News 2 April 2016

PROGRESS REPORT 1

Work on the new skatepark for Nailsea is underway - see photos from demolition day onwards by clicking HERE

PROGRESS REPORT 2

The Queens Head is being transform into a cafe, bar, restaurant and meeting place. We have put photos in a slideshow HERE

PROGRESS REPORT 3

Nearly 30 women who work for Tesco Nailsea supported by female friends and family are in training for the annual Race For Life. Follow their trials and tribulations training and fundraising on the dedicated Tesco Nailsea page by clicking HERE

Nailsea blue glass plate community annual awards

Three reciprocates of an annual community award were presented with specially engraved Nailsea blue glass plates at the town meeting on Wednesday night.

The worthy winners for 2016 were Fiona Erleigh, Alison Morgan and Ian Mottram.

Sadly the fourth nominee Frank Rogers died one week before the official presentation at the Tithe Barn although councillors visited the home of the Christ Church choirmaster just weeks before to ensure he got his award.

To read an obituary to Frank with funeral date click HERE.

For the past seven years Fiona has given exceptional service to the town in her capacity as chairman of the Action Against Pylons team to fight the controversial proposal by National Grid for a new 37 mile power line.

Nailsea Town Council chairman David Packham said: “The level of knowledge she acquired, the methods of communication used to spread her views and the way she always kept on top of new events and decisions have been second to none.

“The number of meetings, hearings and conversations she had about the proposed Hinkley C route must add up to a great deal of time and work.

“All this was done in the spirit of attempting to protect our community from the intrusion that these massive structures would bring.

“She has shown that one person can take on a challenge to prevent harm to a location and all who live in the area.”

Ian has been a stalwart of Nailsea & District Horticultural Society and Nailsea Neighbourhood Watch since the turn of the millennium.

Part of the award-winning Nailsea In Bloom team he helped create a garden at Ravenswood School which involved ground clearance, landscaping and planting before going on to create allotment plots and a greenhouse on the Pound Lane site.

Ian has retained his involvement with Ravenswood School ever since.

He is also an active member of Clevedon Royal British Legion and a volunteer at Southmead Hospital visiting patients and helping them with any problems which they might have with the use of hearing aids.

Disability campaigner Alison has worked tirelessly for many years for people with mobility difficulties.

Mr Packham said: “She is regularly consulted and gives her time freely assessing pavement width and getting dropped kerbs installed for mobility scooters and it was her drive which saw the footpath under the railway bridge widened.”

The new path at Backwell Lake was built thanks to her tenaciousness as part of the Backwell Access Group.

Alison’s hope for ramps to be installed at the railway station is going to happen this summer, the meeting heard.

Nailsea newest glassblower Karen Lilley was commissioned to make the plates.

Karen, of The Ridgeway, said: “The sea blue plates are made of Bullseye fused glass with sandblasted lettering embellished with 24 carat gold lustre.

“If anyone would like to commission a piece they can contact me at lilleyglassdesigns@gmail.com.”

After his address to the audience which can be read in full HERE the chairman answered questions on whether the covenant on land at Engine Lane can be lifted to allow a sale and why sell to Barratt Homes rather than a not-for-profit sell-build company, what the town council would do with the ‘windfall’ money and the need for more allotments.

Mr Packham said land owners North Somerset Council were willing to lift the covenant for a charge and the town council had a long wishlist on how to spend the cash including building an all-weather pitch, updating the Grove Sports & Social Club building, helping Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club provide new changing rooms, investing in the town’s heritage with new signage including an iconic map of Nailsea.

It was also looking to buy Youth House in the High Street and working with Wraxall & Failand Parish Council to provide allotment plots behind the Tout’s Budgen supermarket.

Out of its half a million pound budget Nailsea Town Council gave nearly £60,000 in grants.

For full list click HERE.

At the end of the evening Nailsea Town Council handed out grant cheques the biggest at £11,000 going to Nailsea Community Transport.

Then three organisations who received monies gave short talks at the end of the evening.

Storyteller Michael Loader told of working with Golden Valley Primary School and Nailsea School children on a World War 2 project involving parents and grandparents for Somerset Storyfest, then representatives from the Golden-Oldies Charity weekly Friday morning singing sessions at Nailsea Methodist Church and Nailsea Bowls Club based at Mizzymead Recreation Club also spoke.