A popular nursery in Bradley Stoke has installed an automated external defibrillator (AED) as part of its commitment to safeguard children, staff, parents and visitors in the event of a cardiac arrest. During Family Safety Week (1st April to 5th April), Busy Bees in Ferndene (near Aldi) installed the AED as part of a nationwide campaign that has seen Busy
Continue readingBowsland Green reporters probe the plastic plague
Young pupils at a Bradley Stoke primary school have been gathering opinions on the hot topic of plastic waste pollution after finding rubbish all over their playing field and watching films of animals trapped in plastic waste. The children, in the age range 5 to 7, conducted investigations and proudly presented their findings at a special event held on the
Continue readingBradley Stoke in Bloom update for April
An update from Sara Messenger of the Bradley Stoke in Bloom group. I sometimes feel that I haven’t done much – we seem to spend endless hours on paperwork and emails and then many more hours digging, seeding and planting with very little to show for it. But then spring arrives and a few flowers start to lift their heads above the
Continue readingFinal call for Stars of the Stokes nominations
Local residents have just a few more days to make nominations for the 2019 Stars of the Stokes community awards, as the closing date of 10th May draws near. Shortlisted nominees will be honoured at a glittering black tie awards night to be held at the Aztec Hotel & Spa on 21st June. The event will be hosted by comedian
Continue readingMetroBus: Has the ‘no lay-bys’ policy backfired?
The introduction of new bus routes (T1 and M1 MetroBus) through Bradley Stoke has actually worsened traffic congestion rather than relieved it, claim a number of readers commenting on the Journal’s Facebook page. Responding to a reader who reported being held up by a convoy of three buses “halting at every stop” along Bradley Stoke Way to pick up or
Continue readingBowlers to support air ambulance
At the spring meeting of Bradley Stoke Bowls Club, a large crowd of members was treated to a brief account of the excellent work of the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). The charity’s new air base is in Almondsbury, from which they provide pre-hospital critical care services within the community. It was unanimously agreed to adopt this charity for
Continue readingLots happening at 1st Bradley Stoke Scouts
By Nick Nelson, chair, 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group Over the winter, we spend more time inside ‘the hut’ working with our young people on a variety of activities including badge work, cooking (always popular) and developing skills in knots and map reading (not so much!). That said, we do get our young people out for hikes as the dark
Continue readingMixed reactions to Willow Brook Centre’s new speed bumps
The replacement of a number of cushion-type speed bumps on the access road of the Willow Brook shopping centre with new, more severe, full-width bumps sparked extensive debate on the Journal’s Facebook page during March. The reader who started the discussion remarked on the “large traffic queue” that had formed because of drivers slowing to a crawl as they passed
Continue readingTrust CEO’s “lack of representation” gibe triggers schools minister visit
Schools minister Nick Gibb MP has paid a flying visit to several South Gloucestershire schools, including Patchway Community School, following criticism from a local academy trust leader that the district’s MPs aren’t doing enough to push for an increase in the level of school funding. The visit came just three weeks after Dave Baker, CEO of the Olympus Academy Trust
Continue readingMcDonald’s and Starbucks drive-through plans refused for second time
Proposals for two new 24-hour drive-through food units and new retail space at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre have been refused permission by councillors for a second time. South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Spatial Planning Committee, meeting at Brook Way Activity Centre on 19th March, had been tasked with “re-evaluating” the application after councillors on a lower-level committee had ignored the
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