I AM a Downend resident, and past generations of my family have lived in the area, for a couple of hundred years at least.
I read the article regarding a presumed water leak in King George V playing field (Voice, April) with interest.
It most definitely is a natural spring, which once formed part of a very beautiful and valued stream.
The park was historically a beautiful wood, and the surrounding area farming and grazing land (hence Farm Court and Farm Road).
I am amazed and alarmed that a number of residents are complaining about a natural feature, provided by ‘Mother Nature’.
It has been highlighted in the media recently that our natural waterways should be protected and preserved. The solution is not to try to block them up or re-route them. This is why the country is facing huge problems with flooding.
Why on earth would anyone want to ‘pave over paradise’? Perhaps the best solution for those who don’t want to get their feet wet is to build a bridge – or, of course, they could always move to the inner city!
Ruth Mogg
Downend
HAVING read your article on the water problem within the playing field, I wonder whether anyone has considered checking the historic mapping of the area on the Know Your Place website?
A quick 20-second check of the mapping shows the precise area of the flooding to coincide with a natural pond, which appears on historic mapping from the mid-19th century through to the mid-20th century, just prior to the housing development in the area.
This may well be a spring-fed pond, as there were other pools/ponds around the old farmhouse and an adjoining area of marshy ground.
Solving what appears to be an historic water feature, either natural or man-made, could be problematic.
Ian Gething
Downend
Cinema in Downend
DOWNEND now has its very own monthly cinema, courtesy of Home Instead, the home care company, in the North Street Hall, on the third Monday of the month.
With tea and cake included, it is excellent value at £4. Booking is now now required, at 0117 435 0063. Subtitles are shown.
Most of the films shown are feel-good or light-hearted romcoms.
April’s film, The Windermere Children, was a bit darker, and relates to a group of traumatised Polish Jewish children who survived the camps, were thought to be orphans and came to England after the end of the war, to be rehabilitated and settle.
Like Schindler’s List and some other films, we see the real life survivors at the end, who are quite affecting. Despite the trauma, it was an uplifting film that was well worth watching.
The May film is Love Sarah.
Jonathan Seagrave
Downend
A very impressive show
I RECENTLY attended the Redgrave Theatre to see Tale of Two Cities, The Musical, by the very impressive St Mary’s Players of Staple Hill.
I was not sure what to expect but, as always, was not disappointed. I did not know there was a musical of Dickens’ book – similarly a couple of years ago, I did not know of Titanic, The Musical. Both productions were so professional, the singing superb and in between these two productions the players have also performed Evita.
Whilst all the performers work as a team and were excellent, I must mention the outstanding performance of Sam Board, Mike Johnson and Emily Sollors.
Looking forward to the next production.
Sally Green
Help celebrate hospital birthday
WE are preparing to celebrate 10 years of the Brunel building at Southmead Hospital – and are looking for the public to get involved too.
Since the building opened in May 2014 there have been more than 3.5 million outpatient appointments, more than a million people treated as inpatients and more than 900,000 emergency department attendances.
Not only is it a fantastic facility, it has also transformed healthcare across our communities in the decade it has been open.
As we look ahead to the next 10 years and the opportunities it will bring, we want to understand what the Brunel means to you – be that something personal or more general: whatever it is, we would love to hear it.
Please share your experiences, what the Brunel building means to you and any photos you are willing to include, by emailing NBTCommunications@nbt.nhs.uk, tag @NorthBristolNHS in a post on X or Instagram using the hashtag #Brunel10 or share a comment on our Facebook page.
Maria Kane
Chief Executive
North Bristol NHS Trust