CongLive-Mar-2023
Photography competition
Bluey needs your help!
The Strawberry Line in winter
Learn how to code
Code Club runs on Mondays in term time and is open to all young people. The club has several really good retired programmers who help members with Scratch, Python and Arduino, using computers and Raspberry Pi. At the moment, the club has capacity to take a few extra would=be coders. Interested people could drop in any Monday, between 3.30 and 6pm, to the youth club by the ball court in Congresbury and find out more, or contact Alex Ballard at alex@congsyp.org.uk or 07894338995. Alex would also be interested in talking to adult volunteers who could help with these sessions.
Looking to play table tennis?
Performances on the pier
Ladies – Want to play skittles?
Join a ladies team playing home matches at Congresbury Memorial Hall.
Matches mainly Thursday and Wednesday evenings 7.30 start.
New season starts September.
Cheap friendly night out, no previous experience needed. Ladies only.
WhatsApp Mary on 07934 380999 for more details.
New pre-school opens
Is your child ready for preschool? Are you looking for something different to inspire your child?
Pod Micro School, based in Congresbury, is now offering Preschool for 2 ½ – 5 year olds, including funded hours for 3 and 4 year olds.
What makes Pod Micro School different? We offer a childminder led preschool provision, this means we have small groups of up to six children so that we can build really strong relationships with the children in our care.
We are run by a qualified teacher and former headteacher, so our provision is educationally strong and ready to challenge growing minds, we are experienced in supporting SEND needs too.
We learn from our home base in Weetwood Road, our provision is all about learning outdoors – come rain or shine!
We go on adventures! Each session will involve a walk or a visit to encourage a healthy lifestyle and to explore and experience something new.
If you are interested in finding out more about our unique provision based then visit: www.podmicroschool.org
Open Morning! Friday July 8th, 9.30am – 11.30am – Come and meet us and see what we can do for your child! Limited Spaces – Please email info@podmicroschool.org to book your place.
Congars Cafe catering deals
Congars Cafe offers a catering package for people wanting food for their personal event such as christenings, funerals, birthday parties. We would also like to offer catering to local firms for their training/corporate days or just want an office lunch.
Prices start from £8. Please contact Congars Cafe to discuss your personal requirements.
We are also offering cream teas by bookings in the cafe, so again please make contact to book your cream tea. We can cater for small groups of people for the cream teas either whilst the cafe is open or your own private function.
Please email congarscafe20@gmail.com or 07715876827 for further information.
Bowling club set to welcome new players
The outdoor lawn bowls season starts at Easter and Congresbury Bowling Club is extending a welcome to potential new players.
The club in Mill Leg was founded in 1945 and is one of the leading clubs in North Somerset with a strong focus on inclusivity and especially junior bowls.
Open evenings start on Monday April 18th from 6pm. See below for full details.
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Ziggy’s deli opens this week
A new delicatessen opens in Broad Street on Saturday.
Ziggy’s Deli & Kitchen is owned by John and Fiona Anderson who have lived in Congresbury for 26 years and say that they both felt the time was right for a career change. John is currently a primary school teacher and Fiona has worked for the NHS for the past 32 years as a midwife and nurse.
Prior to his teaching career John trained and worked as a chef and restaurant manager in London and Bath. “We both enjoy food and drink so thought it was time to go back to his roots.” said Fiona. “We spend a lot of time choosing all the foods and drinks you will find on our shelves and specialise in high quality local produce, aiming to support small local businesses.”
Ziggy’s will be opening on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 10.00 – 18.00 serving take out homemade sweet and savoury treats and hot drinks.
Later in the year Ziggy’s plans to provide sit-in small plate or tapas style dishes in the evening.
Stockists will include Somerset Charcuterie, Bristol Cheesemonger. Marks Bread, More Wine Co Ganley and Naish Cider, Moor Beer, Arbor Ales and Wiper and True Ales,Naked Wines and The Community Farm.
Find out more on www.ziggysdeli.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
Congars Cafe wants to offer more
Congars Cafe in Broad Street is looking to offer more to the community as trading starts to return to normal after the past two years.
The cafe can be used as a meeting place in the evenings for groups, especially art or books groups. It could also be used as a lunch venue for weekly or monthly group meetings, if that is of interest.
A third possible use would be to provide catering of cold finger buffets for events such as wakes or christening parties. This can either take place at the cafe outside opening times or at other local venues.
“We are very open to any ideas people have about services we can offer to help not only residents of Congresbury but surrounding areas,” says Sonya Stocker who is happy to discuss plans with anyone interested. Sonya can be contacted at the cafe or email sonya.stocker@sky.com
Parish council clerk vacancy
A new year and for you it could be a new start in an exciting new job. Congresbury Parish Council is seeking a clerk who will be at the centre of a great community, implementing the council’s goals and projects to help our village prosper. Find out more from the parish council website at:
http://www.congresbury-pc.gov.uk/Congresbury-Parish-Council/recruitment-2598.aspx
Job vacancy at Re:Store Congresbury
Re:Store Congresbury needs a new team member… we’re hiring a Retail Associate. You’ll be warm and friendly, enthusiastic and inquisitive, and reliable and loyal. Working three Saturdays every month, your new role sees you taking care of Re:Store customers by ensuring that their journey to sustainability is as easy, stress-free and fun as possible.
Taking a practical approach to plastic-free, your interest in living in an eco-friendlier way will shine through. You don’t shy away from responsibility as you open and close the shop, serve customers, restock shelves and keep the store spick and span.
If you’d like to find out more about the role and see if its for you, please check out the job description and apply online: https://www.restorecongresbury.co.uk/about.
Please feel free to email us (restorecongresbury@gmail.con) too if you have any questions.
Closing date for applications Monday 24 January 2022, provisional interview dates 27/28/29 January 2022
Fundraising trustee needed
Vine Counselling is looking for a new fundraising trustee to join their team. This is a key role and if you think you have the skills, knowledge or experience, Vine Counselling would love to hear from you. For a role description and more information, please contact director Liz Linnitt by DM or email vinecounsellingdirector@gmail.com
Go to www.vinecounselling.org to see how their service makes a difference.
Singers return
Congresbury Singers are BACK with a new musical director Graham Coatman. The Show Must Go On with popular music is on Saturday 20 November at 7.30pm in St Andrews Church. Tickets are £10 including refreshments and are available from the Post Office in The Precinct or on the door. Booking is advisable.
Community café
| Activity | The volunteer led community café is open a couple of mornings a week and alternative Saturdays. It provides freshly brewed hot drinks and homemade cakes. The surplus profits go back into the community to support village groups and activities. |
| Contact | Ian Sheppard | communitycoffee@btinternet.com | |
| Web Site | www.congresburycoffee.org |
Community café update
Congresbury Community café Ltd is a charitable community benefit society which runs Congresbury Community café. The café has been open for two-and-a-half years and operates in rooms and a courtyard which are kindly donated free of charge by Debbie Fortune estate agents’ Congresbury office.
Run entirely by volunteers it was initially set up to raise funds for a new village hall. When that project closed down, the project team in liaison with Debbie Fortune Estate Agents agreed to retain the popular café. The surplus profits are now used to support the community, by helping fund village organisations and activities. Details are available on the café website www.congresburycoffee.org .
The café will also run sessions to support organisations such as Macmillan Cancer support, The Air Ambulance and local hospices. The café is open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9 till 1pm and alternate Saturdays from 10 till 3pm (next opening Saturday 11th). It also runs a Glut Market where donated surplus vegetables and plants are available for a donation to the café.
The St Andrew’s school PTA are the first group to receive funding from café sessions. Deputy Headteacher, Mrs Zoe Gartland, on behalf of the school and PTA said: “Thank you so much to Congresbury community café who have kindly donated £423 towards our new playground equipment.
“During lockdown, the children of St Andrew’s were tasked with a challenge to design a new Key Stage Two play area. The school council worked closely with Pentagon Play to ensure the children’s ideas were incorporated into the final build. In the last weeks of term, the children were able to see their designs become reality with our wonderful new equipment.
“The school were able to fund the vast majority of the scheme but needed to raise a final £1500. With the PTA’s help and generous donations from local businesses, we are almost there.”
Ian Sheppard for the café said: “It was disappointing when the village hall project closed down in October last year but the café allows us to fulfil our vision of putting money back into the community. But it is not all about the money, the café is a community facility where people can meet up in a safe environment as well as enjoying freshly brewed hot drinks and delicious homemade cakes.
“We would not able to do this without the generosity and continued support of Debbie Fortune Estate Agents in allowing us use of the rooms and courtyard. “
Café pledges to support village organisations
In liaison with Debbie Fortune estate agents, who generously donate the use of their premises and facilities for Congresbury’s Community Café, surplus profits from the café, will go back into the community to be used to support village organisations and village activities. More details and how to apply can be found on the café website Supporting the community (congresburycoffee.org)
For the next two weeks the surplus profits from the café sessions will go to help the school PTA to fund new playground equipment at St. Andrews school.
Saturday opening at Community cafe
The cafe at Bridge House in Broad Street is open on alternate Saturdays, from Saturday 17 July; the opening times for Saturdays only will be 10 till 3pm. The café is also open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9 till 1pm.
Reading challenge 2021
New rural network’s village agent
Refill shop offers plastic-free alternative
Welcome to Re:Store Congresbury! Based in Congars Cafe, we’re open Thursday, Friday (08:40-16:00) and Saturday (09:00-16:00) and are stocked to the rafters with everything for your sustainable shopping needs. We have a wide range of refill foods across cereals, pasta, rices, pulses, flours, sugars, herbs, spices, sweet treats, oils, teas and much more. Plus eco-friendly and refillable household cleaning products and lots of plastic-free toiletries, handmade gifts, locally made skincare and lots more!
You can bring your own containers or we supply in paper bags. And the best bit is you can buy as little or as much as you need 
You can shop in-store or online at www.restorecongresbury.co.uk
Youth Partnership plans for post-lockdown future
Congresbury Youth Partnership are gearing up for a post-lockdown summer and looking forward to welcoming old and new members aged 8 – 14 back to our base at Congresbury Youth Club next to the ball court and the river, writes Alex Ballard.
We have a pool table, table tennis table, games consoles, Raspberry Pi’s and computers, and access to the adjacent ball court for games and the mobile skateboard ramps and jumps.
We have a couple of part-time youth workers, but the majority of our activities are supported by adult volunteers. Covid has rather knocked the stuffing out of many of our 70+ year-old longstanding volunteers, who don’t feel confident to come back, at least for the moment.
Some of us have been doing it for close on 18 years, and maybe don’t feel it’s our job any more anyway . I would hate to see things close down, but we’ve reached a point where some younger ones do have to step up. Are you reassessing your work opportunities and patterns post Covid, and thinking you could find time for us?
There are loads of fun things for you to do and share with young people including after school sessions, a Code Club, plus weekend and school holiday activities. Contact Alex on 07894338995 for more information and to let me know how you could help us.
Your views wanted on Churchill Sports Centre
As many of you may know our nearest sports centre at Churchill Academy has closed and is not set to reopen. A group called Mendip Villages Fitness has been formed to try to look at options for the Centre and is in discussions with North Somerset council to try to find a way forward.
As part of our plans for opening a revitalised and much-needed sports facility on the site, we are sending out a survey to gauge opinions on the closure and asking local communities what they would like to see provided if and when the sports centre reopens.
If you want to take the survey click on this link
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MendipVillagesFitness
Or use the attached PDF
CSC-Survey-Hard-copyImproving the River Yeo
Brinsea Self Storage
Brinsea Self Storage are a new storage facility on the
edge of Congresbury. We have internal storage rooms,
from 16sq ft to 100sq ft, as well as 20 ft shipping
containers, all within a secure area with 24 hr cctv.
Please contact us for more information @
www.brinseaselfstorage.co.uk
tel 01934-351341 / 07831-437206 / 07876-743016 or email brinseastorage@gmail.com
Community Cafe new opening times.
Situated at the rear of Debbie Fortune estate agent in Bridge House, Broad Street, and generously donated by Debbie, the cafe is attractively furnished and is totally manned by volunteers. Offering a variety of speciality teas, coffees, and other drinks, together with a choice of delicious homemade cakes, baked by villagers.
The cafe is now open on Wednesdays and Fridays 9 – 1pm and alternate Saturdays 9.30-1pm. Approached through the high double wooden gates on Broad Street, there is a charming enclosed courtyard, with 4 tables in the gazebo and 4 not under cover. Dogs are not allowed in the café but may be left in the courtyard where water and tying up facilities are available.
Saturday dates are – 31st October, 14th November, 28th November, 12th December, 9th January 2021, 23rd January, 6th February, 20th February.
Successful Coffee Morning
The community cafe and Debbie Fortune estate agent’s coffee morning on Friday 25th raised £610 for Macmillan cancer support.
Thanks go to the volunteers who manned the cafe, covered the cafe’s costs, and donated the homemade cakes as well as those who donated throughout the day.
If you missed it there is the option to donate online through the website – https://www.macmillan.org.uk/donate.
