New memory cafe opens Thursday 11th

If you or someone you know is affected by dementia, there is a new memory café launching at Emersons Green library this Thursday 11 September.

Come along to the new memory café and meet other people in a similar situation. This is a friendly and supportive atmosphere where people and families affected by dementia can get together and share their own experiences over a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Staff and volunteers from the Alzheimer’s Society will be on hand to provide you with information and offer support. Although the café is run by the society with support from South Gloucestershire Council, the café is also suitable for people with other forms of dementia.

The library will be open as usual so you can also take the opportunity to borrow books or DVDs, use the computers free of charge, and find out about library services.

The café is open monthly between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Thursday 11 September, Thursday 9 October, Thursday 13 November and Thursday 11 December.

If you’d like to find out more contact your local Alzheimer’s Society on 0117 961 0693 or email bristol@alzheimers.org.uk

Latest Severn Vale Area Forum next Wednesday

It's time once again to have your say at the local Area Forum meeting. The Severn Vale Area Forum (covering Charfield ward) is at 7pm on Wednesday 10th September in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury. There will be a presentation by BT who will be updating residents on broadband in the area, plus decisions on community grant applications and Positive Activities Subsidy grant applications. All meetings include an open session for members of the public to put questions to councillors and officers on any matter in their area.

Still time to sign the "missing link" cycle path petition

If you missed the launch of our petition to gather support for completing the “missing link” of the cycle path from Yate and Westerleigh to Bristol and Bath, there's still time to sign it.

The path currently ends just south of Westerleigh. South Glos has been awarded some government money from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The cycle path project was part of the bid, but as ever not enough money has been awarded to do everything. The council will be deciding which projects should go ahead next March.

The petition is available online at http://tinyurl.com/cyclelink. Paper copies are available from Claire by emailing claire.young@southglos.gov.uk.

Church Road opens on time

Church Road reopened to through traffic Sunday night following the bridge installation on 24th August. Well done to the team for getting it open in time for the new school term. All the bus services have reverted to their normal routes.  Temporary traffic lights will be in place while final works are carried out to redivert utility cables and complete the bridge parapets. It’s anticipated that the bridge will reopen fully in late November.

South Glos has also started reinstating the street lights on the pedestrian refuges on Badminton Road, which were removed so the bridge could be brought through. The 30 repeater signs that were attached to them won't be going back as they are no longer lawful signage.

Find out more about our mining past - and more

The upcoming South Glos Discover Festival includes several opportunities to find out more about our mining past.

On Saturday 13 Sept 2014 from 2pm to 5pm and Sunday14 Sept 2014 from 11am to 3.30 pm the South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group will be holding open days at Oldwood Pits, Tanhouse Lane, Rangeworthy, BS37 7PZ. There will be guided tours of the colliery site remains, a display of local mining artefacts and refreshments. For more information please contact: Mrs J. Humphris at Oldwood Pits Telephone: 01454 228160

Also on Sunday 14th September, from 10am to 4.30pm there will be an opportunity to tour the remains of Ram Hill Colliery, including the woodland area and the remains of the Dramway engine house and horse gin.

Nearby St Saviour's Church will be holding open days from 11am to 1pm on Friday 12th September, 10am to 3pm on Saturday 13th September and 10.30am to 3pm on Sunday 14th September.


For more events, covering creative, heritage, nature, health and food topics, please go to the Discover Festival pages on the South Glos website.

Free Road Smart driving courses

The statistics around road safety are scary. 95% of all collisions are caused by human error and a third of all serious crashes involve people aged 17-24. Avon & Somerset Police are therefore keen for as many people as possible to attend a FREE 2 hour session to improve their driving awareness. The sessions are available in Keynsham, Bath, Filton, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Chipping Sodbury and Yeovilton and are bookable for 17-24 year olds and for those aged 25 and over. This new and potentially life-saving session is available to all drivers. To see the dates on offer and to book a place visit www.roadsmart.org And if you give them some feedback after the session, you will be entered into a prize draw for a brand new iPad!

Chipping Sodbury police station opening hours reduced

The police have announced that they are reducing the opening hours at the Chipping Sodbury enquiry office from this week. It will be will be open Monday to Friday 10am until 6pm, but will be closed for lunch between 1.30pm and 2.15pm.