The Bradley Stoke Journal

A family fun day and a five-a-side football tournament are being held at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre (BSLC) this Saturday (2nd July), to raise funds for equipment at a local children’s hospital.

The combined event, organised by the Willow Brook Centre and CJ Hole estate agents, will raise money the Cots for Tots Appeal, which is seeking to raise £1 million for intensive care equipment needed by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol.

This will be the second running of the combined event, following a successful inauguration last year, which raised money for the Help Toby Walk appeal.

The family fun day runs from 12 noon to 4pm in the overflow car park at the Leisure Centre.

The football tournament, for the Bradley Stoke Community Shield, is open to any team from the local community and entries have already been received from the Willow Brook Centre, Tesco Extra, the Leisure Centre, the Aztec Hotel, the local police and Bradley Stoke Town Council.

The football action gets underway at 4pm, preceded by an opening ceremony performed by Bradley Stoke’s local flag waving troop, the South West Winterguard Academy.

The tournament will end at around 9:30pm and will be followed with a trophy presentation by Cllr Charlotte Walker (Vice Chair of Bradley Stoke Town Council).

For further information, contact Mark Wathern of the Willow Brook Centre on 01454 205040.

Read on for a list of local business that are supporting the day »

The July newsletter from the local police beat team includes reports on a drugs raid at a “property in Bradley Stoke” and speed checks in the Woodlands Lane area.

In April, police seized 25 suspected cannabis plants with a potential street value up to £25,000 and found electricity being illegally obtained at a house in Bradley Stoke. A Bradley Stoke man aged 24, a Bristol man aged 22, and a Portishead woman aged 23 were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries.

Police say they carried out a one-hour speed check in Woodlands Lane and Pear Tree Road, netting three drivers travelling at over 40mph. The offenders have been fined £60 and invited to attend a driving course to avoid three penalty points.

The newsletter also reports on a 21-year-old burglar, jailed for two and a half years by Bristol Crown Court after admitting more than 70 crimes in Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford and Little Stoke.

There’s also advice about dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB), which police say usually increases over the summer.

Read on for an example of action taken against ASB in Bradley Stoke »

Avon and Somerset Police report that they arrested two men aged 18 and 21 in the early hours of  Monday 27th June, in connection with a burglary at a home in Bradley Stoke.

The news comes after a number of residents complained on the social networking site Twitter of being woken by a police helicopter hovering over their homes at around 2am.

After a scorching day on Sunday, it is thought that many house owners would have had bedroom windows open because of the heat, making them more likely to be disturbed by the “eye in the sky”.

Police say the helicopter was involved in a search of the area after the break-in.

The two men were later released on police bail pending further enquiries.

The burglary follows a similar incident in the Abbeywood area on Wednesday 22nd June, when five men were arrested on suspicion of stealing property from sheds and garages.

Neighbourhood Inspector Bob Evely said:

“It’s important to remember to lock up your home and secure doors and windows if you’re not in the same room.”

Read on for more crime prevention advice from Insp Evely »

Bradley Stoke’s Holy Trinity Primary School has been rated “good” by Ofsted inspectors, who visited the school earlier this month.

The team of three inspectors observed approximately seven hours of lessons at the 201-pupil school, which is located in Broad Croft, off Pear Tree Road.

Questionnaire responses from 70 parents and carers, 95 pupils and 12 staff were also evaluated as part of the inspection.

The report begins:

“Holy Trinity Primary a good school because the staff team know each pupil well and consequently youngsters enjoy their education.”

The school’s values, such as patience and gentleness, are said to underpin all aspects of school life. Consequently:

“Pupils are, and feel, safe, and work and play well together.”

Behaviour at the voluntary aided faith school is said to be “good”.

Inspectors say the school needs to further develop the consistency of challenge in lessons, with mathematics and literacy identified as requiring attention in this regard.

Read on to see how Holy Trinity compares with other schools in the Bradley Stoke area »

A Bradley Stoke woman has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the local police force.

Sue Dauncey, Director of Legal Services for Avon and Somerset Police, has been appointed Member of the British Empire (MBE).

Chief Constable Colin Port said:

“I’m delighted that Sue’s hard work and commitment has been recognised in this way. She has worked tirelessly over the years not only for the people of Avon and Somerset but on a national basis, advising other lawyers in the public sector.”

“I think this is a recognition of the work that people do day in day out within policing and I know that many of our colleagues will join with me in congratulating Sue on this wonderful achievement.”

Within police forces, the in-house legal service is an area that is relatively unknown. The legal service in Avon and Somerset covers over fifty different areas of work spanning all areas of legal work apart from criminal prosecutions and property law.

Read on for Ms Dauncey’s reaction to the news »