The Bradley Stoke Journal

Conservative campaigners have welcomed today’s re-opening of Bradley Stoke Library after a five-week closure period, during which the library has been extended by around 60 square metres.

The extension maintains the large open plan design and enables the whole of the rear of the library to be used for children’s services and create a more dedicated space for this age group.

In addition, a staff workroom has been extended to allow more space for storage and office work.

In a joint statement, South Gloucestershire Conservative Councillors for Bradley Stoke John Ashe, Brian Hopkinson, Rob Jones and Sarah Pomfret said:

“In the past, we have had reports from local residents that the children’s area cannot always accommodate the number of families attending pre-school and holiday activities.”

“We have very much taken up these concerns with the council and we are delighted that the work has now been completed.”

“Local residents now have more space in which to enjoy their local library and make use of the important opportunities the facility offers.”

Read on for details of Saturday’s official re-opening ceremony »

A group of teachers from a Bristol secondary school have become the latest to complete a long distance walking route that passes through Bradley Stoke.

The Green Man Challenge follows the course of the 45-mile Community Forest Path around Bristol and anyone completing the route in under 24 hours (walking) or 12 hours (running) is entitled to receive a certificate and have their name entered in a book of honour.

The current record of 7 hours 19 minutes was set in 2009 by ultra distance runners Martin Beale and Martin Indge.

The group of eight staff from Bristol Cathedral Choir School set out from Ashton Court on Friday afternoon and passed through Bradley Stoke early on Saturday morning.

The photo above shows the group taking a short rest at Sherbourne’s Brake, just off Baileys Court Road.

Seven of them went on to complete the challenge in around 21 hours, with the eighth having to drop out at Easter Compton with sore feet!

The challenge was staged to mark the retirement of teacher Peter Bond, who has served for 40 years at the central Bristol school. The walk also honoured the memory of David Perry, another long-serving teacher, who passed away earlier in the year.

Funds raised through the walk will go towards to the installation of a well in a Ugandan village.

Bristol Cathedral Choir School was formerly an independent fee-paying school but became a state-funded academy in September 2008. It has since become Bristol’s most over-subscribed state secondary school.

Entry into Year 7 is open to children from a wide geographical area that incorporates Bradley Stoke and many other towns beyond the city boundary.

Another record field of 418 runners contested the 2010 Bradley Stoke 10k Run in fine conditions on Sunday (13th June), the final day of the town’s Community Festival.

As last year, the race started and finished at the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Lane, with the Jubilee Green being used for competitor car parking.

Bradley Stoke Mayor Ben Walker sounded the horn to start the race at 10am and promptly joined the field to take part in the event for the third successive year.

Running in aid of his mayoral charity, St Peter’s Hospice, Cllr Walker teamed up with his Conservative colleague Jack Lopresti, the newly-elected MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, who ran the race in aid of the Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion.

The pair finished together (see photo) in a time of 63:46, placing them around the 350th mark.

Many other runners ran on behalf of the race’s official fundraising charity, the Nicola Corry Support Foundation.

Local residents turned out in force to support the runners as they followed the multi-terrain route along the pavements and tracks of  Bradley Stoke.

Read on for details of the race winners and photo links »

Fine weather once again drew a large crowd to Saturday’s Community Fair at Bradley Stoke’s Jubilee Centre.

Action on the upper football field began at 10:30 with a tournament for local school children, with the main music and dance programme following at 11:30am.

Tribute band ABBA Now were the headline act on the main stage, supported by Pantz, Smokestack Shakers, Uncle Buck and The Echoes.

Music performances were interspersed with dance and gymnastic displays in the main arena.

The Jubilee Green was packed with business and community stalls together with fairground rides and a second performance arena.

Football star Matt Le Tissier visited the fair between 12:30pm and 2:30pm, signing autographs and chatting with representatives of the Bradley Stoke teams.

A surprise visitor was Britain’s Got Talent finalist Paul Burling, who lives in Bradley Stoke. He was seen towards the end of the day signing autographs and posing for photographs with fans.

Tomorrow (Sunday 13th) sees another full day of events, which gets underway with the Bradley Stoke 10k Run at 10am from the Jubilee Centre. Organisers Sole Sisters Running Club told The Journal they had received 418 entries by Saturday evening and will accept further entries on race day, subject to a safety limit of 500. Take a look at our interactive map of the race route to see where you can cheer on the runners between 10am and approx 11:20am.

The Festival focus then switches to Baileys Court, where an outdoor church service (11am) will be followed by a family picnic and the annual six-a-side cricket tournament.

Youngsters not wishing to miss out on the sporting action can head over to the Leisure Centre, where a Skate Park competition starts at noon. A BBQ and music will be provided to accompany the action on the ramps.

Lots more photos from today on PicasaWeb: album; slideshow

The main day of Bradley Stoke’s 2010 Community Festival gets under way at the earlier than usual time of 11:30am today and offers a varied programme of music and dance acts along with the ever-popular community fair.

Headline act on the main stage is tribute band ABBA Now, who will be supported by the Pantz, Smokestack Shakers, Uncle Buck and The Echoes.

Groups performing in the dance arena include Bristol Ballet, Egyptian Nights and Fahrenheit.

Over on Jubilee Green, there will be performances and demonstrations from the Chinese Association Singers, Raise Your Voice, Bradley Stoke Community School Samba Band, Bowsland Green Gym Club and South Gloucestershire Asian Dance.

The event finishes at 6pm this year, to avoid a clash with the England football team’s first match in the 2010 World Cup.

More info:

• Timetable of Events for Festival Saturday
• Full weekend programme