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North Somerset Arts Week at Holy Trinity, St. Barnabas and Cleeve Village Hall

North Somerset Arts Week is celebrating its 21st anniversary and from 28th April to 8th May over 200 local artists will be opening up their homes and studios or gathering in shared venues to show their latest work. 

Holy Trinity Church is hosting 10 artists and makers – Dawn Cox (Painting and Drawing), Sarah Boden (Painting/Drawing), June Bensted (Painting/Drawing), Jane Canning (Ceramics), Elke Davies (Jewellery, Textile Art), Emma Garland (Jewellery, Various), Joan Hudson (Painting/Drawing), Ann Kelson (Painting/Drawing), Wahida Phillips (Illustration, Mixed Media) and Hannah Vigneron (Ceramics).

Refreshments will also be available

As before, there will also be artists at St. Barnabas in Claverham – Mandi Baykaa-Murray (Painting/Drawing), Gabbie Gardner (Enamels, Jewellery, Mixed Media, Painting/Drawing, Textile Art) and Hayley Jones (Metalwork, Sculpture). Both venues will be open from 10am – 5pm.

On May 4th and 5th the North Somerset Embroidery and Textile Group will be holding an exhibition of their work (10am – 6pm) at Cleeve Village Hall and on both afternoons there will be a mini-workshop on Doodle Stitching from 2-4pm (cost £7, with all materials provided). There will be threads and other items for sale and refreshments will be served. Further information on the group can obtained by emailing elkedavies@btinternet.com or from the website at  www.northsomersetembroideryandtextilegroup.wordpress.com

Watch out for the distinctive pink flags to lead you to over 38 locations across the county and be inspired by a wide variety of work.

You can also follow the Arts Week on instagram @northsomersetarts and #nsaw23, on

facebook.com/nsomersetarts and the website northsomersetarts.org.


Art, Craft & Photography, Local News, Noticeboard, Uncategorized

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.

Children's & Youth's Services, Computer Services, Noticeboard

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.

Activities, Noticeboard

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.

Children's & Youth's Services, Noticeboard

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.

Business & Services, Food & Catering, Noticeboard

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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Activities, Noticeboard

Developer Gives Land for Bats

A celebration of the transfer of land from Strongvox to Yatton and Congresbury Wildlife Action Group (YACWAG) was held on Friday 18thMarch on site at Cobthorn Way, Congresbury, with the Chair of North Somerset Council, Cllr Richard Westwood, unveiling the site interpretation board with Bill Richardson, Planning Manager for Strongvox , and Tony Moulin, Chair of YACWAG.

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Left to right Tony Moulin (YACWAG), Bill Richardson (Strongvox), Cllr Richard Westwood (Chair, North Somerset Council)

YACWAG’s new Cobthorn Reserve in Congresbury is being created especially for bats. This ground-breaking new project has been facilitated by North Somerset Council working with Natural England through the planning process, and has resulted in the developer Strongvox giving a field of about two and a half hectares to YACWAG to manage for bats forever.

When 38 new houses were built in Furnace Way, a larger area of farmland was lost as a feeding ground for bats. In order for Strongvox to gain planning permission on this sensitive site, North Somerset Council ruled that the developer had to compensate for lost habitat by creating a nature reserve on part of the site to give the bats continuity. There are only about 12,000 Greater Horseshoe Bats in the UK – which is their stronghold – and amazingly 500-1000 of them are living close to Congresbury. Their preferred landscape is one with grazing animals and tall, wide hedges with scattered flowering trees that attract insects. The Cobthorn Reserve will provide this kind of habitat. Grazing by livestock is especially important in this project because young bats need a particular kind of dung beetle to feed on. YACWAG members have been busy thickening up the hedges with additional hedge plants and their graziers, Jo and Andy Milward, will be providing the animals to produce the essential dung.

Councillor Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Business, Economy and Employment at North Somerset Council, said: “I’m pleased to see the Cobthorn Reserve in Congresbury come to fruition. It’s a fantastic example of how planning can be used to have a positive impact on wildlife. This type of protection is important to North Somerset Council and is carefully considered throughout our Local Plan.”

YACWAG Chair, Tony Moulin, said, “We are very excited and immensely proud of the achievement for wildlife at Cobthorn. Local people can be assured that the nature reserve will never be built on, that they will always have ‘nature as their neighbour’. We hope that more such schemes will follow this excellent example of planning gain for biodiversity. It is exciting that we will be able to give these rare bats a handy ‘eat-in restaurant’ on our new reserve with plenty of dung beetles on the menu.”

Local people will be able to find out more about the reserve at an Open Day to be held on Saturday 14th May.

For more information please contact Tony Moulin 01934 834282 or 0744 384 35

Portrait of a Greater Horseshoe Bat by Daniel Hargreaves
Charities, Environment & Public Safety, Local News, Noticeboard, Uncategorized

Ziggy’s deli opens this week

Ziggy’s Deli opening on Saturday

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.

Business & Services, Local News

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

Food & Catering, Noticeboard

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

Business & Services, Noticeboard

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.

Entertainment, Noticeboard

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. “

Food & Catering, Local News

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.

Charities, Local News

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

Business & Services, Noticeboard

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.

Children's & Youth's Services, Noticeboard

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. 

News-Release-Final-Mendip-Villages-Fitness

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-copy

Health & Fitness, Noticeboard