do
our bit to help stop the decline in pollinators - by making Bristol a
pollinator friendly city!
We are looking for sites that we could plant strips of wildflower or a full
meadow. These sites need to be community gardens or privately managed, not
council managed land. We appoint a meadow guardian from the local community to
keep an eye on their meadow and liaise with them and the community to insure
the upkeep of the space over the coming years.
We also work with River of Flowers on bespoke seed mixes for each site and due
to being a very small start-up project, look for local sponsorship where
possible for the work but likewise can absorb some of the cost ourselves if no
other funding can be found. We believe in managing these projects with the
local community and ask for local people to volunteer on planting days to
insure ownership of their meadow and a dose of good, fun, community spirit!
Please do get in touch via our website www.beebristol.org for further details,
to volunteer or to suggest a site. Tim Barsby, Founding Director of
BeeBristol.
Bristol Pound
The Bristol Pound invites you to join us for our first Community Sign-up event
at Café Grounded on Bedminster Parade on Wednesday 25th February, anytime
between 2-9pm.
The Bristol Pound is thriving; it’s accepted by over 800 businesses, used by
thousands in the city, supporting local independents and making our city
better.
We know lots of people share the values of the £B – community, creativity,
local business – but lots of people don’t get around to signing up, so with the
help of Cafe Grounded, we’re making it easy by running a sign up evening in
your area, with a fantastic special offer!
Open your £B account on the day and get any 12" pizza for £B10!
Remember to bring Photo ID and proof of address. More details here:
http://bristolpound.org/events?id=121.
To find out more, visit our website: bristolpound.org or call us on 0117 929
8642. Please spread the word!
Explore the History of South Bristol at the MemoryScapes Tea Party, KWMC
We would be delighted if you could join us on Thursday 5th March for the
MemoryScapes Tea Party: relive the history of South Bristol, enjoy afternoon
tea, and experience an interactive installation inspired by the memories of
local people.
In 2014 we hosted reminiscence workshops around five locations in South
Bristol: Filwood Swimming Pool, St Barnabas Church, the Wills Tobacco Factory,
Eagle House and Filwood Cinema. We worked with artist Laura Kriefman to
create a portable chest of drawers to hold the memories, films, sounds and
objects that were collected. As well as documenting local history and change,
the chest can act as an educational tool for young people and a reminiscence
tool for people with dementia. The MemoryScapes Chest is currently on tour
across Knowle West and the celebration tea party marks the end of the project.
We hope you'll be able to join us to open the drawers and peer into the past...
Thursday 5th March, 5-7.30pm
Knowle West Media Centre, Leinster Avenue, Bristol, BS4 1NL
Free event, with afternoon tea provided
To RSVP or for more details please contact Lucinda on 0117 903 0444 or
<email obscured>
Vacancy: LPW Engagement Worker
Do you have a real drive for expanding and improving the chances for young
people? The focus and support that you give Bristol’s young people will help
drive our impact and improve people’s lives for the better. One of the key
skills you will bring to this role is adaptability – our support for young
people comes in a variety of forms and Engagement Workers will often have to
respond quickly to differing demands.
The skills and experience that you will bring to this role are:
· Two years’ experience working or volunteering in a similar role
· Education to NVQ Level 3 or above in a relevant field working with
young people
· A drive to record your findings as data and understand how that data
will help drive your decisions
· Ability to manage a caseload;
· A desire to be a trusted adult in everything that you do and
demonstrate role model adult behaviour
· A passion and natural ability for engaging young people and be able
to relate to a variety of people
· A tenacity and drive for tackling problems or difficult situations
· A knowledge of Bristol and the key providers of similar services in
our city
· A champion of equal opportunity and the ability to challenge
discrimination and stereotyping behaviours
You will get an opportunity to work for a community interest company that has a
social mission at its core and drives the way we undertake business. In
addition we have an attractive range of benefits, such as 25 days annual leave
including two duvet days, 2% employer’s contribution to our pension scheme,
travel loans, childcare vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.
For further details please visit
http://www.lpw.org.uk/work-for-lpw/engagement-worker-young-people-3/. To apply
please send your covering letter and CV to <email obscured>
Parson Street School Ladies Only Fashion Show
Gorgeous branded clothing at prices between 30% and 50% off RRP. Raising money
for the Parson Street Primary School Swimming Pool changing rooms, which are in
much need of a refurb. You can buy tickets at the school office or via email
(see attached flyer). It will be a fantastic show!
Thanks to Kirsty Barrett for this edition. Please pass it on and invite
others to join the circulation list. Let Ben know if you want to drop out.