Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

A New Year’s Resolution – Please could possible contributors try to make our editing dead of 1st of each month? Articles submitted after the 1st with a polite note saying sorry we’re late, still means they will not be printed in the current edition as the script has already left the Editorial team and gone to Graphic Design. The schedule is now very tight to allow printing to start on the 14th .

Roads – The Tesco water main trench is now finished and the Junction 17 roundabout modifications are now operational. The south side of the roundabout unfortunately has only partial success in just freeing the M5 slip road from Blackhorse Hill while the north side is still a disaster.

Plastic Recycling Container - This is now for clean plastic bottles, yogurt and plant pots and margarine, ice-cream and microwave tubs. This should make our normal dust bins emptier.


The FOSBR- Severn Beach line - campaigned for an extra train in 2006-7, and won a more frequent service funded by councillors of all political parties but this is now under threat. 3,000 leaflets are being delivered by FOSBR requesting your support for the existing service level.

Automated Flood Warning – Those who subscribed to this telephone system had a call on the 18th November.


Plastic Recycling Container Mistake – Some wrong labels have been stuck our Plastic Recycling Containers by SITA. Currently we cannot recycle yogurt and plant pots and margarine, ice-cream and microwave tubs. Hopefully in the near future we will get these extensions to the recycling.


Petrel sighting – On the 27th November a large number of twitchers, anoraks and the like invaded Severn Beach to observe the Black Bellied Storm Petrel on the wing over the estuary. They could become the new visitors to Severn Beach. With the Nature Reserve coming into being in the future now may be the time to plan for a car park to cope with these extra visitors. I’m sure the local catering facilities can expand quickly to cope with their food requirements.


Direct Gov – On Channel 4 teletext page 750 the government has launched its Direct Gov TV pages in November. On December 14th teletext closes on analogue TV, it will probably be transferred to the web.


Police Forces Budget – In 2010 this will be reduced by £500 million. The Government statement says frontline forces will not be affected but the overtime budget will be reduced by £70 million. The report also states no more time is being spent on the beat than two years ago and that Police Officers should walk around singly.


Smart Meters – Will be installed in 26 million homes by 2020 to enable people to see on what their energy is being used for. It could save each household £28 per year? It may be more beneficial to get people £28 off their bill each year. The meters will cost £4 billion to install.

The Downs – Goats are to be grazed on a fenced off area of the Downs to control the overgrown area.


ID Cards – This scheme is now up and running and 538 are on the register in Manchester.


Multiple Sclerosis - An Italian doctor has been getting dramatic results with a new type of treatment for Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, which affects up to 2.5 million people worldwide. In an initial study, Dr. Paolo Zamboni took 65 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, performed a simple operation to unblock restricted blood flow out of the brain - and two years after the surgery, 73% of the patients had no symptoms. Dr. Zamboni's thinking could turn the current understanding of MS on its head, and offer many sufferers a complete cure.


Salt Intake – The average person consumes 8.6 grams of salt per day. The World Health Organisation recommends a dosage of 5 grams per day, Action on Salt suggest 4 grams per day but the food manufacturers do not think below 6 grams is achievable.

The Friends worked very hard organising the Christmas Fayre and the amount raised will be announced in the next issue. They also raised £82.70 at a Bingo Night and the pupils and staff supported the BBC’s Children in Need Appeal by coming to school dressed as ‘spottily’ as possible, covering a giant Pudsey Bear in coins and taking part in spotty activities all day. Not only did everyone have a lot of fun, but we raised £130.11!

The pupils in Years 5 and 6 attended the South Gloucestershire Primary Schools’ Carol Service at Clifton Cathedral and we are grateful to the 1st Severn Beach Scout Group for transporting the children, which really helps make it affordable as coach hire is so expensive.

The term ended with the usual round of Christmas parties, Christmas lunch and carol concerts for the parents. The children in Year 2 sang carols to the Over- 50s club in the village hall, which they always enjoy. The Come Alive Puppet Show performed for the whole school and the South Gloucestershire Music Service entertained us with seasonal music, which helped to get everyone feeling Christmassy!

On behalf of all the staff and pupils at our school, we wish you all a happy, peaceful 2010.

Join the LIN - Help Make Small Changes and Have a Big Influence on-our Health and Social Care Services

You can become part of the new way for local people to have their say about local health and social care services, and about the way they are run and developed by joining the South Gloucestershire Local Involvement Network.

You can participate in the LINk as much or as little as you wish from receiving information regularly to being involved in working groups. You can join the LINk as an individual or as a representative of a voluntary or community group. If you belong to a community or voluntary group we can come and talk to you and let the LINk know about the issues you are facing.

The LINk is working hard and talking to the Local Authority and Local NHS about issues including the provision of respite care, translation services for people whose first language is not English, services for older people and for people with physical and sensory impairments.

The LINk can pass issues to the Care Quality Commission (the national watchdog for health and social care), the local Select Committees and on occasion can enter and view health or social care services to see first hand what is happening.

For more information about the South Gloucestershire LINk contact:

Sarah Booker - Development and Information worker for South Gloucestershire LINk

( 0117 9589351/07896918205-Fax 0117 9650200-* sarahbooker@linksouthglos.org.uk-www.linksouthglos.org.uk

Or write to the LINk at: FREEPOST RSBG-GTHJ-JUKK, South Gloucestershire LINk, The Care Forum, The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Bristol BS16 2QQ

South Gloucestershire Council have created a Sure Start Children’s Centre to serve the communities around Severn Beach, Pilning, Easter Compton and Almondsbury with Severn Beach Children’s Centre at Severn Beach Primary School, Ableton Lane, Severn Beach, South Gloucestershire BS35 4PP.

This Centre aims to provide support to all parents and carers of young children at neighbourhood level from various organisations including South Gloucestershire Council and South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust.

Each South Gloucestershire Sure Start Children’s Centre will provide a base for

· Stay and Play sessions and other support groups for children and parents/carers

· support and outreach services to parents/carers and children in need

· information and advice for parents/carers about parenting support, local childcare provision, local early years provision and early education services

· support, training and advice for childminders

· links to Job Centre Plus services to help parents and carers return to work

· advice about benefits and adult learning courses

· access to healthcare and support services, including midwifery, health visitors and child health

· support and advice on healthy living and prevention of health problems

· links to local schools and out of school holiday schemes

· targeted support for vulnerable children including those with disabilities or special/additional needs

· advice and referral to more specialised support services.

The centre will have an Advisory Board made up of local people (including parents) that will have a role in shaping the services to ensure that local needs are met.

To find out more about the services that will be offered at this new Children’s Centre please contact Philip Matson:

Tel 01454 868111/ philip.matson@southglos.gov.uk

The children’s centre will initially offer Stay and Play sessions on Tuesday 1.15pm to 3.15pm & Wednesday 9.30am to 11.30am A Baby Club will meet at the centre on a Friday morning 9.30 to 11.00am

If you want to find out about the advisory board please contact Lisa Drakett: Tel 01454 864169 / lisa.drakett@southglos.gov.uk

At the start of the New Year, St. Peter’s Church Council would like to thank all those who contributed to the life of the church by doing various jobs from mowing the grass to reading a lesson. The more people that we have then the easier it is for everyone. Would you like to volunteer for a job this year? You can contribute in all sorts of ways and you don’t have to go to church regularly to make a difference. Here are some of the voluntary jobs – flower arranging, handing out / collecting hymnbooks, making / serving refreshments after a service, reading the lesson, helping to make decisions on the church council by becoming a member.

Then there are jobs are done by volunteers currently but a suitable candidate could be paid - church secretary, church cleaner, caretaker for Trinity Hall.

If you are interested and would like further information or if you have any other skills and would like to help in other ways then please contact me or any member of St. Peter’s Church.

You can also come along to the Annual General Meeting to tell us your views / suggestions or just to listen. Details will be available later on.

Iain Gray

Chairman – St. Peter’s Church Council iain.d.gray@btinternet.com ( 01454 414952

Olveston and District Royal British Legion, which this year for the first time includes the Pilning and Severn Beach areas, would like to thank everyone for their support in raising much needed funds during the recent Poppy Appeal. A total of £4,187.96p has been collected to date. This money will be gratefully received by the charity, without your help they would be unable to continue their vital benevolent work. A big thank you to all concerned.

On 10 October Joe Nemeth invited the Fund Raising Group along to his Steam and Vintage Car Rally. We managed to raise clear funding of £150.00 which is great.

There were all types of traction engines both large and small, vintage cars, small Lister pump engines, various old army vehicles, jeep, Massey Fergusson tractors and old lorries. There was a ride from Easter Compton to Severn Beach in an old bus. Joe had even managed to arrange Concorde to fly over, which was part of a model aeroplane group. There was also a car and boot sale, face painting, and rides supplied by MJ Amusements. Did anyone spot the flying tractor? Joe arranged a fantastic steam day for enthusiasts and will be arranging another steam and vintage car rally in 2010. Watch this space!! Thanks Joe

The Fund Raising Group have organised fund raising events for next year, starting at the end of January with a childrens disco, February a Ladies night, March a bingo night, April a car and boot sale and much much more! Please look out for the leaflets coming through your doors with more information.

The fund raising group have now raised £1777.00 for more play equipment and we need to double that for the next piece of play equipment. Please come along to the fund raising events to support this worthwhile cause that will benefit the villages and our children for years to come.

Pilning Fund Raising Group

Pilning Surgery.

Drs. Terry Paterson, Fiona Ormerod, Alison Wint and Supporting Staff.


New Telephone System - Wednesday 25th November

On the 25th November 2009 the practice will install a new telephone system and whilst patients should not experience any disruption to services, they will notice a new approach to call handling. There will be no change to surgery telephone numbers.

We trust you will be patient with us whilst we introduce this new service. You will be required to select from a menu option which has been kept to an absolute minimum (4 options). This will allow us to direct your call more effectively to the right person.

We would ask that you avoid calling between 8.30am and 10.00am for test results or general, non urgent, enquires as this will enable the staff to deal with more immediate calls for help and manage the reception of the open appointment service.
We welcome your comments and feed back of your experience please ring the main surgery number on 01454 632393 and let us know if there is anything you feel we could do to improve our call handling or alternatively write to Sue Broad Practice Manager.