The Bradley Stoke Journal

A party of students from Bradley Stoke’s twin town of Champs-sur-Marne (France) visited Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) for a day earlier this month.

The students were welcomed by members of the Bradley Stoke Twinning Association before going on to take part in a day of activities at the school, the Leisure Centre and the Willow Brook Centre.

In the afternoon, students from the visiting and host schools joined together for a music concert.

Priscilla Hellyer, teacher at the Lycée Descartes in Champs-sur-Marne, said:

“The students had an amazing experience in Bradley Stoke: they were impressed by the school and all its high-tech equipment, they were surprised to notice all the different subjects their counterparts study in Bradley Stoke (cooking, arts, object design…). They really enjoyed meeting them and working with them to help them prepare their French exam which will take place next Monday.”

“The concert given by students of both schools was also an event they will always remember. Then our students went to the commercial centre [Willow Brook Centre] and leisure centre to run an opinion poll: the people from Bradley Stoke proved to be very friendly and eager to answer their questions.”

“So that day was a success in many ways, and we wanted to thank again the teachers and staff from the Bradley Stoke Community School who did an amazing job to prepare our visit, as well as Tom Aditya and Chris Lee who welcomed us.”

More: Twinning visit to take place over the Community Festival Weekend »

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Local runners, joggers and walkers are being encouraged to get their entries in for the 2012 renewal of the Bradley Stoke 10k Run, to be held on Sunday 3rd June as part of the town’s Community Festival.

Organising club Sole Sisters report that entries for the popular race have now passed the 300 mark, leaving fewer than 200 places available to be filled before the runners cross the start line.

Advance entry, available online or by post, costs £13 (affiliated)/£15 (unaffiliated). Entrants must be aged 16 or over on the day of the race and all finishers will receive a technical t-shirt and goody bag.

Race entries will also be taken at the Community Fair on Saturday 2nd June and on the day of the race, both subject to the entry limit of 500 not being reached.

Penny Greenwood, Race Secretary, reports that around 50% of the entries received so far are from local residents. Age is no barrier to participation and the oldest entrant (so far) is a man who will celebrate his 75th birthday on the day of the race.

The nominated charity for this year’s race is the new Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre that opened earlier this year in Bradley Stoke.

The “multi-terrain” race starts and finishes at the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Road, passing along a number of tracks through the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve as it visits the southern and central parts of Bradley Stoke.

The detailed race route together with recommended viewing points for spectators can be viewed on The Journal’s interactive map of the Bradley Stoke 10k, which has been viewed over 21,000 times since we produced it for the 2009 race.

As in previous years, The Journal plans to produce a comprehensive photographic record of the 2012 race. Any budding photographers who would be willing to take shots for us around the course on 3rd June are invited to get in touch ASAP.

More: Club needs marshals and volunteers for the race »

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Managers at the Willow Brook Shopping Centre in Bradley Stoke have declared war on waste – saving more than 50 tons of rubbish from being sent to landfill every year.

In the space of just six months, incoming property managers Colliers International have boosted the rate of waste recycled from 77.4 to 90 per cent with the remainder being reused or converted – and have reduced the amount sent to landfill to zero.

Mike Bull from Colliers International’s Investment Property Management team based in Bristol said it was an astonishing turnaround with important implications for similar centres:

“Colliers took over running the Willow Brook Centre in November of last year and embarked on a campaign to streamline waste management.”

The popular shopping centre produces between 220 and 240 tons of waste per year and almost twenty five per cent of this was being taken to landfill.

Mr Bull added:

“We diverted the waste to the MBT-AD plant at Avonmouth, which breaks down general waste in large quantities. The process allows for more items to be reused or recycled with the remaining material converted to compost.”

“We are delighted to report this has completely eliminated the need to send any waste to landfill – a projected saving of more than fifty tons every year.”

More: Customers urged to follow Centre’s example »

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History was made in Bradley Stoke last night (Wednesday 16th May) at the Town Council’s AGM when Cllr Charlotte Walker (Con, Lakeside) was elected as Town Mayor for the coming year and so become the youngest female Mayor in the country.

Cllr Walker, who has lived in Bradley Stoke since she was 11, became the town’s youngest ever Councillor last year and was promptly elected Vice-Chair of the Council by her colleagues.

At 24, Cllr Walker is three years younger than fellow Lakeside Ward representative Cllr Robert Jones  was in 2008 when he took office as Mayor, at that time the youngest in the town’s history.

Cllr Jones, who acts as Press Spokesperson for the Town Council, was full of praise for his colleague saying:

“Charlotte has proven herself a fast learner in the last year and I’m sure she’ll make an excellent Mayor. The other Councillors and I are looking forward to working with her in the year ahead.”

Charlotte however isn’t getting carried away with the accolade of Britain’s youngest female Mayor and insists she just wants to do her best for the town’s 20,000+ residents saying:

“People are making a big deal about my age, but there are younger Mayors than me, it just so happens that they’re all men.”

“I’m just focusing on doing my best for the people of Bradley Stoke.”

More: Outgoing Mayor presents cheques to two local charities »

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A big operation by the Avon and Somerset Police Force in Bradley Stoke this morning has resulted in the arrest of five young men.

The police helicopter was seen hovering over the area behind Bradley Stoke Community School between about 11am and 11:30am.

A covert police car, containing two plain clothes officers, was also involved in the operation – seen at the Leisure Centre before speeding northwards on Bradley Stoke Way.

Witnesses reported seeing Police Community Support Officers running through the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve and a message on Twitter spoke of four police vehicles heading down a road to reach a “wooded area” in the town.

A police statement obtained by The Journal explains:

“Police were called at about 10.20am today, Wednesday 16th May, to reports of young men riding a motorcycle on the footpaths at Savages Wood, Bradley Stoke.”

“Emergency response and neighbourhood officers, supported by the police helicopter, attended the scene.”

“A motorcycle, believed to have been stolen from Filton College on Tuesday 15th May, was found in bushes at about 11:15am and seized by police.”

“Five men aged between 20 and 24 were arrested and remain in police custody.”

More: Men later released on police bail pending further enquiries »

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