NAILSEA
PEOPLE
THE online community newspaper for Nailsea people, their family and their friends
January 2024
Our town is a very, very nice town...
...even when National Grid digs up High Street
Property people
Surface water on the A370 as Farleigh Fields in Backwell are saturated along with several local football fields. Drain clearance currently in progress but a warning to Persimmon Homes about building on the green open space. The countryside around Nailsea on the edge of the Somerset Levels is very wet underfoot
What's On 2024
January and one panto by Nailsea Musicals to go and diary dates for the new year filling up fact, more HERE
Gallery 2024
We have a decade of images in our galleries under the dropdown menu along the top of this page featuring markets, festivals, Backwell lake, country walks as well as sensational sunrises and sunsets - we are about to start a new page for 2024, see more HERE. The recycling of Christmas tree details are on our Green Peeps page HERE
Former Nailsea School student Mollie Pearce is set to be the star of the second series of BBC reality TV series The Traitors.
Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, aged 51, the first series saw competitors split, with secret Traitors tasked with 'murdering' the other Faithful contestants at a castle in the Scottish highlands.
Back on BBC1, the series, loved by millions, is pitched as a nail-biting psychological reality competition where 22 strangers play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning up to £120,000.
Mollie, 21, is likely to be a fan favourite in the latest run of The Traitors. Mollie was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 11-years-old which resulted in her having surgery to remove her colon in 2020 leaving her with a stoma bag.
She was also born with a limb difference on her right hand and works online to raise awareness and normalise disabilities.
A stoma is a surgically-created opening made on the abdomen, which is made to divert the flow of urine and faeces. In the UK, it is estimated that one in 335 people have had the surgery.
The procedure can be part treatment for a number of illnesses, including cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease or any trauma to the abdomen.
Mollie, who is a former pupil at Nailsea School, claims to be ‘innocent’ but it will remain to be seen if she’s actually more mischievous.
Mollie, who also works as a healthcare assistant, said: “I think just deflecting the attention from you to someone else. As much as you want to find the Traitors, someone going home is one less person to worry about as well.
“You've got to think that as long as your name is not being brought up at the Round Table, then that's a good thing.
"You obviously want to get the Traitors out because then they can't murder
TV reality star Mollie Pearce
you at night, but with another Faithful gone you're a step closer to the end.
"You've kind of got to get the numbers down as best as possible and try your best for a Traitor.”
If you’d like to give Mollie a follow, you can find her on Instagram under the handle mollie_pearcee.
At the beginning of January, she has just over 4,000 followers with this figure likely to significantly increase during her run on BBC’s The Traitors. On Instagram, she posts images from her glamorous life as well as campaigns for disability awareness.
A Nailsea School spokesman posted on its Facebook page: "We're so excited to see ex-student Mollie P on the BBC reality show The Traitors.
"Mollie is a fierce advocate for body positivity and has revisited us to speak with our students about good mental health & wellbeing.
"We wish her the very best of luck on the show."
(Images: Mark Mainz/Studio Lambert/BBC/PA Wire)
Thieves are breaking into people's homes in the North Somerset and Somerset areas in the early hours to take car keys in order to steal vehicles.
This type of burglary has happened recently in the areas of:
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Backwell, Failand, Flax Bourton, Long Ashton and Nailsea;
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Radstock and Midsomer Norton;
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Cheddar; and
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Wells
The thieves aren’t just taking high-value cars like Audi and Mercedes, but a range of vehicles. Officers have recovered some of the stolen cars in the greater Bristol area while others remain outstanding.
A police spokesman said: "We've seen a recent increase in burglary of all types with almost one a day this month in each of our neighbourhood policing areas."
Officers are carrying out targeted patrols and attending all dwelling burglaries to scope forensic opportunities and carry out initial enquiries.
Vulnerable victims are offered support through the Be Home Safe home security team. Neighbourhood Watch shares information with the local community while neighbourhood officers make follow-up visits.
A dedicated team of investigators is following up all lines of enquiry but in the meantime officers ask residents to be alert and report any suspicious activity.
Police are encouraging householders to:
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ock up and set the alarm, if you have one, once it gets dark as well as when you go out
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never leave keys in the lock or in sight of the letterbox or windows
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fit a letterbox cage
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keep your car keys safely hidden away
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install security lighting
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join Neighbourhood Watch
Everyone can help to keep their neighbourhood safe by reporting suspicious incidents. If you see someone acting suspiciously around a neighbour’s property, call police straight away.
Police issue thief alert
"If they’re obviously breaking in ring 999, otherwise, call the non-emergency number 101, operators are on hand 24/7.
For more home security information, including details of joining Neighbourhood Watch, visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk
If you have any information about recent crime, you can pass it on through our website or by calling 101. Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously by calling 0800 555 111, or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information.
Deborah Fay said: "My brother who lives in Trendlewood had both family cars taken while they were in bed.
"Thieves broke in the back door and stole the keys in a cabinet downstairs.
"ANPR was down but a police dog car spotted them driving erratically at 4am and gave chase to Stockwood.
"One car was recovered undamaged but no sign of the other one and no one caught.
"Not sure why the helicopter was not deployed or the police dog couldn't track but police have taken so long to fingerprint the car and it remains in the compound which means no hire car."
JUST THE TICKET: Full details under our What's On dropdown menu across the top under Noah's Ark
NEW YEAR HONOURS
North Somerset Conservative MP Liam Fox who was a former Secretary of State for International Trade and Secretary of State for Defence gets a knighthood for public and political service. He lives in Tickenham with wife Jesme.
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Teacher Sam Mayhew lives in Nailsea and is assistant principal, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, at Weston College. She gets an OBE for services to Further Education.
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Retired civil servant Keith Norman Walton, of Bucklands View, Nailsea, who was founder of the Severnside Community Rail Partnership was awarded an MBE for services to Urban Rail Transport in Bristol.
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Nailsea town councillor and prominent mason Rob Collins is awarded an BEM as founder of Pass It On Young Sports Voluntary Youth Organisation for services to Young People and to Sport. Rob lives in Wraxall.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: The New Year Honours List recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion. To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all.”
The Prime Minister has recommended these honours to the King.
May we suggest that if you think a deserving local person has been missed out you put them forward for the community award detailed ON OUR Political Peeps page HERE.
LOCAL HERITAGE LIST
Ten historic sites and buildings are being added to North Somerset Council’s Local Heritage List following assessment of the latest nominations but nothing in Nailsea although Yatton library makes the cut as does Portishead Lido! More information and a useful guide on how to nominate sites or buildings, is available on North Somerset Council’s website at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/localheritagelist.
Officers investigating a collision in Backwell in which a teenage pedestrian sadly died are renewing their appeal for witnesses.
18-year-old Emma Armstrong was taken to hospital with serious injuries following the incident on Thursday 28 September but tragically died on Sunday, October 15.
Her family continue to be supported by a specially trained officer and our thoughts are with them.
The collision, which involved a black Toyota IQ3, happened at approximately 7.30pm on West Town Road.
House-to-house and CCTV enquiries have been conducted and we are continuing to investigate the incident.
If you have any dashcam footage which could help our investigation, or witnessed the collision, please call 101 and quote reference number 5223237280.
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The family of Andre Greening sent Nailsea People an update on her progress since she was seriously injured while walking along Bucklands Batch and has been in intensive care ever since. After a plea for new safety measures on the pedestrian/cycle path on the slope leading to the railway station North Somerset Council contractors have repainted the cycle lane lines. This and other updates are on our Breaking News page HERE
Police renew appeal after Backwell fatal collision
A precious wedding ring has been reunited with its Nailsea owner after being lost at Ashton Gate Stadium.
Andrew Olpin, from Nailsea, lost the ring containing his son's ashes at the match between Bristol City and Hull City on Friday, December 22.
The ring is carved with ‘HEO’ inside in memory of eight-week-old Harrison who passed away in November 2022.
Ashton Gate staff hunted high and low to find the ring and on New Year’s Day reunited it with Andrew and wife Lauren, who has a matching ring.
Andrew said: “When I lost it I was in a state of shock. It’s so precious and I couldn’t find it anywhere.
“We are so grateful to everyone at Ashton Gate for searching for it and to get it back means so much. It’s overwhelming and I am so grateful.”
Ashton Gate Stadium operations director Ross Wormald added: “We’re so happy for Andrew and Lauren that we were able to help them be reunited with something that means so much to them.
“As soon as we found out the ring was lost, our staff started searching and we managed to find it a few days later.”
PHOTO: Bristol World
Precious ring found
IN OTHER NEWS: A slideshow of flooding photos and a weather forecast is in our gallery 2024 HERE and the story about the latest graffiti outbreak is on our Breaking News page HERE. The Politics Peeps page with parish pump and Westminster woes has been updated HERE as has the Jobs page HERE. A Market page update on the comings and goings in our High Street is published HERE
www.thetekhut.uk
computer techies for the online community
The TEK Hut was started by Ben Parker in the summer of 2018.
For 12 years Ben had been one of the team at The ICT Workshop which provided a wide variety of computer services to Nailsea, Clevedon, Yatton, Backwell and even Weston-Super-Mare.
Ben felt it right to continue the same great service customers had previously experienced but under new branding for a new business and The Tek Hut was born.
Trading at the familiar location in Nailsea, The Tek Hut will continue to offer the same cost effective, new laptops and PCs, upgrades, onsite support for homes and businesses through to a wide range of workshop services and accessories.
FIVE STAR
Window Cleaning
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Get spruced up for 2023 with this Nailsea-based company boasting best prices
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Quotes for fascia, gutters and drainpipe cleaning no obligation
Call 0759 532 3274
Togs
School
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Starting School: Everything you need for that first special day
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Schoolwear: Uniforms, Accessories, Name Tapes, Waterproof Jackets and Trousers
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Sportswear: PE Kits, Gumshields, Shin Pads
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Dancewear: RAD Approved for Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz
School Togs
Clevedon Walk, Nailsea, BS48 1RS
01275 857491