The very first Bradley Stoke Bed Push took place at lunchtime today as part of the Bradley Stoke Festival activities. Despite a slow uptake, 9 brave teams took part, including two from the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout group, a Cub team and a Scout team.
Each team had to consist of 5 members, with one member having to be on the bed at all times. There were tasks and challenges to be accomplished around the just over 1 mile course which started and finished at the Baileys Court Activity Centre. Each team set off in an alternate direction with those heading downhill to the pub rather than uphill over the speed bumps seeming to have the advantage!
Teams had to each down a pint at the Baileys Court Pub, (half of squash for the children), do some apple bobbing, shoot 5 netball hoops, eat two dry crackers each and complete a logic puzzle, in between running along pushing/pulling a bed. Beds ranged from standard hospital issue to Scout made raft on wheels or Ben Walker’s team’s built for speed version. There were a few mishaps on the course with Ben’s team forgetting to stop for their pints (is this a first?) then going wrong and ending up running half the course again to rectify both errors, and the Scout team losing a wheel and ending up carrying the bed containing their team mate.
Despite the above, all teams completed in super fast times from 22 minutes to an amazing 13 minutes by the winning team in purple from the Hilton Hotel. Sporting their Hilton in the Community Foundation tee-shirts, the team managed to raise over £300 for local Bradley Stoke charity the Jessie May Trust by participating in the event.
Team Captain and Hotel General Manager Richard Finn told me, “we love to participate in this kind of community event, it is community sport for community spirit and fits in perfectly with the Hilton’s In The Community Foundation. All the money we have raised today is in support of the Jessie May Trust. Having just taken over the role of General Manager at the Hilton three months ago and being new to the area, it is great for me to get to know people in the community – this weekend’s festival has been fantastic!”
The bed race has been a great addition to the Festival’s weekend of events and I am already looking forward to next year’s!
Lots of photos are available to view on our Flickr site here
Kerry Allen, who runs the popular Bishopston Matters Magazine, has two fantastic reasons to celebrate this week.
Community groups inSouth Gloucestershireare being invited to apply for grants to help them provide activities for local teenagers.
Two new vacancies created by The West of England Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre, Bradley Stoke. 
St Michael’s Church in Stoke Gifford, which dates back to the 14th Century, is launching a £5.8m project to build a new multi-purpose church and community centre.
The congregation’s commitment to the project is clear – a gift day last summer raised £2 million in one-off donations and regular pledges over the next five years. The church plans to raise the rest of the money from fundraising events, grants and the generosity of individual and corporate donors.
Bishop Hill, the project’s patron said: “I think God loves audacity. I think He loves people to think up projects which mean their only hope of achieving them would be to trust in Him. And I think that’s what this project is all about.”
Artists do you know there is a new art group for residents of the Stokes areas of South Gloucestershire – why not join them for the 2013 season? The group meets on a Tuesday evening or a Thursday morning at Christ The King Church, Mautravers Close, Bradley Stoke.
On Wednesday 12th December in Bradley Stoke Town Centre (Willow Brook Shopping Centre) the Bradley Stoke Community Singers will start singing at 5.45pm. At 6.00pm the Mayor of Bradley Stoke Charlotte Walker will officially ‘open’ the group and they will then carry on singing.
Patchway Community College has been praised by Ofsted Inspectors who have awarded the school a ‘Good’ grading under the new, more rigorous Ofsted regime. Patchway is the first secondary school in South Gloucestershire to be inspected under the tougher regime. In their report, Inspectors praised the school’s results, noting: “Regardless of their starting points, ability or special educational needs, all groups of students make better progress than their peers nationally.”
Grenville Jones lives in Bath and has been featured on TV and Radio across the World.
We hope that local residents enjoyed the Bradley Stoke Festival activities. We are delighted to share with you some great photos from the 3-day event – take a look at our flickr album and see if you can spot anyone you know!
Yes it is that time of year again when we ask you to get baking or simply come along and enjoy a delicious piece of cake to raise funds for the Bristol MS Society. MS is an illness that has had a big impact on the editor of Bishopston Matters. Kerry’s dad (above with Kerry and her mum) has suffered with the disese for over forty years. The family remain in good spirits and invite you to join them for this community event.
On Friday (28th October) the Stoke Gifford Branch of The Royal British Legion (TRBL) launched their Poppy Appeal locally at Bristol Parkway Station.
For those of you who don’t already know we have been delighted to welcome Becky Hodson to the Matters Magazines family. Becky is now working on her fifth edition of the popular community magazine Filton Matters that is distributed free to 9,000 households in Filton, Monks Park and parts of Horfield.
Following the huge success of the recent Treasure Hunt at the annual Bradley Stoke Community Festival’s Preschool Picnic, the Friends of Jubilee Green are holding a family-friendly Children’s Event as part of their Family Summer of Fun. This takes place at the beginning of the Summer holidays, on Saturday 23rd July.
There were smiles all round at yesterday’s Preschool Picnic at Jubilee Green, with a host of fun activities laid on activities – mostly free – for young children.