You may have seen in the media that ASLEF (train drivers) will be taking strike action on Wednesday 1st February and Friday 3rd February.  RMT train drivers will also strike on the same days. 

As this is train drivers, it is very likely that GWR will have no trains running on the vast majority of their network on both dates.  They are hoping that they might be able to operate a limited service from Reading to Basingstoke, Reading to Oxford and London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. This is not yet confirmed.

GWR’s dedicated strike page at www.gwr.com/strike will be kept updated including information on refunds and when journey planners will be updated.

The People’s Voice Project group are halfway through their work finding out what Disabled People with Learning Difficulties would like to happen in Bristol and are looking to create an interest group which can discuss the work the project group has done so far and get real community feedback and thoughts about what the project aims to do next.

You can find more details on the both the project and interest group meeting below including instructions on how to get to the Vassals Centre and details in a screen reader format.

The first interest group meeting takes place on Monday 9^th January at 11am at the Vassal Centre.

See you there!

Bristol City Council is asking for your views on the draft development framework for the Whitehouse Street regeneration area.

Unfortunately because of a technical problem, if you filled in the survey before 10am on Monday 28 November your feedback has not been recorded. We apologise for this and would ask that you fill the survey in again so that we have your views. What you think is important to us and we very much appreciate you taking the time to do this again.

You can take part at: Whitehouse Street Consultation | Ask Bristol Consultation and Engagement Hub

This survey will close on Sunday 8 January 2022

You can take part at: Bristol Local Plan – Further Consultation | Ask Bristol Consultation and Engagement Hub

This survey will close on Friday 20 January 2023.

 

Bristol’s local plan is being reviewed, and the Council would like your views on drafts of additional and revised policies and proposals that they plan to include.

This document is probably the most important one for making Bristol accessible to Disabled people.  This is because it is the only document that can make the Council reject all planning applications for work that is not accessible, and prevents the government from overturning a Bristol Planning Committee decision.  So, it is super important that as many of us respond as possible, demanding that it includes all planning applications to be fully accessible, wherever possible.

The new local plan will update all existing policies for deciding planning applications, and guide development across the city over the next 20 years.

The responses will feed into the next stage of the draft plan which will be published in Summer 2023 and open to further public comment.  Following this stage, the plan will be submitted for examination by the planning inspector with the aim for it to be adopted in Autumn 2024.

The Bristol Autism Team provides advice and support for families and mainstream educational settings (Early Years to Post-16).

They want to hear what has the biggest impact on the experiences and outcomes of Autistic children and young people and those with a social Communication and Interaction Need. They will then use this information to help inform what their services look like in the future.

You can take part at: Bristol Autism Team engagement | Ask Bristol Consultation and Engagement Hub

Your Holiday Hub is back, starting from Monday (19 December),
offering free activities and hot meals to children and young people
over the winter holidays.

There are over 180 activities to choose from this winter including
festive arts and crafts, cooking workshops and even Ninja Warrior.
Children and young people aged four to 16, who are eligible and in-
receipt of free school meals will be able to access Your Holiday Hub
for free.

Food is central to the programme, as with each activity children and
young people will also receive a hot meal and learn about food and
healthy living. 1,960 activity packs and food parcels will be
delivered to 45 organisations across Bristol this winter.

A full list of organisations and activities is available on the Your
Holiday Hub website. Your Holiday Hub Bristol

Eligible children and young people with special educational needs
and disabilities (SEND) or an education, health and care plan are
welcome at Your Holiday Hub. Families can contact the
organisation or session they would like to attend to discuss their
child’s individual needs.

Eligible families will also receive free school meal vouchers for the
full winter holiday, which will be distributed by schools.

The number of people in the South West who had covid in the week
ending 21 st November was 55, which is lower than the UK average.
However, this does not mean we can treat covid as no real threat as:

the number of patients unwell with COVID-19 in our hospitals has
increased from 52 to 120 in the past week

25 per cent of 18 to 49 year olds in Bristol remain unvaccinated
against COVID-19

51 per cent of 50 to 64 year olds have had a COVID-19 autumn
booster

79 per cent of those aged 65 years and older have had a COVID-
19 autumn booster

46 per cent of 50 to 64 year olds have had a winter flu vaccine

77 per cent of those aged 65 years and older have had a winter flu
vaccine.

So, if you or someone you know is unvaccinated, or not had all their
booster vaccinations, avoid being ill this winter and get your covid and
flu vaccinations as soon as possible.