The Bradley Stoke Journal

Thrifty buyers will be flocking to the Trench Lane Car Boot Sale, near Bradley Stoke, for the last time in 2010 tomorrow (Sunday 26th September).

The immensely popular sale, which attracts hundreds of sellers and thousands of buyers, runs from May to September at the Trench Lane site [map], opposite the entrance to Woodlands Golf & Country Club.

With fine weather forecast, a bumper crowd can be expected for the final sale of the season.

Boot sale regulars need not be too despondent as the same organisers also run a sale at Rodford, between Yate and Westerleigh, starting on 3rd October 2010 and continuing every Sunday thereafter until further notice.

The Rodford sale runs from 9am to 2am; sellers’ cars are charged at £6, vans £10. All visitors are required to pay 50p at the gate.

Related links:

• Markets in and around Bradley Stoke
• Weather Forecast for Bradley Stoke

Every Saturday during October 2010, staff at the award-winning Reflections Hair Salon based at the Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke will be holding ‘Pink Days’ to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Dressed in pink, staff will be offering clients pink cupcakes and pink refreshments, and holding a raffle to win a pair of GHD Original Hair Straighteners worth £119.  The limited edition Pink GHDs (sold with a gorgeous raffia bag and compact mirror) are already on sale at Reflections with £10 from every pair sold going to charity.

Hannah Fox, Reflections Salon Manager, commented:

“As hairdressers, we often see the effects of cancer first hand and can sometimes provide the service of confidant as well as stylist. ”

“In a female orientated industry, it is a charity we feel strongly about supporting so we are really looking forward to welcoming our Bradley Stoke clients, turning the salon pink, having some fun and raising money for this worthy cause throughout October.”

Related link: Hair Salons in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) has followed the lead set by South Gloucestershire Council and begun publishing, online, detailed lists of all its spending.

The move follows a request made by the Editor of this publication that BSTC honour a commitment made in the Conservative Party’s General Election manifesto that local Councils be required to publish online every item of spending over £500, in order to “cut costs and tackle wasteful spending”.

Despite the party later reneging on its pre-election promise (the Coalition Government is now “urging” rather than “requiring” Councils to comply), the Town Council has commendably decided to:

“… publish all payment lists (including items below £500) in order to provide the community with full information of monthly expenditures.”

The information is a little hard to find – look for Monthly Expenditure under the Town Council menu option – but the Town Clerk says the next Council newsletter will highlight the new facility.

A quick look over the six months of data available on the website shows the biggest monthly item to be staff salaries and pensions (averaging around £14,000 and £3,500 respectively).

Read on for more examples of where your Council Tax goes »

Bradley Stoke residents are being given the chance to enjoy a performance by local comedy star Paul Burling and at the same time raise funds for a local schoolgirl’s educational expedition to Southern India.

The Britain’s Got Talent finalist, famed for his impressions of Harry Hill, has agreed to perform at a fund raising evening on Saturday 2nd October 2010, at the Esporta health club in Stoke Gifford.

The booking  is something of a coup for 16-year-old Emily Baber, who needs to raise a total of £3,000 in order to secure her place on Bradley Stoke Community School’s (BSCS) World Challenge trip to Cochin in 2011.

To date Emily has raised a fantastic £1,300 – through bag packing at Tesco’s in Bradley Stoke, baking and selling cakes and designing BSCS school-leavers’ hoodies.

She also organised a Key Stage 1 disco at Baileys Court Primary School, which was an outstanding success.

Julia Prewett, a friend of the Baber family, told The Journal:

“He [Paul] doesn’t know Emily but has very kindly agreed to perform at Esporta … to enable Emily to help achieve her dream.”

The fund raising evening will also include a horse racing night and the event will be rounded off with a disco.

Tickets are priced at £10 per person (adults only – due to limited space) and all proceeds will go directly to Emily’s World Challenge fund.

Demand is expected to be high, so book your tickets now by phoning Julia Prewett on 07970 619191 or Kelly Baber at Baileys Court Primary School (01454 866666).

Two other BSCS students, Sam Beaumont and Joel Ip, are raising funds for the same World Challenge trip by organising a Battle of the Bands contest. Auditions are scheduled for 20th and 22nd October with the final taking place on Saturday 6th November.

Related link: Things to do in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

Bin collections days are to change soon for many streets in Bradley Stoke as part of a package of measures designed to improve recycling rates.

About 43,000 households in South Gloucestershire are to to see their rubbish and recycling schedules change during the last week of September.

The changes are being made in preparation for the introduction of weekly food waste collections and fortnightly plastic bottle collections, planned for November.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGP) says:

“If your household is affected, you will be notified with a bin hanger on the black wheeled bin, or by information posted through your letterbox, that will inform you of your new collection arrangements.”

You can also check your next black bin collection on the Local Connections page of the SGP website.

More: Extra waste to be collected in first week after changeover »