Building work has started on City of Bristol College’s newest building, on the site of the former Filton High School in New Road, Stoke Gifford.

The £12 million Advanced Engineering Centre will bring together the college’s automotive and aeronautical engineering into one state-of-the-art building creating one of the largest engineering centres in the UK.

The new facility will include several new workshops, a hydraulics laboratory and electronic laboratory.

For aeronautical engineering, there will be a large hanger for two aircraft, an avionics laboratory, a technical library, an engine workshop, a composite material workshop and a large heavy vehicle workshop and classroom complex.

The new centre will be built on land adjacent to the college’s existing Parkway Transport Technology Centre, which is being refurbished as part of the same project.

Speaking about the build, Lynn Merilion, City of Bristol College Principal said:

“This new building has been created with one thing in mind – providing students with the latest technology and giving them the skills and experience they need to progress into employment. We are looking forward to seeing the finished product and welcoming students into this fantastic new centre of excellence.”

The Advanced Engineering Centre will accommodate up to 1,600 students and is due to open in September 2013.

One of the largest further education colleges in the UK, City of Bristol College offers over 2,000 courses at all levels for both 16-19 year olds and adult learners. Currently catering for more than 30,000 students and employing over 2,200 staff, the college delivers a significant majority of the post-16 educational provision in the Greater Bristol area.

More: Centre is one of two construction projects underway on site »

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The award winning Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) launched its 2012 Poppy Appeal on Friday (26th October) at Parkway Station.

The branch has been raising record amounts for the Poppy Appeal in recent years. In 2010/11, it raised £30,500 and then in 2011/12 it broke even that record with £37,500.

In 2010/11,  the Stoke Gifford branch won the RBL Gloucestershire County Marling Cup for most improved branch, and achieved third place in the Williams Cup for increasing its poppy appeal total by over 27%.

Branch Poppy Appeal organiser John Moloney has set a target for the 2012/13 year for the branch to raise £40,000, which is a challenge in these tough financial times.

Nationally, the RBL raised £40 million in 2011/12, and for this year has set a national target £42 million.

Branch spokesman David Bell said:

“We are very grateful to the public for their continued support; it is with that support that we are able to help those who have served.”

Chair of Welfare Terry Webber said:

“The Poppy Appeal will bring us the vital cash we need to help ex-service personnel and their families, and current members of the services, to provide the help they require. The welfare work and the need are growing.”

More: Find out how you could help the local Poppy Appeal »

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A police investigation is underway following a robbery in which shop staff were threatened with a knife.

The robbery occurred at around 9:20pm last night (Thursday 25th October) at McColl’s in Little Stoke. A man entered the shop armed with a knife and demanded money. He was given money and cigarettes and left the shop.

Avon and Somerset Police say they are conducting enquiries to identify the offender and recover the stolen property.

The suspect was wearing a grey waist-length coat which was zipped up, light-coloured trousers, black gloves and grey trainers with a pink or purple circle at the back of the heel.

Anyone with information about the robbery should contact DC Claire Chipping of South Gloucestershire CID on 101. Alternatively, phone the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 (they never ask your name or trace your call).

The incident is the latest in a number of robberies to have occurred in the Patchway and Stokes area over the past three weeks:

• On 8th October, a masked and hooded mugger robbed a man of a mobile phone and gold ring at knifepoint in Stanshaws Close, Bradley Stoke.
• On 15th October, a pensioner had her handbag stolen by a youth in Wheatfiled Drive, Bradley Stoke.
• On 17th October, a man armed with a knife made off with cash from Boots the Opticians in Patchway.

Related link: Police in Stoke Gifford (The Journal)

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A new weekly ‘Parkrun’ for local runners and joggers is to begin in Little Stoke Park on Saturday 3rd November.

Parkrun is a free, weekly 5k timed run, which takes place all over the UK and beyond, every Saturday at 9am, all year round.

News of the start of the regular weekly session follows a successful trial event in the park on Wednesday 22nd August, attended by around 80 runners.

Feedback received from participants in the trial was generally positive, with praise for the flat course and good marshalling.

Concerns that the course had too many sharp turns and might become slippy in wet weather have been addressed by adjusting it to make more use of the tarmac paths.

The revised course now consists of  three laps on tarmac plus an 800m finish section partially on grass.

Runners are asked to register in advance via the Parkrun website.

Post-run coffee and cakes will be available in the Community Hall.

The results from each run are normally published on the website by the following day.

Another local parkrun, in Bristol’s Ashton Court, was established in April 2011 and now regularly attracts more than 100 entrants.

More info: Official Little Stoke Parkrun webpage

More photos from the Parkrun trial event in August on PicasaWeb.

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