The Bradley Stoke Journal

A familiar sight on the highways and byways of Bradley Stoke will be seen for the last time today when Dave Dace, the Town Council’s first-ever litter picker, works his final day in the job.

The position of Mobile Cleansing Operative (MCO), to give the job its official title, was launched with great fanfare in April 2009 after the Town Council agreed to fund the part-time role and the lease of a white Vauxhall van for the Operative  to use on his daily rounds of the Town’s litter hot-spots.

Back then, Mr Dace was welcomed into his job by a group of six Councillors and officers at a photo call staged at the Brook Way Activity Centre – which The Journal duly recorded for posterity.

After his first week in the job, Mr Dace reported that most of the litter he had collected had been food wrappers and drinks cans/cartons, much of which appeared to have been thrown from cars.

There was talk of the Council seeking a contribution towards litter-picking costs from local takeaway outlets but this appears not to have been pursued in the intervening years.

In addition to his regular duties, Mr Dace was also instrumental in organising a number of community action days, including the Big Tidy Up in October 2009 and the Big Spring Clean in 2010.

He also created a webpage for the Bradley Stoke Street Carers group and was even moved to publish a poem about his MCO job.

A unanimous vote of thanks for Mr Dace’s hard work over the last three years was recorded at February’s meeting of the Town Council.

The Council is currently advertising to find a replacement for Mr Dace. Further details can be found on our Bradley Stoke Jobs page. Applications must be made by next Wednesday (28th March).

Inconsiderate parking around a primary school in Bradley Stoke has led to a complaint from a local Neighbourhood Watch group concerned about access for emergency vehicles.

Wheatfield Primary School has received a formal letter of complaint from the Harvest Close Neighbourhood Watch group highlighting problems residents are experiencing as a result of “Wheatfield parents/carers parking inconsiderately in and around the Close”.

An extract from the letter printed in the latest school newsletter reads:

“Over the last few months there have been an increasing number of parents using the Close to park their cars to collect their children and some have shown little respect for the residents in doing so.”

“Our driveways have been obstructed on several occasions making it difficult for us residents to access or exit our own homes.”

“Parents have been using our driveways to reverse their cars and our open plan gardens to allow their children to trample across to access their cars …”

“The area directly outside the Close on Wheatfield Drive has also become a dangerous entrance or exit for us and we are concerned that should the timing of the parking coincide with any emergency vehicles trying to gain access or exit this could bring hazardous results.”

The school has asked parents/carers to avoid obstructing residents’ driveways or making it impossible for an emergency vehicle to access any of the properties.

Teachers will also be reminding the children of the need to “respect local residents and care for the environment by not walking across their gardens or dropping litter”.

More: Informal one-way system operates in Wheatfield/Dewfall Drive »

A local golf course has agreed to implement a set of measures designed to reduce the amount of mud deposited on a busy Bradley Stoke road by construction vehicles visiting the site.

A number of local residents had complained about mud covering almost the entire stretch of Woodlands Lane, which was being made worse during periods of wet weather.

The vehicles responsible are understood to be delivering earth to the Woodlands Golf & Country Club in Trench Lane, as part of a project to raise the level of a number of holes on one of its two courses.

The club has appointed Churngold Recycling Limited (CRL) to carry out the work, which started in January and could run for up to two years.

South Gloucestershire Councillor for Bradley Stoke North Ben Walker (Conservative) took up residents’ concerns with CRL and the golf course’s management, including having a meeting to discuss ways of resolving the problems.

As a result, the following measures are reported to have been put in place:

• Additional tarmac surfacing is to be laid between the site entrance and the wheel-washing facility that has been installed on site;
• All delivery drivers to be provided with clear instructions regarding the process when delivering materials to the site;
• One full time road sweeper is allocated to the site as a minimum to clean Woodlands Lane;
• Clearer signage along Woodlands Lane;
• Regular communications and information-sharing between all parties.

More: Councillor will "monitor situation closely" »

Occupational Therapy students from the University of the West of England (UWE) spent two days last week at the Brook Way Activity Centre helping the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group check through its camping equipment.

The Town Council has allowed the scouts to site a storage container alongside the centre and the group’s outdoor equipment was recently transferred there from its previous home with another scout group in Muller Road, Bristol.

The students had volunteered for the work as part of UWE’s Widening Occupation Weeks (WOW) programme, which gives first year Occupational Therapy students an opportunity to experience and reflect on a range of occupations through engagement with a variety of community and third sector (voluntary) groups, while simultaneously helping local organisations to get a job done.

A squad of ten students was given the task of pitching six patrol tents on land adjacent to the centre and “working out what goes with what”, under the friendly supervision of Group Scout Leader Mark Gollop and Group Chair Clive Mason.

The students also made sure that the scout’s marquee and dining shelter were in working order with no missing poles, guy ropes or tent pegs.

More: Could your group get involved with WOW next year? »

The newly-built West of England Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre opened its doors to patients for the first time last week, following years of fundraising and planning.

Construction on the £1.13 million state-of-the-art treatment centre began in June last year and contractors Elliott UK officially handed over the building earlier this month.

Situated between Wheatfield Primary School and Bradley Stoke Way (close to Primrose Bridge), the new centre will provide support for up to 600 people with MS every year in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and surrounding areas.

The centre previously operated from a unit on an industrial estate in Nailsea, where it had been providing therapies for people with MS for more than 25 years.

The Bradley Stoke MS Therapy Centre will provide specialised physiotherapy, oxygen treatment, reflexology, aromatherapy, botox injections to relieve muscle spasms, acupuncture and counselling.

The new facility also has good relaxation facilities to provide space for social interaction ensuring people with MS can continue to live their lives.

More: New centre appeals for sponsorship to keep it running »