The Bradley Stoke Journal

Two Bradley Stoke Judo Club players have won the top two medals in their categories at the prestigious 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships, held yesterday (Tuesday 24th January) at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

The players, Steph Walker and Lele Nairne (both just 14 years of age), won first the silver medal and then Lele bagged the gold and title of ‘Commonwealth Judo Champion’.

Commenting on their performance, Club Coach Pete Douglas said:

“The selection process for this championship started months ago when the best players England had to offer gathered to fight it out to distinguish the top athletes to represent England in this truly international event.”

“These two players proved themselves to be true titans in judo and right at the very top of their game. They are a credit to the club and South West and I know will shortly be going on to represent England again at other internationals at the very highest level.”

More: Youngsters are also members of the England elite squad »

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Bradley Stoke Town Councillors are to decide at a meeting on Wednesday whether a private company should be permitted to stage a beer festival at one of the Council’s three activity centres.

Brizzle Beer Festivals, a company based in Bradley Stoke that organises “community” beer festivals in the Bristol area, has asked to use one of the centres and is promising to donate a proportion of takings/profits to charity.

Council officers have referred the request to Councillors because “it does not fall within the normal type of hire”.

The Brook Way Activity Centre, recently refurbished after the Council withdrew funding for the resident youth club, is identified as the most appropriate venue for the event, due to its capacity and ability to accommodate the hog roast that seems to be a regular feature of the applicant’s festivals.

The venue would be available from 8am to 11pm, “due to the proximity of nearby households”.

The festival organisers have offered to stage the event in partnership with the Council, with no charge being made for the venue and 30% of profits going to a charity of the Council’s choosing. Alternatively, the firm says it will pay for the venue and donate 30% of proceeds, less the hire charge, to a charity of its own choosing.

More: Should firm be charged commercial or private hire rate? »

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Local youth group South West Winterguard Academy is staging a ‘community showcase’ event this Saturday (14th January) at Thornbury Leisure Centre.

The aim of the event is to demonstrate to the people of South Gloucestershire the diverse range of sport, dance and arts activities available to them.

Acts so far confirmed for the event include majorettes, street dancers, colourguard, marching bands, karate and ballet.

The event runs from 12 noon to 4:30pm and admission costs £3 for adults and £1.50 for children/concessions.

Bradley Stoke Town Council recently awarded South West Winterguard Academy a grant of £500, to be used jointly for part-funding Saturday’s event and purchasing a storage container for the club’s equipment. The container will be sited in the grounds of Meadowbrook Primary School, where the club holds its training sessions.

The club’s Core Director, Ken Burrows, says the event is being held in Thornbury because Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre doesn’t have the necessary facilities or size.

Read more about South West Winterguard Academy »

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Members of Bradley Stoke clubs featured prominently amongst the winners of this year’s South  Gloucestershire Sports Awards, presented recently at the BAWA club in Filton.

National cycling champion Dylan Cordukes (pictured above, left) picked up the Young Sportsman of the Year award, while judo coach Pete Douglas was honoured with the Sports Coach of the Year award.

There was also success for Bradley Stoke Special Needs Judo Club, which picked up a Team Award and saw member Harry Wood win a Disability Sportsperson of the Year award.

Another Disability Sportsperson of the Year award was won up by Little Stoke’s Adam Osborne, who trains at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

After taking up track cycling just two and a half years ago, Bradley Stoke Community School student Dylan Cordukes (14) picked up the coveted white jersey at the National Youth Championships in Manchester marking him out as the under 14s British Champion for track cycling. The competition involved a 1,500 metre pursuit, sprint races and a time trial which he won by less than 200th of a second. His aspirations are to cycle in the 2020 Olympics or take part in the Tour de France.

Pete Douglas, who recently achieved the prestigious 5th Dan grade as an individual fighter, was honoured for his coaching activities at Bradley Stoke Judo Club.

More: Local swimmer’s achievements recognised »

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Volunteers at Bradley Stoke Radio are today celebrating the award of a full-time FM licence from the broadcasting regulator Ofcom.

The local group is one of four community radio stations that were successful in the south-west region, from a total of seven applicants.

Neighbouring station GLOSS FM (formerly Thornbury FM) also applied for a full-time licence but was rejected due to the lack of a suitable FM frequency.

The licence awarded by Ofcom allows a 3km coverage area, rather than the 5km the station had wanted, due the limited number of frequencies available in the area.

Bradley Stoke Radio is currently in the middle of a two-week FM broadcast period but has mostly been streaming its output on the internet.

Community radio services are provided on a not-for-profit basis focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits to enrich a particular geographical community or a community of interest.

Read more: Exciting News for Bradley Stoke Radio

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Bradley Stoke Radio has begun its second FM transmission period – running from Saturday 3rd December to Saturday 17th December.

A countdown in the Town Square at noon on Saturday [audio clip] was followed by a two-hour programme with guest appearances from the presenters who will be fronting shows over the next fortnight.

The station staged it first FM transmission during two weeks in June, to coincide with the Bradley Stoke Community Festival. Since then, it has been broadcasting on the internet only.

Bradley Stoke Radio can be heard for the next two weeks on 87.7 FM.

Read on for more photos from the launch event »