The Talk of TotterdownThe Newsletter of Totterdown Residents Environmental and Social Action Community Interest Company

Issue No 60, Spring 2021 www.tresa.org.uk

NameAddressEmailJoining date:

Totterdown needs YOU!TRESAcic brings together residents in Totterdownwith the aim of improving and protecting our localenvironment and to promote a vibrant cultural life.

�Membership is for anyone aged 18 years or over,who lives within the TRESA boundary.

�Members influence the projects we undertakeand join us in providing a strong voice incommenting on issues of local significance.

Membership fees also help towards printing costsof The Talk of Totterdown.

To join or renew your membership (£3 perannum): www.tresa.org.uk to pay via paypalor complete this form and post with cash orcheque, (payable to TRESAcic), in ourletterboxes at the Post Office (in Tesco) or inPatco.

Making a difference… together

Hedgehog StreetHedgehogs are shy nocturnal creatures, and oftenhard to spot, but there is growing evidence of seriousdeclines in hedgehog populations since the millennium;up to half in rural areas and a third in urban locations. The reasons are manifold. Hedgehogs mainly eatinsects and worms and the use of intensive farmingpractices and insecticides both reduces the availabilityof suitable habitat and the presence of the insects andworms on which they feed. Hedgehogs are very happyin urban environments and the reasons for urbandecline are more to do with the popularity of deckingand paving over gardens for parking and easymaintenance; also the fashion for ultra-tidy gardens.The potential to become roadkill is a serious risk forhedgehogs and a flat hedgehog on the road has beena familiar sight, but the reduction in the number ofroadkill is one piece of evidence of hedgehog decline. ‘Hedgehog Street’ is an initiative first started in 2011to try to halt the urban decline of hedgehogs.Fortunately hedgehogs love and can thrive in the rightsort of city gardens. The use of GPS monitors hasshown hedgehogs are venturesome little creatures andcan range up to 2km over the course of a night. Noone garden is big enough to support a hedgehogthough and impermeable fences and walls limit thearea where hedgehogs can range and forage. Linkinggardens with small tunnels under walls or removing thebottom of a fence panel can create an interlinkedenvironment over which a hedgehog can roam.Garden environments can be improved by building logpiles and allowing them to slowly rot down, or compostheaps and leaf mounds, all of which encourage thepresence of insects and worms. Hedgehogs are alsogreat for eating your garden slugs and they love an

undisturbed corner full of brambles and weeds whichalso provides nesting and overwintering hibernationsites. It is not generally known that hedgehogs can swim,so ponds provide both water to drink and moreopportunities for them to feed on small frogs andaquatic invertebrates. However, they need a gentlysloping edge so they can escape from the pond.Hedgehogs will also eat baby rats and birds but theythemselves are on the menu for badgers and foxes.Walled or fenced gardens interlinked by small tunnelsmay provide a safer environment to escape from thesepredators. Hedgehogs hibernate through the winter, althoughthey may wake up and move to a new nesting site onmild winter days. They emerge from winter hibernationin March and April so now is an ideal time to thinkabout becoming a ‘Hedgehog Street’. The campaign islooking for volunteers to become ‘HedgehogChampions’ and talk with their neighbours about howtheir street could become a suitable habitat for ahedgehog. Information on ‘Hedgehog Street’ and how tobecome a ‘Hedgehog Champion’ can be found atwww.hedgehogstreet.org The site provides tips onhow to make your garden hedgehog friendly,hedgehog highway templates and advice on creatingaccess holes in your fences. There are also hedgehogfact sheets, ideas to use with children and informationon how to build a hedgehog house. Anne Silber TRESA would love to know how many Totterdownstreets we have signing up to 'Hedgehog Street’! You can let us know by emailing tresa@gmail.comand reports of hedgehog sightings can be posted oneither the BS3 or the BS4 wildlife sites on Facebook.

Could you be a Hedgehog Champion?

© Dan Flew

Since it was set up in 2005 TRESA has focused on improving our sharedenvironment, running community events that enable local people to meet and mingle,and offering a cohesive voice for Totterdown residents on issues likely to affect theme.g. planning applications or council initiatives and policy changes. As a CommunityInterest Company, TRESA’s carries out activities for the benefit of the localcommunity, and we were keen to get residents views on areas of interest or concernwhere we might get involved in the future. So late last year we produced a short Residents’ Survey 2020, which could becompleted as a hard copy or online. We asked people to tell us what sort of activitiesthey thought TRESA should be involved in as well as whether they would beinterested in partaking in those activities. Over 100 completed surveys were returned,providing a fascinating snapshot into TRESA’s role in Totterdown over the next fewyears.Residents’ Survey results:

The survey responses indicated a high level of support for many of the initiatives andprojects which TRESA has undertaken in recent years, particularly those with anenvironmental or sustainable focus. Slightly ahead of the field, transport and parking were flagged up by 92% ofrespondents; hardly surprising given the long-standing problems with rat runs andobstructions in so many of our residential streets. We have tried and will continue totry to press for improvements wherever we can, by engaging with the City Council

and other public bodies on behalf of affectedresidents.91% of people surveyed wanted TRESA to beinvolved in environmental and clean air issues.We share the view of so many other communityorganisations that any recovery from the Covidpandemic must be ‘green and fair’. We wouldlike to see amongst other things a real

emphasis nationally and locally on ‘green jobs’, offering a brighter future to youngpeople, as well as a radical programme to improve energy efficiency in our ageinghousing stock. We have long argued that Totterdown residents are particularly affected by airpollution, given the two major commuter roads passing through the area, and havebeen pressing the Council to implement a bold and effective Clean Air Zone, as othercities have already done.

The yellow tower cranes that currently loom over Totterdown remind us that, for anycommunity, planning issues are neverfar from the agenda. TRESA willcontinue to reflect the high priority thatmany people attach to them, especiallyin terms of access to green spaces,and the quality of the builtenvironment. While the presentgovernment has alarmed even diehardsupporters with its proposed draconianplanning reforms, planning pressuresare unlikely to go away until the UK’sscandalous shortage of housing has

been addressed at national and local level. TRESA Directors will continue to lobby Bristol CityCouncil on environmental policy, as well asquestioning the number of large scaledevelopments being approved for planning in andclose to our neighbourhood. For those who like to be a bit more ‘hands on’, theefforts of TRESA’s amazing Gardening Club andlitter-pickers were reflected favourably in thesurvey, with 89% wanting to see TRESA involved.The hard work done for example in keeping thelarge planters outside Tesco’s looking bright andcheerful is widely appreciated.

Many also wanted tosee TRESA involved in supporting the local communityand making life easier for those less able to access localservices. Recent instances where TRESA has lentsupport locally include monitoring and liaising with policeregarding anti-social behaviour affecting residents andfamilies, better pedestrian crossings and access, andcurrently, looking into some exciting possibilities for a‘transport hub’ in Totterdown. It’s great to see how many people said they would liketo be involved with what TRESA is doing, and as we allyearn to begin the gradual process of getting out andabout again, there’s plenty of scope for you (yes you!) tolend a hand! We’d be delighted for you to join in with anyof our activities, and if you fancy having a say in how wecan better serve our great community, do considerjoining our management committee. Find out more about TRESA via our websitewww.tresa.org.uk, TRESA on Facebook or email us or

join us at one of our bi-monthly meetings (currently online). Geoff Allen

The Talk of Totterdown Issue No 60, Spring 2021 www.tresa.org.uk

Another newsletter, another lockdown… It is certainly frustrating not being able to meet family and friends when we want, to enjoymeals out or an impromptu drink in the local pub, let alone the joy of joining with others inlistening to live music or dancing in the streets. But what we do have, until those brighterdays are with us, is a solid community to support us. Our local independent businesseshave really pulled out all the stops to continue where they can in providing excellentservice, quality products and always, always a smile. If we have to be in lockdown, thenTotterdown is really not such a bad place to be! Results of the Residents’ Survey undertaken last year have given us a very positiveboost. It’s good to hear that people believe TRESA is campaigning and working on theissues that they feel are important… and it’s great to hear from those who want to join us. To get involved with our projects email hello@tresa.org.uk and to support us from thesidelines become a TRESA member via our website https://www.tresa.org.uk/join-us/ or byfilling in the form on the front of this newsletter. Membership costs just £3 per annum. Here’s hoping for bright days and lots more community events post lockdown! Carolyn Jones, Editor

A hot and damp yearoverallSummary of the autumn and December of 2020 withthe annual summary of weather in Totterdown 2020Provided by Barry Horton of the Totterdown weather stationwww.bristolweather.orgIn 130 complete years of Bristol's average temperatures, 2020 was the 2ndwarmest since records began in 1891. The 2020 average temperature of 12.4°Cwas just short of the warmest on record of 12.5°C recorded in 2014.

The annual rainfall of 1090.2 mm for2020 was 123% of the 30 year average(1981-2010) for the city of 889.9 mm.As the next 30 year average isprepared (1991-2020), 1090.2 mmrepresents 117% of the new averagerainfall; this shows that rainfall hasincreased with the new 30 year averageby approximately 24 mm in the period1991-2020. Taking the opportunity to look at thelonger term temperature trends for

Bristol, now that there is a new 30 year average to analyse, I took the 13 ten yeardata points of Bristol’s average temperature from 1891. From the chart it is easy to see that there has been a consistent rise in ten yearannual average temperatures since about 1971. I will stress that this is localBristol data, from a couple of different sources, but it looks obvious that the

climate is definitelygetting warmer andaction is required.The one weatherparameter that feltpositive in 2020 wasthat it was the sunniestcomplete year, at42.5% of themaximum, since thisdata started in 2006. As regards the

autumn of 2020 it was the equal 6th warmest autumn in 130 years of data, with2001, with a mean temperature of 12.5°C. This is 0.8°C above the 30 yearaverage. The autumn rainfall of 246.9 mm was just 15 mm below the 30 yearaverage rainfall of 261.9 mm for the season. October was a dull and wet month with rainfall 164.7% above the 30 yearaverage with a total of 163.1 mm. The wetter October before that was in 2000when 194.2 mm was recorded. Temperatures were close to the 30 year averagewith a mean of 11.8°C. October 2020 was the 2nd dullest since this data started in 2005 with only29.6% of the maximum sunshine. The only previously duller October was 2011with only 28.3% of the maximum sunshine. November was a drier month, and with a rainfall total of 60.8 mm it was thelowest for the month since 2004 when 46.9 mm was recorded. It was a warmmonth with a positive temperature anomaly of 1.6°C and an averagetemperature of 9.7°C - the warmest November since 2015. The rainfall for December at 146.4 mm was 152.2% of the 30 year average1981-2010. This made it the wettest December since 155.4 mm was recordedin 2013. The average temperature of 6.6C was 0.7°C above the 30 year average forthe month. With respect to the daily records there was a very low pressurerecord in December. The low pressure of 967.7mb at 06:00 on the 28th waslowest pressure in December since 964mb was recorded on 2nd December2005. It was the lowest pressure recorded for any month since November 8th2010 when 963.7 mb was noted. May the breeze on your face be refreshing in 2021!

Weather ReportWeather Report

Bristol sisters CarolKingdon and JulieChiddy this yearcelebrate a decade inbusiness inTotterdown, providinga friendly and reliablepresence behind thedistinctive bubblefaçade of ‘Soap Suds’.

The premises was previously a laundrette, but had lainempty for two years before the sisters opted to set up alaundry business with money left to them by their father. “Wenursed our father through cancer and realised other peoplecould be in the same position and need a regular service fortheir washing,” explained Carol. “My daughter was also livingin this area so we knew there were lots of bedsits with little orno washing facilities.” Soap Suds provides a commercial and domestic laundryservice; commercial customers include hotels, servicedapartments and Air B&B properties as well as beauty salonsand barbers. Lockdown means that many of thesebusinesses are closed at present, but the sisters are still kept

busy with providing laundry services to the localcommunity, and Carol feels optimistic. “Apart fromthe Covid 19 issue, the business had increased dueto the increase in the number of flats and Air B&Baccommodation, as well as more people needingcare in their own homes. We have been praised byour regular customers who come into the shop, andour at home delivery and collection service is a mostfor our elderly isolated and disabled customers, asthey have no other means of doing their laundry.” After 10 years in business what are the sisters toplaundry tips?!1. Do not wash an item that has a stain on it.2. If the label says ‘Dry Clean’ then do not wash it!3. Anything filled with feathers needs to be put into

a large tumble drier and dried thoroughlyotherwise it will smell like a wet dog.

The sisters are used to people popping in for a chat. “One year when we had heavy snow, customerswere ringing us to find out if the buses were running,they also came into the shop to check we were open,but did not bring in any washing to clean! During thepandemic we have had a lot of customers just

coming in to say helloand have a chat asthey are bored athome. We have hadsome funny things towash, recently it wasa large fluffy unicorn(toy).” Soap Sudscontinues to offer aCollection andDelivery Servicewithin the SouthBristol Area, and canbe contacted either by mobile or email. Currently openMonday to Thursday 8am – 4pm, when lockdown isover the business will revert to normal hours ofMonday to Friday 8am – 2pm.

Soap SudsTEL: 0117 300 9983 / 07575780262

172 Wells Road, Totterdown BS4 2ALinfo@soapsuds.biz / www.soapsuds.biz

Carol and Julie

Who’s behind the bubbles…it’s Mr Bublé!!!

Soap Suds

Eco Homes…A term we are all becoming familiar with seeing, perhaps onsmall development sites across the city, on episodes of ‘GrandDesigns’ or other similarly focused platforms or publications.Alongside 'sustainable', and more recently 'low' or even 'zerocarbon' we hear these terms used to describe new housing(and other) developments… but how often do we reallyunderstand what this means, on an individual basis and withregards to the industry as a whole? The terms themselves are open to some interpretation - and,as is the case in the construction industry, shockingly, not yetlegal requirements - so how do we as home buyers or tenants

know what to look for? What questions to ask? Are these homes really all that great, or justsimply, less bad? An Eco House, in simple terms, is one that minimises its ecological (or environmental)impact through good design and construction. This could mean a material-first approach,perhaps using natural, recycled or easily recoverable products, or installing a green roof tohelp replace the ecology displaced by the building. It could mean focusing on buildinghomes that are comfortable throughout the year without requiring lots of additional heatingand cooling, saving the occupant money. Then there are the tech solutions – energygeneration and storage, smart systems that manage day to day functions (e.g. lighting,heat, hot water), through to digital manufacturing of components, products and buildings. As defined in the ‘Our Common Future’ Report (Also known as the Brundtland Report by theUnited Nations through the Oxford University Press 1987), a ‘Sustainable development is thekind of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the abilityof future generations to meet their own needs’. There are four components to this definitionwhich must all be met: human, social, economic and environmental – and this applies toall aspects of our modern society, including how companies source, build, power andmaintain building stock. A lack of clarity and consistency across government and industrycommunications makes it hard to know the value assigned to these four critical aspects. Perhaps as individuals, we should be looking at what motivates or concerns us,sustainably-speaking. What specific needs do we have, and are we demanding thesethings from those tasked with building our homes? Personally, I am excited to see design features that hold relevance to the site or locality.Reuse of materials throughout construction and the use of sites like gumtree, ebay andrecipro to source or resell items rather than landfill or needlessly recycle. Fun projects thatdo a lot for local wildlife can include building and installing insect and bird boxes usingtimber offcuts. There are a huge range of approaches which can be considered sustainable and rightlyso, but how do we encourage developers to bring a more diverse range of approaches intotheir repertoire? The range and scale of housing projects emerging across the city arecertainly resetting the bar for those more risk-averse developers. From grass roots,modular construction (TAM, Knowle West & Snug Homes, Lockleaze) to full scale roboticproduction line (L&G, Ikea’s BoKlok), through a growing Passivhaus scene to naturalbuilding, we need developer-champions adopting both diverse and more holisticapproaches to shout loudly about their work, values and impact. Jenny Ford FRSA TRESA Director, Jenny, is Founder & Lead Design Consultant at Materials in Mind, a SustainabilityConsultancy for the built environment sector www.materialsinmind.org

The Talk of Totterdown Issue No 60, Spring 2021 www.tresa.org.uk

At long last, the long-awaited improvements to the piece of landoutside Totterdown Gym (known as Zone N) at the top of StJohn’s Lane are under way. Although a rather trimmed backversion of what we had hoped for, the work will improve itsappearance and make planting and maintenance easier. All creditto TRESA Director Simon Hobeck for his dogged persistence inseeing this through. It was encouraging to see the level of responses to TRESA’s recent Residents’Survey. We asked people to tell us what activities they thought TRESA should beinvolved in, and the results were really helpful. Many thanks to all who responded.We’re now doing our best to take your views on board and they will be a keyelement in TRESA’s future plans. We very much hope that once we are all gradually released from the isolation andweirdness of lockdown, many of you will feel the urge to escape from behind yourscreens, and join in and support TRESA’s community initiatives. Maybe evenbecome part of our management committee and help guide our future. Talking of screens, we’re all feeling the daily strain of our lives being artificiallylived through that virtual reality rectangle. In years to come, let’s hope we’ll find ithard to recall just how familiar we became during Zoom calls with the wardrobe orthe lampshade in someone’s spare bedroom, their designer coffee mug, and thosephotos on their wall of Auntie Vi and Uncle Frank at their wedding anniversary, orhow we had to put up with looking up their nostrils while they struggled to adjusttheir camera, or got distracted by backdrops of the top of Mount Everest or a bar onCopocabana Beach. One day it will all seem like a bad dream. Geoff Allan

Spring into Action!RISE Youth Dance provide high quality dance training in an inclusive, nurturing andsafe environment for young people aged 2-25 years in the Bristol area. Throughout all three lockdowns the main groups - RISE Juniors (6-12yrs), Horison

(12-16yrs), RISE Core (13-18yrs), Performance Group(16yrs+) - have participated in both live virtual classes andpre-recorded videos to keep them active. The team behindRISE are very aware of the impact the pandemic is having onyoung people's mental health. RISE teachers have beenworking together to produce an inspiring online programmefor the young dancers with fresh and exciting classes andtasks, not only to keep them active, but to keep their creativejuices flowing. Other professional dance artists and RISEalumni dancers were also invited to teach workshops for the

groups. With the Arts industry under huge stress during the pandemic, this alsooffered a welcome opportunity to support artists. Rise Administrator, Erin Chivers explains “Maintaining our strong bond as acompany has been our biggest challenge this year. We’ve created a RISE YouthCommittee with some of our dancers, who are taking a lead on fundraising, cultureand diversity, promotions and artistry. The main purpose of this is to keep therelationship strong between the dancers and keep conversations alive, as well asgiving the opportunity of leadership. RISE is 'For Young People, By Young People'and we continually aim to stay true to this.” Email echivers.riseyd@gmail.com to find out more about RISE Youth Dance. Bristol Shorinji Kempo Dojo has moved to Totterdown Methodist Church. Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese martial art focusedon three main benefits: healthy mind, healthy body,and self-defence. This is a well-rounded systemincluding both “hard” techniques (punches andkicks) and “soft” techniques (escapes and pins),along with meditation, philosophy, and recuperativemassage. The dojo is run by Sensei Nicki Higginsand Sensei Mike Sadler, both with many years ofexperience learning and teaching the martial art. Nicki explains “Our philosophy emphasises development of self-confidence,empathy, and the ability to work with others. The point is to build better communitiesfrom the ground up - starting with the people. We’re a friendly bunch, always willingto help each other and to welcome new people into the group. During lockdown, weare training online, but as things open up we expect to be running socially-distancedclasses in the park, and eventually back indoors in the church hall.” “People can find out more about what we offer and our latest class schedule on ourwebsite www.bristolshorinjikempo.org or by emailing bristolkempo@gmail.com.We’re planning a few interesting events to celebrate our new home, once Covid rulesallow, so keep an eye on the website for more information about that, too.”

Bristol Walk Fest will return from May 1 to 31 with a COVID-19 secure editionoffering digital excursions, signposts to a variety of walking routes and activities,step-counting incentives and, it is hoped, a choice of guided and themed walkscatering for all ages, interests and fitness levels. The call-out for ideas for the 2021 programme is already underway, but moresuggestions are welcome and can be submitted by emailinginfo@bristolwalkfest.co.uk or visiting the festival’s website - www.bristolwalkfest.com– or the Bristol Walk Fest page on Facebook. Festival director Karen Lloyd says: “Pandemic control measures may make itdifficult for us to out-perform the amazing 2019 response but walking remains one ofthe very best ways to exercise. It eases stress, lifts the spirits and encourages bettersleeping as well as improving physical fitness. A rare positive from lockdown is thatmany more people have discovered how much pleasure can be gained fromexploring Bristol and its surrounds on foot. Bristol Walk Fest 2021 will aim to build onthat. The full line-up for Bristol Walk Fest 2021 is due to be unveiled in mid-April.

Rewilding as an inner-city cure to the virus ofbiodiversity loss…My recent research has led me down the garden path, sometimes quite literally,examining ways we can live in harmony with our landscape through rewilding. Rewilding encompasses many processes and could be the solution to the ebb ofwildlife in our cities and countryside alike, by creating value in terms of natural floodmanagement, carbon sequestration, control of invasive species, nature-basedeconomies, and public health. For the focus of this piece, I’ll be putting cities andurban development in the spotlight and examining what we can do to helpreinvigorate the urban environment in Bristol; for people and planet. Whilst there is, and will continue to be, a debate as to how much human influenceis acceptable, it is okay to give nature a small and directed push in the rightdirection, especially in gardens, transforming them into natural havens. This piecefocuses on home gardens, ‘backyard rewilding’, and ideas to demonstrate the kindof thinking we need to rewild the spaces around us and within our minds. There is a preconception that a rewilded garden looks messy, unkept andneglected, and in some respects, this is true, but this is the mindset that needs tochange. In ‘the new normal,’ let’s rewild our mind as well as the spaces around us. It is estimated that 22 million people have access to a garden; land under ourcontrol of and a lot of land for wildlife. The charity, Rewilding Britain has suggested things we can do in our gardens andresidential spaces to encourage wildlife:

� Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides;� ‘Embrace the mess’ by avoiding clearing up leaf and wood piles; Embrace

decay; embrace natural mulch;� Plant native trees; Embrace the scrub! brambles, sallow, hawthorn and wild

rose will form dense mounds which are brilliant for birds and insects;� Let your grass grow! A combination of mowed grass and meadow with

native plants is great for wildlife;� Build bat and birdboxes (installing cameras will also allow you to see who’s

living there); Make a wildlife pond or birdbath;� Don’t block your garden in, hedgehogs love to roam so cut a little hole in

your fence;� …And encourage positive action in all spaces, talk to friends and family,

lobby local government and national government for legislation change. While these steps will help rewild our private land, work needs to be done ingetting the dialogue into the public realm, we need the government, NGOs andother organisations to help pollinate the positive message of rewilding. Some further reading:� Jepson & Blythe ‘Rewilding: The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery’� Isabella Tree ‘Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm’�Rewilding Britain website: www.rewildingbritain.org.uk�RHS website: www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/wildlife/rewild-your-garden

Liv KellyLiv is currently studying at UWE for an MSc in Sustainable Development in Practice

The light of winter darknessLike most of you reading this, I am fed up of being in lockdown, and the cold winterweather does not help. I keep trying to imagine myself as a hibernating animal,keeping myself out of the way, in the dark all warm and snug. It doesn’t really help tobe honest, but when you think about it, so many animals have annual ‘lockdowns’;ok so they don’t have to work and they are mostly asleep, but it makes you wonderhow they feel about it or does instinct just rule out feelings. The triggers that wake the animals into being active are something we can alsolook forward to. The slightly warmer weather, the slightly longer days, the sun beingslightly higher in the sky, the bird song sounding slightly different and all the springflowers blooming. All these little things are like a little light at the end of a dark tunnel,and before we know it, we will be sat out on the grass smelling of sunscreen! The current lockdown has taken its toll on many people’s mental health, but we arefortunate to live in an area that has many green spaces to enjoy, and it is great to seeso many people making use of them. More people are out walking, cycling, runningand playing. I’ve also seen more people out with cameras and binoculars taking acloser look at the nature on offer in the local area. I’ve been watching the local corvids, pigeons and squirrels in my area. I watch thesquirrels watching the lady put out the food, I then watch the magpies watching thesquirrels hide the food and then I watch them both watching each other. The pigeons are just funny, it’s like watching an air show! They all take off at once,do a lap of the area and then all come gliding back down to the roof top in a verymajestic synchronised manner. I do wonder who the boss is, who says it’s time to doa lap and if any of them grumble when they all do take off. Although these past few weeks have been a drag, and we are all wanting to returnto normal, remember that we are built to endure the dark times. We are like ouranimal friends and have the same instincts deep down, so hang on in there, catch thescent of the spring air and remember things will get better for us. Take care, DanDan is a Consultant Ecologist, in addition to his role as Trustee Board member for Arnos ValeCemetery. If you are passionate about wildlife then take time to check out Dan’s Facebookpage @wildlifewalkabouts. “A page for all things wildlife, especially from the Britishcountryside.”

Totterdown and the Clean Air ZoneBristol City Council has submitted proposals for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) coveringcentral Bristol, with charges for all non-compliant private cars, buses, coaches,taxis, HGVs and LGVs. If the Government approves the scheme, it should be upand running in October this year. To help people adjust, the proposals include: 1-year exemptions for hospitalvisitors and people attending appointments, blue badge holders, communitytransport vehicles and low-income earners travelling into/out of the zone for work;loans and grants to replace/retrofit vehicles, and; travel subsidies for some groups. Totterdown is on the edge of the CAZ. As non-compliant vehicles try to avoidcharges, we anticipate: more non-residents parking in Totterdown’s streets; more ratrunning between Wells Road and Bath Road, and; more polluting traffic on St JohnsLane and St Lukes Road. But we should not be too negative – it is good to reduceair pollution! TRESA will monitor the impact on Totterdown and ask for mitigationmeasures for problems we encounter. This could include Liveable Neighbourhoodschemes to combat rat-running, and a residents parking scheme to reducenon-residential parking. If you have any thoughts or ideas, email: hello@tresa.org.uk Suzanne Audrey

The Talk of Totterdown Issue No 60, Spring 2021 www.tresa.org.uk

Fellow ResidentsI hope you are all keeping safe and well. Mr Broom and I have nothing to complain about, but I amlooking forward to the day when we can be out and about again, and I can promote my campaign toTidy Up Totterdown and Tactfully Uphold Taste (Tut, tut!) In the meantime, I have been encouraging Totterdown Ladies Circle to report street issues online. Tospur them on, I have given members a report-a-street-issue Bingo card with numbers 1-16representing the sixteen different issues that can be reported on Bristol City Council’s ‘Report a StreetIssue’ website https://www.bristol.gov.uk/report-a-street-issue. Those completing a line or fourcorners will receive a certificate signed by me, and the prize for ‘full house’ is a home-made quiche oftheir choice (I have been perfecting my shortcrust pastry during lockdown). Mr Broom, although obviously ineligible, decided to undertake the challenge in the hope of havingQuiche Lorraine for his birthday tea. He started well by easily finding and reporting: (1) fly tipping of abroken cupboard; (2) a street that needs cleaning, which was our own following a particularly

haphazard refuse collection day; (3) graffiti, although the young man across the road explained it was really ‘tagging’,and; (4) flyposting which was forlornly advertising an event cancelled by lockdown. Given his enthusiasm, I encouraged Mr Broom to report: (10) a hedge that needs cutting back and has forced me intothe street on several occasions; (6) a drain overflowing that creates a large puddle and the potential to be splashed byinconsiderate drivers, and; (13) dog mess, although Mr Broom was unable to identify the real culprits, the dog’sowners. For (7) abandoned or nuisance vehicles, he bent the rules slightly and reported the motley collection ofbicycle remains attached to local cycle racks. During our daily exercise walks in the city, it was not difficult to find: (5) a damaged footpath, since wobbly pavingslabs seem to be everywhere; (11) a damaged bus shelter, and; (12) a damaged traffic bollard. Closer to home, MrBroom’s interpretation of (15) a problem with a road sign was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. He pointed out thatFrederick Street in Totterdown is spelled Fredrick Street at the other end and enquired which is correct. I doubt he willreceive a response. It may be a good thing that Mr Broom has been struggling to find: (8) a problem with a streetlight; (9) a problemwith a traffic light, and; (14) a dead animal that needs removing. I have decided, to the relief of members of theLadies Circle, that (14) is not an essential requirement for the awarding of certificates and quiches. Meanwhile Mr Broom said, while we live in luxury here at Totterdown Mansions, he will not report: (16) people livingin vehicles on the road. It made me realise my husband is a kind man who deserves his favourite Quiche Lorraine,even if he does not achieve a ‘full house’ in report-a-street-issue bingo. If you would like to take on the challenge, I haveincluded a Bingo card below. Tut, tut!https://www.bristol.gov.uk/report-a-street-issue Bingo!

Lavender Broom: Tut, tut!

Talk of Totterdown is edited by Carolyn Jones. Views expressed are not necessarily those of TRESACIC. Available as a pdf document on the website at: www.tresa.org.ukTalk of Totterdown is edited by Carolyn Jones. Views expressed are not necessarily those of TRESACIC. Printed by: Doveton Press Ltd www.dovetonpress.co.uk

Silverman chemistTotterdown’s local pharmacy est. 1936

• Free yearly medication check up*• Free new medication reviews for selected illnesses*• Free treatment for minor illnesses for children andpatients who do not pay for prescriptions*

(*NHS funded)

180A Wells Road - Mon-Fri: 9am-7pm & Sat: 9am-5pm - Tel/fax: 0117 9776743

We also have a range of natural and organic products

ECOVER REFILLS bio-D refills

New to Bristol?Explore the city with its leading guidebook…

The Naked Guide to Bristol: History, Street Art,Music, Politics, Pubs, Eating Out, Kids’ Bristol and

much moreDelivery is free in the UK, no matter what you order

Online booking system &E gift vouchers also available at

www.innovation-unisex.co.uk

Stockists of the Insight Professional Range:vegan-friendly, award-winning organic hair

care products.

168 Wells Road, Bristol BS4 2AG

PATCO FOOD & WINEYour local community store

Great service and a wide rangeof quality food and drink.

Open 7 days a week 10am- MidnightWine, spices and lots more!

111 Wells Road, Totterdown BS4 2BS

Covid information & advice from Bristol City Council

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/crime-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know

Additional useful links for the community:https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bristol/our-services/support-hub/#

(Practical help, social and emotional support for older people)https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

(Advice for victims of domestic abuse. Boots and Superdrug pharmaciesare offering their consultation rooms as safe spaces if you need to contact

specialist domestic abuse services)http://www.nacoa.org.uk/

(Providing information, advice and support for everyone affected by a parent's drinking)https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/

(Mental health information and support during lockdown)

Christmas on MarsI spent Christmas on Mars

With my imaginary friendBecause reality on this little planet of ours

Was driving me round the bendWe put up our Christmas tree

On the Olympus MonsDrank a toast to Ray Bradbury

And sang Martian fireside songsWe pulled crackers with H.G. Wells

Ate Yule log with John CarterRang aloud the Cydonian bells

For Jesus Christ the MartyrWe visited the pyramid of legendWhere Horus imprisoned Sutekh

We rode there upon a sledge andWith boughs of holly its walls bedecked

We cooked Christmas dinner for the Ice LordsAnd quaffed Red Planet ale

Got smashed completely off our gourdsBarsoom wassail!

Unlike Matt Damon in The MartianWe weren’t keen to get home

We danced beneath the starshineIn the safety of our dome

I spent Christmas on MarsAnd I’ll spend Easter too

I’ll spend my life amidst the starsDisappear into the blue

And one day come back down to EarthTo survey what’s left, maybe...

Maybe something of some worthPerhaps. Perhaps not. We’ll see.

Nick Walters

Residents across Bristol are being encouraged to completethe census this March. By taking part, you can help toinform decisions on services that shape your community,

such as schools, doctors’ surgeries and bike lanes. It’s important you fill in your census questionnaire because theinformation you share affects the life of every single person living in England and Wales. You must complete the census by law. If you do not, or if you supply false information, you could be fined up to£1,000. Don’t worry, your information is protected by law, which means government officials dealing with payments orservices you receive cannot see it. Some questions are voluntary, and it is not an offence if you do not answer these.

Census Day is Sunday 21 March. Census 2021 is a digital-first census, which means the Office for NationalStatistics (ONS) will be encouraging people to respond online if they can. You can fill yours in online as soon as you getyour access code in the post. If your household circumstances change on Census Day, do let ONS know. There willalso be an online help area on the website and ONS offer help by phone, webchat, email, social media or text message. If it’s safe and within government guidelines, the intention is to open Census Support Centres to help people fill intheir online questionnaire. After Census Day, at the end of March and into April, census field officers will be visiting households from whom nocompleted census form has been received. They will encourage people to complete the census and help you to accessfurther help if you need it. If you need help or further information, visit www.census.gov.uk

USE YOUR VOTE!Local elections in England will go ahead onThursday May 6, after already being delayed in2020 due to the pandemic. The government has assured voters that pollingstations will be in line with Covid-19 safetyprocedures, and measures will be introduced toreduce the travel required for potential candidatesstanding for elected office. In addition to voting for all Bristol CityCouncillors, voters in the city will also vote for theMayor of Bristol, the Mayor of West of Englandand for Avon and Somerset's Police and CrimeCommissioner. The deadline to register to vote is midnight onMonday 19 April 2021. You can also register tovote via post or by proxy. Poll cards will be sentout in mid-March. For further information visit the website athttps://www.bristol.gov.uk/voting-elections/local-elections-thursday-6-may-2021