November 2025 Newsletter
Nothing lasts forever… even cold November rain!
Welcome to the Friends of Brislington Brook November newsletter – albeit going out here on 1st December when autumn has very much given way to winter!
In this month’s edition…
- AGM – new officers appointed
- CIL Grant update by Jackie
- Interpretation Board installed
- Woodland Trust Tree Planting Coming together
- Work Parties Incoming
If there’s something you’d like to include in our newsletter, let us know by emailing info.fobb@gmail.com.
The more things change… the more they stay the same
Hello everyone!
At the AGM on the 5th November FOBB persuaded me (Giorgia) to stand for Chair and I’m delighted (and slightly nervous!) to have the opportunity to try and help steer the group for the next year. We have also appointed James as secretary.
We are both looking forward to continuing the great work of the last year, whilst leaning heavily on the expertise of Jackie (Vice Chair) and Geoff (Treasurer). Jo will still be involved and taking on an inclusion and community access role.
Last year’s activities highlighted the importance of St Anne’s Woods and Nightingale Valley to nature and people alike, and this year we will offer lots more opportunities for people hoping to enjoy the area and to get stuck in and help improve the Brook’s biodiversity and to set it up for a healthy future.
Keep an eye out for newsletters and socials and get involved!
Giorgia, Chairperson
CIL Grant
I am happy to announce that FoBB has been awarded a CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) grant. This is for the provision of a play structure in St Anne’s Wood, hewn from a fallen oak: a dragon sculpture and carved seats. It is also for provision of a container where we can store our tools, currently located on four different sites (volunteers’ sheds and garages); and for the replenishment of our dwindling tool supply. For example, we seem to be left with ten singular left-handed gloves, where the other glove has got lost in the undergrowth!
The English Oak in question came down in November 2024 during Storm Bert. It was a distinctive tree within St Anne’s Wood; a healthy tree, which could not withstand the gale force winds and relentless rain. Many local people were saddened by its loss. FoBB volunteers cleared all the smaller trees and branches that had fallen, but this was a job for Bristol City Council. I contacted the Parks Team to request they cut a chunk out of the oak to make the footpath accessible. We were left with a gigantic root flare, a massive trunk and three smaller sections of trunk.
Claire Dowling, our former Treasurer, had the idea of employing a Sculptor to create a play structure for local children. Having previously admired the sculptures in Stoke Park, she set about tracking down the Sculptor who had carved them. The trunk lent itself to a dragon sculpture. It even has legs, where branches had snapped under the force of the fall! The Sculptor, Andy O’Neil, was in agreement. The trunk would make a very good dragon. This is Claire’s project, her legacy of ten years of working tirelessly as FoBB Treasurer and FoBB volunteer.
We have received funding for the three smaller slices of trunk to be carved into seats, unless, of course, they are needed to prop up the main trunk. The idea is that the sculpture will serve as a meeting place for local people, a space where people can sit and chat while watching their children play.
We will receive the first tranche of funding at the beginning of January 2026. Since FoBB does not have a Board of Trustees, Bricks is acting as fiscal host. Geoff Thomas, our Treasurer, will arrange for funds to be transferred from the Bricks’ holding account to pay the Sculptor and to purchase the container and tools. The completion date for the project is the end of June 2026.
The dragon sculpture will hopefully enhance the experience of being in St Anne’s Wood. Rest assured, it will be a Big Friendly Dragon: the custodian of the wood.
Jackie Friel, Vice Chair
Woodland Trust Tree Planting Planning
Last February I mapped every fallen tree across the Brook area (about 320 of them!) – adding data to a growing fear I had that mature trees were falling with disturbing regularity. It was a sense that was supported by a recent expert report commissioned by the Environment Agency that describes both woods as suffering from “etiolated” or spindly tree growth, as well as lots of trees being of a similar age and reaching the end of their lives at the same time.
Now with Jackie having successfully secured 420 trees from The Woodland Trust to grow up and fill out some of the gaps created by the loss of tree cover we’ve been busy planning where best to plant them!
Having summoned various people from Bristol City Council to agree areas for planting we presented them with Giorgia’s brilliant map of all the fallen trees in St Anne’s Wood and rapidly progressed from “perhaps you should wait a year” to “well why don’t we just have a little walk around” and we soon had a productive and purposeful meeting.
Whilst it was agreed to leave any areas of Ash dieback felling that BCC is doing in 2026 until next season, we did find five areas to plant this year/season with enthusiastic support from the council’s team.
- A small bramble area on the edge of the wood and top playing field by Lichfield Road (dependent on the council clearing the brambles over the winter).
- A small area in the top path (parallel with Lichfield Road) to reduce sycamore saplings and planting of 5/6 new trees.
- A large area running from the bottom of the wild garlic steps all the way up to the resident felled/coppiced area to the rear of properties on Lichfield Road (to the right of the footpath).
- A large clear canopy area to the left of path down from Newbridge Road. Planting to feature a mix but to include 5/6 oaks to replace the lost oak just below.
- A large area on the far side of historic flood plain/balsam meadow. FOBB to plant riparian species e.g. Willow to stabilise banks and hopefully crowd out the Himalayan Balsam!
All in all, this feels like a brilliant opportunity to revitalise a few chunks of the St Anne’s Wood patchwork, and we look forward to shortly getting similar plans in place for Nightingale Valley.
Looking ahead to next year the allotment will be key in becoming the new trees temporary home (I say trees… tiny saplings is probably more accurate!) and there will be lots of work party opportunities for anyone who wants to play their part in helping rejuvenate our well-loved woods and support its many and varied habitats now and into the future.
James, Secretary and Tree Officer
Interpretation Board
On 17th November, the Brookside Trail interpretation board was installed by the Holy Well in St Anne’s Wood.
The board focuses on four distinctive habitats within the wood – riverbed, riverbank, meadow and woodland – and the various species that live within them. Historical features are identified on the map: the Chapel of St-Anne-in-the-Woods, the Holy Well, the ford, and remnants of the pleasure garden that landowner, James Sennett of Langton Court, fiercely guarded; to the extent that he went to court to defend his ‘right’ to deny the public access.
We had a second interpretation board, identical to the first, attached to the Bristol City Council sign at the Co-op, Wyatt’s View, entrance to the wood. We hope it adds meaning to your walks through this rural idyl.
Jackie Friel, Vice-chair
The next meeting will be January’s planning meeting, from 7-8:00pm on Wednesday 7th January at The Langton in the skittles alley.
Our next work party (litter picking and sycamore popping in preparation for tree planting in St Anne’s Wood) will be 10am on Sunday 7th December meeting at St Anne’s Park Car Park.
We’re trialling the first Sunday of the month for work parties (rather than the Saturday) so please let us know how that works and feels.
Important dates for your calendar:
Wednesday 7th January – The Langton pub: monthly planning meeting – 7pm in the skittles alley
Sunday 11th January – Nightingale Valley: stream clean – meeting at the Hill Lawn entrance 10am
All welcome as always and remember to follow us on our social media for up-to-date news!
I hope we see you again soon!
James, Secretary
– with many thanks to Cristina for all her great work last year and help with handing over the reins!
