Up Our Street works with local residents to deliver community development and communications projects focussing on civic participation, resident voice and influence, and developing local social capital. Click on our logo to find out more!

Its been a great year for us, our team has grown and we’ve worked hard to improve our sustainability. What does 2017 bring for Up Our Street? More wonderful magazines, Active Citizen training and in February we will be hosting an Active Citizens International Study Visit, Easton and Lawrence Hill Forums, a new round of the Endowment Fund, and of course our main event of the year, the Thank You Awards.

The Up Our Street office will be closed from Thursday 22 December and will re-open on Tuesday 3 January.

Wednesday 21 December, 4pm to 6pm, Lawrence Hill Underpass

Join the Up Our Street team and local choir, The Bristol Allsorts, for our annual Carols in the Underpass! We’ll have hot mulled wine and hot chocolate, mince pies and chocolate to warm you whilst you sing.

Saturday 14, 21, 28 January and 4 February, Beacon Centre, Russell Town Avenue, Redfield, Bristol, BS5 9JH

The popular Active Citizens training course will run again in 2017, for four weeks from Saturday 14 January. Join other citizens in developing communication, project management and social action skills. The course has been developed by the British Council and is delivered by Up Our Street. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! Apply before 21 December.

Monday 16 January, 1pm to 3pm, Muller Hall, Seymour Road, BS5 0NX

The next Neighbourhood Forum will look at employment issues in Easton and Lawrence Hill. We will have an update on Bristol City Council initiatives to boost local employment opportunities, and look at how poor employment practices are impacting Bristol residents.

Would you like to share your views about wellbeing, diversity, environment and livelihoods in Easton and Lawrence Hill? Take part in our Wellbeing Survey, and encourage your friends and neighbours to fill it in too! One lucky participant will win a £50 cash prize. To complete the Survey, please follow the link: https://crm.eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk/content/wellbeing-survey

Up Our Street Radio on BCfm

Tune in to the next Up Our Street radio show on Friday 30 December, 2pm on BCFM, 93.2FM. Find out about local health and wellbeing initiatives and find out all the latest news from Easton and Lawrence Hill. Contact community@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk

Help with Communication

Need help promoting an upcoming event or service? Up Our Street offers a range of print, broadcast, web-based and face-to-face communications packages to help you spread the word in Easton and Lawrence Hill. To find out more, email business@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk

Community Research

Do you work with an organisation or agency looking to better understand service users’ experiences in Easton and Lawrence Hill? Up Our Street’s multilingual Community Research Team offers a variety of inclusive research and consultation services to provide you with robust information about the community. To find out more, email business@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk ​

 OTHER LOCAL EVENTS AND NEWS

​The Neighbourhood Partnership has agreed to administer Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust Transformer Fund, a small grant aimed at working with young people and delivering youth activities. No deadlines for the grant have been agreed yet but applications will be dealt with through the same process as Wellbeing grants. To download an application form visit http://tinyurl.com/h2ok8bj

For more information contact gill.calloway@bristol.gov.uk

Environment Sub-Group – 9 January, 7pm, Junction 3 Library, Lower Ashley Road This meeting focuses on the environment priorities for Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill agreed by the Neighbourhood Partnership with a view to developing projects to deliver them.  All are welcome to attend. Contact neil.burwell@bristol.gov.uk

Junction 3 Library- Free event Saturday 17 December, 10.15am to 1pm, Junction 3 Library, Lower Ashley Road Face painting, cake and refreshments, courtesy of Kensington Baptist.

Felix Road Xmas Party Sunday 18 December, 1pm to 7pm, Felix Road Adventure Playground, Felix Road Santa will be dropping off presents for the children and then staying with us for the afternoon! Expect Xmas fun like last year…

Christmas at St Lukes Sunday 18 December, 10.30am Breakfast Service with Nativity Play and 6pm Candlelit Carol Service Saturday 24 December, 4pm Christingle Service, 11.30pm Midnight Service Sunday 25 December, 11am Short Service in the Crypt with Drop In

A Shared Lunch Thursday 29 December, 11am to 2.30pm, Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie Road, BS5 0AX Get to know your neighbours. Also fun and games, cash bingo, quiz, raffle and more. Entrance £2 per adult, £1 per child, includes lunch, tickets available in advance from the Finance Office at Barton Hill Settlement, Monday—Thursday, 9am—3pm. EVERYONE WELCOME(all meat halal)

All Hallows Hall NYE – A Family Affair Saturday 31 December, 7pm to 2am, The Pickle Factory and The Chelsea Inn, Easton A huge NYE celebration over 2 venues, bring Your Tribe, lots for kids and adults alike. Including Indoor and Outdoor Fires , Marshmallows, Face painting, Mulled Wine, Fireworks, Hot and cold food. To book visit www.bristolticketshop.co.uk/eventdetails.aspx?e=14091

Yoga Wednesdays, 3.30pm to 4.30pm, Bristol Movement Space, Church Road, Redfield A new restorative yoga class for those experiencing fatigue. Mindfulness, gentle movement, breathing and relaxation. Catherine is trained to work with stress, burnout and ME/CFS; everybody is welcome. From 6 January. £42 for six weeks. To book go to www.bookwhen.com/HelixYoga

Redfield Post Office petition – please sign! Local MP’s Kerry McCarthy and Thangam Debbonaire launched a petition and are campaigning hard to restore post office services in Redfield, along with local councillors from Easton and St George. Please sign the petition here www.change.org/p/the-post-office-re-open-a-post-office-in-redfield

Bristol Water update

From January Bristol Water will renovate the water main that provides the drinking water for the Lawrence Hill and Easton areas. The main is in two parts both starting on Easton Way. The first part stretches down to Church Road and the second part weaves through the streets up to Greenbank Cemetery. The work will involve a number of road closures go to www.bristolwater.co.uk/Eastonmain for more details.

CHEESE surveys Would you like to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home? Would you like to save money on your bills? CHEESE (Cold Homes Energy Efficiency Survey Experts) is a non-profit scheme led by local community volunteers that can discover why your house leaks energy and money using thermal imaging. We can then suggest remedies, many of which are simple and low cost. You can apply for a survey now on our website: www.cheeseproject.co.uk/apply-for-a-survey or send us an email with your details to surveys@cheeseproject.co.uk

Bristol vision for the next 50 years….. https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s8158/10%20-%20Bristol%20Resilience%20Strategy%20-%20draft%20strategy%20document.pdf

Home Start news Home Start Bristol have been awarded £373,000 by the Big Lottery Fund for a new project ‘Confronting Disadvantage in Bristol’ starting in April 2017. This project will build on existing work, enabling them to extend their reach in Bristol, to increase the number of families they are able to support and to employ a Family Support Worker. There will be a focus on reducing isolation and improving mental health for families. Thank you Big Lottery! To find out more contact schememanager@homestartbristol.org.uk

Neighbourhood Enforcement In case you hadn’t heard the new Neighbourhood Enforcement team has a Facebook page which will keep you up to date with enforcement activity in your area Bristol Neighbourhood Enforcement Team. In the last two weeks they have posted information about a fly posting operation on Gloucester Road/ Stokes Croft, commercial waste activity on Stapleton Road, serving notices on illegally parked caravans and issuing fixed penalty notices for waste issues including fly tipping across  the City. They are keen to raise awareness of how citizens can help provide evidence and help tackle the issues that are of concern in our neighbourhoods.

Thinking of getting active and want to get paid for it? Need a little support, some ideas and information? University of Birmingham are undertaking research and would like to offer you help. The program explores how to promote physical activity for disabled people. It will involve an interview and short questionnaires, payment of £30 and any travel expenses. Visit http://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/view/56473232/thinking-about-getting-active-advert/0

Volunteering opportunites – Wellspring Healthy Living Centre

Wellspring is currently recruiting for new trustees and also are tendering a contract for a database. Visit www.wellspringhlc.org.uk/staff/

Volunteering opportunities – Redfest have the following roles available

• Marketing manager
• Community outreach manager
• Fundraiser – grant applications
• Fundraiser – corporate sponsorship
• Fundraiser – events
• Production managers

If you have any of the above skills and want to give something back, or if you want to learn something new, then get in touch at info@redfestbristol.co.uk

Volunteering opportunities – IBT17 Next year’s Festival includes a Live Art Showcase presenting the most urgent British artists to over 100 international delegates, and volunteers are need to help including Front of House Crew, Artist Hosts, Delegate Hosts, Social Media Pros and Evaluation Assistants. To find out more visit www.inbetweentime.co.uk/news/volunteer-for-ibt17/