This year’s Bradley Stoke 10k Run, which takes place on Sunday 9th June, is almost full despite the entry limit being raised to accommodate a hundred more runners.

In recent years, the race has had a 500-entry limit, but organising club Sole Sisters say they have managed to increase their licence to 600 runners after the previous limit of 500 was reached weeks before raceday.

There are now fewer than 50 places left and a club spokesperson warned that there will be no ‘registration on the day’ this year.

With a record number of runners likely to line up in two weeks time, the club is renewing its appeal for volunteers who can spare a couple of hours on the day of the race.

Marshals need to be over the age of 16 and will be fully briefed before the start of the race.

Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to contact Sole Sisters through their website.

Entries are also being sought for the inaugural Bradley Stoke Charity Bed Race, also on Sunday 9th June.

Any organisation, club, society, association or company can enter a team of five, from which one person is required to be on the bed at any one time.

More: Bed Race teams will race over a 1.5 mile course »

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On Sunday 5th May, the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group will be hosting a Dawn Chorus walk around the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve as part of International Dawn Chorus Day 2013.

Bird lovers from Colorado to Flakkebjerg will be joining in this year’s event, rising early to hear birds greet the sunrise and appreciate how much wild birds contribute to our lives.

International Dawn Chorus Day 2013 will be the biggest and most interactive ever, with participants worldwide using the hashtag #idcd on Twitter to share their experiences of the event and upload images of the array of birds in chorus.

The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country organises the annual event, which, founded by environmentalist Chris Baines in the 1980s, has grown from a small gathering in Birmingham to an international celebration of nature’s daily miracle.

WHERE: Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke

MEET AT: Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre

TIME: 5.50am meet-up, will finish around 8.30am

WEAR: Suitable warm/weatherproof clothing and stout boots

BRING: Binoculars, drink and a snack if needed

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Entries have now opened for the 2013 renewal of the Bradley Stoke 10k Run, to be held on Sunday 9th June as part of the town’s Community Festival.

Organised by local ladies-only running club Sole Sisters, the race starts and finishes at the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Road. where there will also be free car parking, showers, toilets and refreshments for runners and spectators

The race route [map] takes in much of the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve as well as stretches along Brook Way and Bradley Stoke Way.

Last year’s winner was Matt Hooper of Bitton Road Runners, who completed the course in a time of 34:37, with Bristol & West AC’s Jenny Jagger the first woman home in 37:42.

The entry limit for this year’s race remains at 500. Entry fees are unchanged from 2012 at £13 (affiliated)/£15 (unaffiliated).

As in previous years, the race will use ‘chip’ timing and all finishers will receive a technical t-shirt.

There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd male/female and 1st Bradley Stoke resident.

Sole Sisters have chosen Penny Brohn Cancer Care as the race charity.

More information and related links:

• Bradley Stoke Festival 10K 2013 (Sole Sisters)
• Bradley Stoke Community Festival (The Journal)

More: Club seeks volunteer marshals for popular race »

A resident’s suggestion for a picnic area to be created within the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve has been given a cautious welcome by the voluntary group that helps maintain it.

The Journal understands the suggestion was made at a recent Town Councillor Surgery event (held monthly at the Willow Brook Centre) and it was passed to local nature expert John Morris of South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) and the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group for comment.

SGC has said that it would be unable to supply and maintain the facility but it has been suggested that the Town Council could take out a licence to install a picnic area and maintain it for an agreed number of years.

In his response to the Town Council, Mr Morris wrote:

“It’s my opinion that given the right location a small area that has a few picnic benches would enhance the site and not detract from the designation of a nature reserve. You would ideally place it near the lake, in a place that would get flooded.”

“The one area I was thinking of is in fact over a sewer pipe and air vent so it probably wouldn’t be nice to site it there. It’s worth a look though.”

“As long as we aren’t thinking of a children’s playground then I would support the idea.”

[Ed: The spot Mr Morris refers to is believed to be the triangular section of grass at the bottom right of the photo above.]

More: Vandalism and litter are likely, says conservation group »

The Stokes Art Group has now been running successfully for a year and is looking for new members to join for 2013.

The group was formed after local artist Susan Hartry appealed for like-minded individuals to attend an exploratory meeting  in November 2011.

According to the group’s website:

“The aim of the Stokes Art Group is for local Artists to meet on a regular basis to work, chat, demonstrate and showcase their art, with like-minded people. Nothing is expected of Members, but there can be a lot to gain by being part of a group who talk the same language – as in a dash of French Ultramarine with a little bit of Light Red! “

A new series of art workshop sessions starts this week, held on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings at Christ the King Church, Mautravers Close. The first sessions are on:

• Tuesday 8th January – 7pm to 9:30pm
• Thursday 10th January – 10am to 12:30pm

For more details, visit the group’s website at www.stokesartists.co.uk. To register, please email Susan Hartry at stokesart@fsmail.net.

Related link: What’s On in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)