Downend through the years

Over the years, the Parish Council has contributed to various youth projects in the parish, including outreach work at Badminton Road Methodist Youth Centre and financially supporting the new pavilion at Pomphrey Hill which is used by many groups from the parish. Our most recent youth project we have supported has been the new Youth Hub at Christ Church. The Parish Council has also championed the achievements of various youngsters through our newsletters.

In 2007 the Parish Council was instrumental in setting up the Community Plan Steering Group. This group carried out a detailed consultation with residents and the Community Plan was published in May 2011. Since this time, much of the feedback raised by residents has been achieved and other matters are being addressed. Many issues have also been taken forward in the Parish Council's Business Plan which was formally adopted by Council in August 2016. The Community Plan group was formally wound up in May 2018 but the document that was created (see below) is still available for residents to review and realise the outstanding work that was achieved as a result of this project.

2009 saw the Chairman and Vice Chairman attend one of Her Majesty's Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. This was a great honour for the Parish Council to be selected to represent all the town and parish councils of Avon Local Councils Association whose members come from Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Open Spaces – much has been achieved here especially with regard to facilitating and setting up Friends Groups. The Friends of Bromley Heath Playing Fields was established in 2005, with the Friends of Lincombe Barn Park & Wood and Britannia Wood being set up in 2008. This has been followed by the Friends of King George V in 2012 & Friends of Hill House Park in 2013. D&BH PC has been able to provide significant funding towards all the play equipment at King George V in addition to that in Leap Valley. Autumn 2013 saw parish councillors, with the help of local groups and residents, plant over 4000 spring bulbs at various locations throughout Downend & Bromley Heath as part of its 'Blooming Downend' project.

In 2009 the Parish Council launched its website which is our main point of contact and contains much information and links to other useful websites. 2012 saw Downend & Bromley Heath Parish Council come into the 21st century with a corporate email address for both parish councillors and the Clerk.

2013 saw the creation of a new committee for D&BH PC – Active Seniors. 'Downend Connect' was launched in September when a retired persons fair was held. As a result of this initial meeting, computer courses have been set up for the elderly and other activities are in the pipeline, all being financially supported by this Parish Council.

2014 saw the Parish Council enter into a "buy-back" contract with South Gloucestershire Council to take responsibility for some services – verge grass cutting, maintenance of shrub beds, provision and maintenance of floral displays on highways land and the provision, maintenance and emptying of dog bins. The Boy Scout War Memorial was also cleaned and research carried out on the names of those local scouts who died in the World War.

Jenny Jones' achievement at the Sochi winter Olympics was recognised and a plaque was set into the pavement in Downend Centre to mark her winning a bronze medal.

The Parish Council was instrumental in facilitating the setting up of the Downend & Bromley Heath in Bloom Group. With the assistance of South Gloucestershire Council, the area in front of the toilets in Westerleigh Road was transformed into a Community Garden which is being maintained by this group.

We undertook a survey among young people to identify what facilities they would like to see in the Parish. This work is ongoing.

Two information boards were purchased, one for the Cleeve Wood area and the other for Downend High Street. Another at Quakers Road was installed during 2015.

2014 also saw the formation of the Friends of Hill House Park.

The Active Seniors working group set up a 'Knit and Natter Group' with some financial assistance from this Parish Council. In 2016 another group of the Active Seniors, 'Downend Men in Sheds', was created and they will be carrying out a range of woodwork projects, the group being based at the pavilion at Bromley Heath Playing Fields.

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