News and Announcements from the NSI

News, Blog and Events.......

News

May:

Work on the improvements to paths, gates, allotments and other areas arranged by the City Council is nearing completion. Watch out for contractors working on the Bommie and Glyn Vale sites......

See our brand new leaflet about our wonderful sites - downloadable as a PDF on our home page within the right hand side column. Paper copies also available by email our address on the contacts page.

The NSI Blog

This blog tries to give a flavour of what we do in the NSI for the Slopes, it is updated monthly, but text over 6 months old is removed twice a year. We hope you enjoy it...........

April 2008
Discussions held with people involved on the grazing on the Doorstep Green
Proposals being researched to spend rest of Breathing Places money - proposals include information boards on Northern Slopes Gates, managing areas of semi-natural grassland on Glyn Vale, more Northern Slope leaflets and buy equipment so we can run events on the sites.
8 Bird Boxes installed on the Bommie from the Birds and Beast event back in February. The boxes put up include those made by CJ, JB, DV and KW. One of the boxes was in use only 1 hour after being put up!
Discussions starting on whether art could be installed on the Slopes.
Work on setting up an orienteering course across the Bommie and Glyn Vale is being completed. Discussions on locations and design of markers continuing.

March 2008
Our new sites leaflet is printed - and is downloadable from the front page of our website - thanks to Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency.
Report on horse grazing on the Doorstep Green on the Glyn Vale site is being finalised.
Work continuing on identifying funding sources ready for meeting at the start of April.

February 2008
New leaflet - now in final draft - due to be printed in March.
Mary from Avon Wildlife Trust presents first draft of the management plan for wildlife for all of the Sites.
Bird and Beast event on the 16th Feb - attracts 70 people and brilliant weather. Thanks to Sally and Oliver from the City Council; Keith and Linda Hall for the bird boxes; Jon Attwood for the green wood working; and Andy Frost (from Southampton) for the chance to make wooden dogs/cats/hedgehogs/birds/sharks/fish etc.
Thanks to Neil from bristol-forum.co.uk for reporting on the event.
CSV Hartwood and the City Council clear the steps at Novers Common of bramble.

January 2008
City Council contractors continue working on pathways at St Barnabas on the Bommie; and on Glyn Vale works continuing. Allotments been restored at Kenmare/Wedmore Vale.
New leaflet draft prepared thanks to City Council and Environment Agency - looks good.
Residents concerns still coming in about motorbikes on the Slopes, especially as result of new paths etc.
City Council have collected evidence about who is fly tipping on the Slopes.
Ceri from Novers Hill area tells us about her plans for the street clean - see NEWS above.

December 2007
Volunteers from the Environment Agency, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and Buried Treasure, clear vegetation along the stream from Wedmore Vale and other areas on the Bommie to help people feel safer on the site; and improve the wildlife. Thank you for help, it looks really good.
Meeting held on designing a flyer advertising the improvements being carried by the Council, and a leaflet on the brilliant things you can see on the Slopes.

November 2007
Request made to Knowle West Media Group for pics of the Slopes to put into new leaflet.
Work starts on Council's improvements to Glyn Vale and Bommie.
Unfortunately, we have to move our meetings from the room hired by the City Council at the Park. Meetings will be held in Buried Treasures offices - which are still within the Park.

October 2007
Project X, the project seeking to involve young people between 9 and 16 in their local community starts work on environmental issues.
October meeting hears about Project V through Knowle West Development Trust - there may be future links between the Project and ourselves.
City Council confirms work on pathway and other improvements on the Bommie and Glyn Vale sites likely to start shortly.
Discussions start on producing a leaflet about the Slopes to advertise what they are about and how it is good to go and have a look.
Work starts on producing management plan for the sites, with Breathing Places money.

September 2007
Entrance to Bommie next to St Barnabas has new Northern Slopes gateway installed thanks to the City Council.
We find out that the S106 money from the new houses on Wedmore Vale marked down for play facilities - has gone to Eagle House Youth Club.
Bats on the bommie walk on 6 September, the last of the 2007 Nature in the City events attracts 12 people - brilliant views across nighttime Bristol....and we saw three different types of bats - Pipistrelle, Nocture and Serotine. Thanks to David from the Avon Bat Group for leading it.
Letter sent in response to Parks Strategy consultation - main points include the need for money for maintenance, concerns about the pressure South Bristol could be under to provide housing etc if the Development Framework says that this is the way forward.
Residents from Kenmare Road tells us about concerns about how hedgerows between gardens and Glyn Vale are managed at the moment. Concerns passed on to City Council.

July 2007
Council launches consultation on changes to the Bommie and Glyn Vale sites.
Tim Large and Mil Lusk win a Public Innovation award from the Government Office of the South West for their work on the Bommie as part of the Spark Plug programme. Congratulations!
Council launches their Parks and Open Spaces strategy - dont forget to visit one of the consultation events run by the Council during August - or come along to our meeting on the 12 September.
The entrance to the Bommie next to St Barnabas is now not pedestrian friendly we continue to press the Council to solve the problem.
Letter recieved from Dawn Primarolo MP congratulating group on Breathing Places grant.

June 2007
We are investigating ways of ensuring S106 money raised by the Council from developments in our area is best used in the local community - including the slopes.
Increasingly people are raising issues about flytipping and drug dealing on some of the entrances to the Slopes.
Raptor Ramble held on Glyn Vale on 27 June 2007 - around 20 people attended - thanks to Ian from the Hawk and Owl Trust for his help.

What we are currently trying to do- May 2008

Finding out what is going to happen to the S106 money left from the ex Methodist Church site housing development on Wingfield Road - can be used for the Slopes?

Investigating whether we can get more funding for improvements to the sites from various places.

Events and meetings to come

Below is a list of events and meetings to come.

You are very welcome at any of the events and our meetings too - but for those marked on site please come prepared with suitable shoes and scruffy clothes for outdoor work in any weather.

1- Looking after the Doorstep Green at Cloverdown, behind Kenmare Road - on site. All events start at around 10am in the morning.

Details of events to follow.

2 - Events on site - proposed dates.

Nature in the City walks for 2008 have been organised on the slopes:
Wildflower Walk - Tuesday 24th June - 6pm to 7.30pm
Herbal Walk - Wednesday 23rd July - 6.30pm to 8pm

For futher information on these events - and others in Bristol - see the weblink to Bristol Parks on the Links page - and the Nature in the City Newsletter, free from Sally Oldfield on 0117 9224429

Thanks to the City Council Nature in the City initiative and all those who are helping with putting these events on.....and of course to those who turn up to enjoy finding out about new things on our Slopes.


3 - Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 21 May 2008 at 6pm at:

The Vet's offices.
The Park Local Opportunity Centre,
Daventry Road,
Knowle,
Bristol BS4 1QD

The blog above gives a summary of our meetings - but formal minutes are available on request from the phone number below; or the email address on our contacts page.

If you want to know more about any of the above please ring 07810 474558

and finally.....
Its true to say that we could not carry on with the help from:
...the City Council and their contractors,
...voluntary organisations amd volunteers,
...individuals who spend their time organising, campaigning and of course the
...users of the Slopes.
A big thank you for your help and support!