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Current News and Activities
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COVID - 19
Support for Vulnerable People
From information received from members and from information found on the pages of a Bristol Community Care Facebook Group (Bristol BS6 Community Covid-19 response) it would seem that most roads in Westbury Park are covered by WhatsApp Groups offering support to vulnerable people. Some groups have leafleted houses, others have assigned volunteers to look after stretches of a road and at least one group (Harcourt Road) has posted notices offering support on lamp posts.
We are not sure whether all parts of Westbury Park have support structures in place (eg. the upper part of Cranbrook Road, North View). Any feedback that you can give the Community Association on your experiences with support groups or where you have not been contacted by a support group would be appreciated - email westburyparkca@gmail.com. This will help the Community Association to identify which roads might need support / more support and to share experiences / good practise.
Local Trader Updates
We welcome members continuing to update us about traders – both in goods and services - so that we can keep the Local Traders list up to date. In order not to inundate you with too much material, we will send updates only twice a week from now on.
Cotham School Face Shields – Appeal for Funds
Cotham School are making face shields for local NHS frontline workers. In line with other schools, it seems that they are using 3D printers for making them. The School has already donated in excess of 250 face shields to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, GP practices, community nurses, care homes and to health workers. The School needs to raise funds to cover the costs to make more shields until there are enough for frontline workers. If you would like to make a donation please go to :- https://www.gofundme.com/f/Cotham-School-Face-Shields-for-the-NHS
University of the West of England (UWE) Volunteering Survey
The UWE Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing are inviting people to take part in a research project "Apart but not Alone: Neighbour Support and the COVID-19 lockdown". UWE would like to hear people’s experiences on helping neighbours during the COVID - 19 lockdown – big or small – by taking part in a survey. More information on the research project and the survey questionnaire can be found at: : https://bit.ly/ApartAlone
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Food Bank
The Church in Westbury Park organises collections for the food bank at Avonmouth - needed now more than ever during the coronavirus crisis. If you would like to donate to the foodbank there is a storage cupboard to leave items at the church door of St. Alban’s Church.
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Westbury Park Community Survey
We reported a few months ago that the Westbury Park Community Association could potentially be winding up but things now look far brighter.
During February a community survey was undertaken to find out the main issues concerning people and to see if it was felt that the Association could help tackle these issues. There was an excellent response and several key issues emerged, e.g. traffic, parking, aspects of the environment and community facilities.
Click here for a copy of the community survey results
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Public meeting, 13th March 2020
The public meeting held on the 13th March, primarily called to report the survey findings, was packed despite the virus threat. The meeting also offered the opportunity to discuss two specific and highly topical issues of local concern - the awful hulk of an unfinished building in Devonshire Road and the closure (by 27th March) of the St. Christopher’s School campus along the Downs and the likely sale of its land and buildings, most probably for housing. Jeff Bishop’s excellent presentations on these two planning issues generated lively discussion and positive views about how we might make progress on moving forward on these issues.
Click here for a copy of the Notes of the Meeting
Click here for a copy of the presentation on 99 Devonshire Road
Click here for a copy of the presentation on St. Christopher’s School Site
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The New Task Groups
There was strong support expressed at the 13th March meeting for the Community Association to continue and many agreed to join the new task groups to make things happen.
The Task Groups are
• Traffic, Transport and Parking
• The Natural Environment
• Community Spirit
• 99 Devonshire Road
• Development of St. Christopher’s School Site
• Supporting the Community Association
If you are interested in joining any of these groups please email westburyparkca@gmail.com or kchidgey@blueyonder.co.uk
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Belvedere Road
The Community Association has joined over 50 local residents and ward councillors in opposing a planning application to extend a nursing home at 8 and 9 Belvedere Road to number 7 Belvedere Road. This would be the seventh house in the road to be used as a nursing home, adding to the problems being faced by people living in Belvedere Road and adjoining roads who suffer the adverse traffic impacts and day to day consequences (eg. the blocking of driveways elderly people and families with young children having to park well away from their homes).
A decision on the planning application was due to be made by the City Council's Development Control Committee on Wednesday, 18th March but the this was deferred because of the coronavirus crisis and the need to avoid crowd gatherings. The officer report going to Committee recommends approval of the application and many local residents, supported by the Community Association, were expected to turn up at the meeting to argue the case for a refusal. The decision will now be made at a virtual Committee meeting on Wednesday, 29th April which will be available to view on webcast. Written representations can be made to the Committee 24 hours before the meeting.
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Website updated on Monday, 20th April 2020
