Bristol News by HANA Edition 15

Bristol’s Christmas Cheer and Review of the Year

Some years get placed on the shelf of the mind and begin to gather dust. For better or worse, I don’t think 2024 will be one of those. The bodies on the bridge, a new Prime Minister, the return of Donald Trump, the encroaching tide of war, instability, progress and technology - The memory of the news and events from Bristol and beyond will continually blow the dust off the book of 2024. You can read our rundown of Bristol’s biggest stories this year down below.

But, it’s Christmas. I don’t blame you if you don’t want to reflect too much now. Let’s enjoy our families, enjoy the pub, enjoy the warmth of a mince pie. Enjoy the seasonal excuse of opening bubbly at 11am (if you need an excuse). This will be our final Bristol newsletter of the year.

We look forward to providing you with quick and insightful weekly rundowns, as well as our exclusive long reads again in 2025. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Louis Inglis | Bristol Editor

This week in Bristol

• Merchants' Academy in Bristol will host a "Christmas in the Community" event on December 18, providing free dinners to uplift spirits.

• Over 80 children and 70 adults flew from Bristol Airport to meet Santa Claus, creating joyful memories for bereaved families.

• Four teenagers have been handed life sentences for the murders of Max Dixon and Mason Rist.

• Two further men received prison sentences for aiding the murderers of Max Dixon and Mason Rist.

• A 72-year-old convicted paedophile was sentenced to 10 years for child sexual abuse and possession of indecent images.

• Bristol received the Best Night Time Initiative Award for its Women's Safety Charter Campaign, enhancing nighttime safety.

Databox

• A recent survey by University of Bristol researchers revealed mixed sentiments about the Budget's impact on household finances, with 48% viewing tax rises as essential for public services despite concerns over personal financial situations.

• Bristol Bears look to extend their run of 392 days without losing an away game in the Premiership.

Scroll down for property news and more things to do in Bristol this weekend…

Hyper-local news articles

Year in review

Bodies on the bridge - Read BBC News here

On 10 July, the remains of two men were found in suitcases on Clifton Suspension Bridge. The police identified Colombian national Yostin Andres Mosquera as a suspect, and a manhunt ensued. He was later arrested at Temple Meads Station and charged with murdering two men aged 62 and 71, between 8 and 10 July in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Mosquera will face trial in April next year.

This story has so many unanswered questions: How did Mosquera allegedly travel from London to Bristol without anyone noticing blood leaking from his suitcase? What was he planning to do with the bodies? What was the motive behind the murders? What comes out at the trial will most certainly continue to make headlines.

Murders of Max Dixon and Mason Rist - Read BBC News here

On 27 January, Max Dixon, 16, and Mason Rist, 15, were stabbed to death on Ilminster Avenue in Knowle, in a case of mistaken identity. Four teenage boys and one 45-year-old man were charged and convicted of their murders. Riley Tolliver, 18, Anthony Snook, 45, and the four other boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all received life sentences in prison. Two further men were sentenced this week, to five years each in prison for aiding the murderers.

Max and Mason were wholly innocent teenage boys, murdered in cold blood outside their family homes. The killers destroyed their lives, their families’ lives, and the lives of countless others around them. This tragedy shook Bristol to her core, and I fear that South Bristol neighbourhood will never be the same again.

Council election, no more Mayor - Read Bristol Post here

As the nation ushered in a new government, Bristol ushered in a new system of local governance. The city waved goodbye to the mayoral system and switched to a committee model of governance, with councillors on eight policy committees sharing power, instead of concentrated in one directly elected mayor.

Mr Rees counted new affordable housing projects among the successes of his tenure but expressed his disappointment at a lack of public transit. A former journalist, Marvin Rees said in his farewell speech: “The disinvestment in newsrooms is appalling at the local level. It leaves people without the time to investigate, explore and check for the nuance of the story.”

Dental queue - Read The Guardian here

A winding queue to sign up for a newly reopened NHS dental practice in St Paul’s made national headlines in February. The queue lasted for more than three days and at times had hundreds of local residents waiting in line. Some joined the line at 5am, and police were called to keep order. Images were branded “a visual representation of the depth and scale of the crisis in NHS dentistry”.

Urgent reinvestment in NHS dentistry and healthcare overall is required by the new Labour government. Scenes like these really are an embarrassment, and showcase the steady decline in public services ordinary Britons.

August protests - Read Bristol24/7 here

Riots and violent protests erupted across the country after the murder of three young girls in Southport in late July. Bristol saw right-wing protesters clash with counter-protesters in Castle Park. Bottles were thrown and fights broke out, whilst protesters marched to a hotel in Redcliffe where asylum seekers are being held. Counter-protesters formed a protective ring around the hotel.

A few days later, on 3 August, thousands of anti-racist protesters turned up on Old Market Street amidst rumours that another right-wing protest would take place. Bristolians showed up in characteristic and overwhelming force for a peaceful protest, ensuring that the scenes from a few days prior would not be repeated.

Rave On for the Avon - Read University of Bristol here

A quintessentially Bristolian piece from filmmaker Charlotte Sawyer about the Conham Bathing Groups fight against water pollution in the River Avon. The film follows the campaign and what the Avon means to local residents and those who use and love the river.

The national scandal of river pollution has fully come into the limelight in recent years. Virtually every major river is being polluted with raw sewage, often illegally, by water companies and agriculture. You can read more about the national battle for clean water, and Bristol’s place in it, in this HANA News special report.

Ilona Maher, rugby star comes to Bristol - Read Bristol Bears

Ilona Maher is possibly the biggest name in rugby in the world at the moment. The USA Eagles star Ilona Maher heading to Bristol Bears on a three-month deal in January 2025.The 28-year-old Olympic bronze medallist – the most followed rugby player in the world on social media, boasting more than seven million followers – arrived in the West Country in December to meet her new teammates and begin training.

Head coach Dave Ward said: ““Her profile as an athlete to inspire the next generation aligns exactly with ours as a club and we can only applaud the work she has and will do for the women’s game.”

Property news

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All photos are credited to Louis Inglis unless otherwise specified.

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