The Villager Minsterworth, Churcham, Birdwood and Bulley News JULY 2010 Price 30p

Transcription

1 The Villager Minsterworth, Churcham, Birdwood and Bulley News JULY 2010 Price 30p Edition 93

2 Dear Readers, July so soon! The fabulous Fete s behind us, soon the Village Hall will be closed for the improvement work to begin and we can look forward to better facilities. I m sorry to report that the delightful Phoebe is no more - I don t know what happened, her curiosity got her into trouble it seems. So no more of her antics; scaling our roof, jumping on the pillow at 4am, climbing into the most improbable places.. She will be greatly missed. Paula Closing copy date for the August edition is Thursday 15th July 2010 All items for consideration to:- Paula Ruffley, Editor, The Villager, The Firs, Church Lane, Minsterworth, GL2 8JJ Tel: thevillager@minsterworth.org Responsibility is not accepted for the accuracy of submitted items nor the content of advertisements. Cover photo: Poppies by Simon Ruffley 2

3 Kerbside Recycling BLUE Bin GREEN & BROWN Bins BLUE Bin RECYCLABLE GREEN Bin NON- RECYCLABLE BROWN Bin GARDEN Minsterworth Tuesday 6 July Tuesday 13 July Churcham Thursday 8 July Thursday 15 July Minsterworth Tuesday 20 July Tuesday 27 July Churcham Thursday 22 July Thursday 29 July Please ensure that your bins and caddy are out at the kerbside by 7am. Green bin lid MUST BE CLOSED! For more information about what you can recycle and where please go to Mobile Library Van Tuesday 20 July: am Tibberton, Orchard Rise pm Churcham, Lake Close pm Churcham School REMEMBER Food waste Collections will be On both weeks Wednesday 21 July: am Minsterworth, The Firs, Main Road am Minsterworth School For more information visit the Library Service website: 3

4 Open Garden Berrys Place Farm Bulley Lane, Churcham, Glos. GL2 8AS. Country garden approx. 1 acre, Herbaceous borders, lots of roses, kitchen garden and carp lake. Home made cream teas, Plants Wheelchair access Proceeds to NGS gardens open for charity Thurs 1 July to Sun 4 July inc (11-7) Newent Community School & Sixth Form Centre Art & Design Show 2010 Including work by AS, A level and GCSE students from Fine Art, Graphics, 3D, Photography & Textiles courses Friday 2 July 3.30pm 8.30pm (Hog Roast from 5pm) and Saturday 3 July 10am 3pm at Newent Community School Art Department Watery Lane, Newent, Gloucestershire GL18 1QF 4

5 TEA & JAZZ AT MINSTERWORTH COURT Toni & Michael would like to thank all those who made this event so successful and enabled us to raise just over 600 which will be divided between the Church & the Village Hall. Our thanks to the musicians,chair lenders, gazebo erectors, tea makers, cake and scone bakers, bric a brac and book donators, raffle sellers and especially all who came to enjoy the garden in the sunshine! ST PETERS CHURCH MINSTERWORTH invite you to a Riverbank Songs of Praise join the SALVATION ARMY BAND to sing some of your favourite hymns on SUNDAY 18TH JULY At 3pm Followed by tea and cake Please bring your picnic chairs 5

6 MINSTERWORTH READING GROUP The book discussed this month was The Cellist of Sarajevo written by Stephen Galloway. It is a brief snapshot from different characters perspectives of what it was like to try and survive in this city whilst war raged around them. The book is quite informative and explained in detail the hardship of getting simple things like water and bread, when living in these circumstances. The author s style is subtle and understated, and we all praised this. We all found this book interesting. The book to be reviewed on 7th July at 7.30 in the Village Hall is Round Ireland with a Fridge written by Tony Hawkes. Details of previously chosen books and future choices can be found on Sara Dunn ROYAL BRITISH LEGION MINSTERWORTH AND DISTRICT The Branch meets at the Village Hall on the second Wednesday of each month at 8.00pm. Membership is open to all. A warm welcome awaits you. 6

7 Neighbourhood Watch Message If you would like to receive Neighbourhood Watch messages by , please forward your address to: Pete Thomas, NHW Co-ordinator Build a Business that Grows with your Family! Want to work your own hours around your family or career? Our organic healthcare business is booming. Are you honest, ethical and self motivated? Are you interested in an additional part time income alongside your existing job/family? Ongoing training and support for the right person. Why work to build someone else s dream? Why not work to build your own! Interested? Call Dawn on or

8 MINSTERWORTH CHURCHYARD IMPORTANT NOTICE On Wednesday 21st July, weather permitting, we will have a working party afternoon to remove ivy from the churchyard wall, and other general clearance work. Working together can be fun, and some less able parishioners have offered to serve refreshments to the workers. Please can you spare us an hour, or more if you can spare the time, we can achieve a lot together. Everyone welcome. Please contact Gerald or Rita for more information. Please reserve 28th July as an alternative date for bad weather. West Gloucestershire Decorative and Fine Arts Society 8th July 2pm Minsterworth Village Hall Patrick Conner Imperial Gardens of China 8

9 Minsterworth 200 club The end of May 2010 sees yet another successful year for the Minsterworth 200 Club and again this year we have been able to hand over to St. Peter s Church funds One Thousand, Two Hundred pounds. Until the end of May we had full membership but with movement of people we had several vacancies, most of which we have been able to reallocate. However, if you are interested in joining please ring LIZ on We are most grateful to our collectors Doreen Clifton, Mary Cooper, Jo Lee, Wendy Jenner, Ann Mogg, Bev Robinson, Liz Savage and Barbara Arkell. For those who are unaware of the 200 Club here are the details: There is a payment of 1 per member per month and on the first Monday of each month the draw is made at the Church Whist Drive (see p10) at around 9.30pm. For eleven months the prizes are 50, 20 and 10 and in December 100, 50 and 10. Winners names are published in the monthly magazine and in the Villager. IT IS A GREAT HELP if you can cover twelve months in one payment or at least several months at a time to save our volunteers calling each month. MANY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FROM ALL OF US Barbara, Doreen, Elizabeth and Wendy. The Whist Drives area an enjoyable evening s entertainment, usually with tables of players. Refreshments are served at half time plus the usual raffle. If you are a new or lapsed player please feel free to come. We will always be happy to see you and help you. MISUSE OF THE SEVERN BORE PHENOMENON "I need your help please on one further matter. In my experience as a riparian owner, the turbulence caused by a motor boat riding on the wave which has its own turbulence, causes incalculable damage to the shore/berm/bank. Have any of the villagers knowledge or experience of this? If so could we transmit the information to the Environment Agency? It would be a part of the campaign to preserve our Bore from motor boats." Dr Anthony Lynch Please contact your Parish Councillor - details available on-line at 9

10 ST PETER S P.C.C. THE WHIST DRIVE Many thanks to all those who supported the whist drive in June. We were able to make up nearly 10 tables a pleasing number as we now enter into the holiday period. The profit for the evening amounted to 65. The next whist drive will be on Monday 5th July, at Minsterworth Village Hall at 7.30pm. 200 CLUB The result of the June draw was as follows:- 088 Dot Stephens Gordon Trigg Roger Parham 10 FLOWER ROTA JULY 4th 5th Sunday after Trinity Miss D. Clifton 11th 6th Sunday after Trinity Mrs B. Arkell 18th 7th Sunday after Trinity Mrs B. Arkell 25th 8th Sunday after Trinity Mrs W. Jenner CLICSargent JUMBLE SALE Thank you to everyone who helped in so many ways again this year, we made for this great charity, also to all the people who gave raffle prizes and donations. It would not be possible to raise this amount of money with out all of you. Many Thanks Mary 10

11 Churcham Mothers Union We shall meet on Tuesday, 27th July at 2.00pm. Venue is to be arranged. For further details please contact Mary Pitt I have just heard that the cost of Families First will remain at 9.00 for However we are asked to send our money in by the beginning of September. Please try to let Judith have this at the July meeting. Mary Pitt Any thoughts on my interesting local historical question? What do you think is the oldest man-made object in Minsterworth? Any ideas? Consider the options; what everyone can see, what s been dug up, what lies beneath e.g. building foundations.. T.M-S (750160) If you are interested in advertising in The Villager contact Mark Atkin on or thevillager@minsterworth.org If you would like to become a subscriber and receive your very own copy of The Villager each month, contact Tony Pearson on If you would like to hire the Village Hall call Mary on or village_hall@minsterworth.org 11

12 CHURCHAM GARDEN CLUB The venue for our June meeting was the lovely garden at Berrys Place Farm, Churcham. It is a country garden, about an acre in all and is the home of Mrs Anne Thomas, who warmly welcomed us along with Marley the Labrador! It was a very warm evening and after admiring the many features of the garden - extensive lawns and flower beds, the formal kitchen garden and pretty rose arbour - we found our way to the summerhouse and lake. The latter is filled with all different varieties of water lilies and carp. There was seating to stay awhile and admire the lake and the surroundings. A few of us kept Marley occupied throwing a ball for him - we tired before he did! After our tour of the garden we all sat on the patio chatting and enjoying coffee and Anne's very good cakes. Our Chairman, Frank thanked Mrs Thomas for giving us a lovely evening. He announced that the recent Coffee Morning had raised 260 for the Gloucestershire Air Ambulance Service and thanked all the members for their help and support at the event. Two members had brought their family along and we welcomed Caroline and Vicki from China - Sue's daughter and granddaughter - who were visiting Churcham for a family wedding. We also welcomed Jessica's daughter and grandchildren on holiday from Dorset. For some members this was their first visit to Berrys Place- it certainly won't be the last! The July meeting will be held on Wednesday, 7 July at 7pm when we visit DELVES COTTAGE, WIGPOOL, MITCHELDEAN. Members and friends are looking forward to our visit to Bristol Botanic Garden on 14th July. Mary Tetlow 12

13 Minsterworth Women s Institute June is the month we have our garden meeting but this year instead of visiting a garden we had a gardener come to us in the guise of Christopher Evans of Dundry Nurseries. Chris began his talk, entitled The Fun of Gardening, by giving us some of his family history and explaining how his family first became involved in horticulture. Chris s grandfather was in the RAF during WWII and was posted to Aston Down where he grew to love the Gloucestershire countryside, so much so that when he was demobbed he moved his family here from London. In 1947 he bought the ground where the nursery now stands but at the time there was only an old house and a large Victorian greenhouse. Soon after moving in, Chris s grandfather was told by his next door neighbour that he and the previous owner had an arrangement around growing and sharing plants (the neighbour sowed the seeds to start the plants and they were grown on in the greenhouse) and so this arrangement continued until he thought that maybe there was a living to be made from this. A visit to Woolworth in Cheltenham followed and an agreement was made to supply 8,000 boxes of bedding plants swiftly followed by an order from the Gloucester branch for another 8,000 boxes all to be provided by Easter The Superintendant of Cheltenham Parks was a great help at this stage and a surplus greenhouse was purchased from the department. With the help of family, friends and the local ladies, compost was made, seeds were planted, plants pricked out and the order for 16,000 plants was met and delivered on time in a Bedford van fitted out with shelves. The following year the nursery supplied Stroud Woolworth, then the Worcester (Continued on page 14) 13

14 (Continued from page 13) branch and so the business grew. When Chris s grandfather got older and needed help Chris s father joined the business and Chris continues today, a total of 37 years working on the site. Chris continued his talk by telling us something of the charity he has formed called The Butterfly Garden. This started when he was approached by a teacher to see if he would meet 6 Autistic children to talk about gardening. He had a plot of ground and so offered it to the school and the children came and enjoyed an afternoon s gardening. This was followed by contact from more schools, organisations and day centres until now the plot extends to 5 acres and is occupied 5 days a week by around 150 people. The charity has also started to make a strong commitment to the arts and it is now exploring painting, drawing, sculpture and music and there are plans to build a classroom with a kitchen, toilets and workshop all with wheelchair access. After this very inspirational talk we all, including Chris, enjoyed supper. The next meeting of Minsterworth W.I. will be at 7.30 pm on 13th July 2010 in the Village Hall. All are very welcome. LS 14

15 OVER FARM MARKET BBC Good Food Award Winners 2004 Free range eggs The place for your fresh produce Tel: MINSTERWORTH BOOKS At just 5.95 each, these books are the perfect gift. Available from Terry Moore-Scott on Please make cheques payable to 'Minsterworth Village Hall'. Registered Charity No:

16 Main Road, Minsterworth Glos. GL2 8JH Tel/Fax: Website: Head Teacher: Mrs A Ritchie It s that time of year again, when I try to pull the school year s events and achievements together. It always amazes me just how very much we manage to squeeze into each and every day. Changing our class organisation this year, we managed to maintain our very low class sizes. The new Foundation Unit catering for children from two years nine months up to five years was launched. The children within the Foundation Unit have benefited greatly from the curriculum being based on self initiated play and outside learning. We have been accredited with Bristol Standards in Early Years, and the local authority moderation in May this year stated, Minsterworth Foundation Unit maintains the high expectations for the children s success as learners, ensuring that sufficient challenge is incorporated in all learning opportunities. This truly recognises the excellence in our Early Years provision; providing ALL children in our care with a firm foundation to their education. Children s learning throughout school has continued to be of a very high standard, making excellent progress with tremendous results once again this year at an academic level but also making a difference in the wider community. I was really proud when two of our children were recognised for an award from the Race Equality & Diversity Service. At Minsterworth we ensure that every child does matter. (Continued on page 17) 16

17 (Continued from page 16) Minsterworth has made excellent links with the local secondary school at Newent. Recognition was given when we were invited to present a seminar at the regional Conference for ICT where other schools throughout the South West could hear how the Real Vision in ICT has been made a reality. I am very proud in the knowledge that Minsterworth is at the very heart of this. Ensuring our children are not only at the cutting edge of the ever changing technology, but we also have the means and forward thinking to ensure we stay there. International links were strengthened this year when we welcomed Zhou Ling, our Chinese partnership school Head teacher, for a visit. Children were able to ask the many questions they had, they were also able to receive and pass on pen pal letters. Secure plans are now in place to write a shared cookery book between us, including recipes from Wei Hai and Minsterworth. This will help us put the finishing touches to our next submission for both the International Award and Enhanced Healthy School Status. We joined hands with GlosMaTCH children for a truly magical Christmas evening of music and carols at Gloucester Cathedral. Younger children carried their Christingles, primary children sang their beautiful songs and the older children played in their very talented orchestra. I am sure for those who attended; this wonderful memory will stay with them forever. Links to the community go from strength to strength at Minsterworth; the Summer Prom in the playground, a lovely event, celebrating the British summer in true tradition, strawberries and cream included. Choir children sang carols and played hand bells at Highgrove House and Santa s annual visit to the Christmas Fayre was another huge success. The children shared their experience of the Easter story at St Peters Church leaving some fabulous displays for the local (Continued on page 18) 17

18 (Continued from page 17) congregation to experience too. The Internet Café is also a regular spot on a Tuesday, where we welcome people from the local community to come surf the net in style with coffee and cake. There have been so many fun learning activities this year, these are to name but a few: Book at bedtime, hats for Haiti, world book day and comic relief. Y6 Isle of Wight & Y3/4 Manor Adventure at Shropshire. Taking part in nature quiz, netball, tag rugby and swimming galas. Christmas Panto, Welsh Country museum, money and sports week. Dance, judo, cookery, messy club, recorders and gardening. School Council, Eco Council recycling and Kiddie Cop. Chinese Day, Frankie and Benny s visit and the Severn Bore. All activities we plan build upon prior or present learning. What next? There are still lots of exciting things happening at Minsterworth over the summer. We are having new windows fitted to the old school building. A spiritual garden and quiet area is being built; a beautiful place for reflection and thought as well as a place to listen to stories and use the sensory garden as a stimulus to encourage creativity. The Foundation Unit will have their outside area completely redesigned and developed adding to the children s experience of learning. Keep checking the school website on or as they say watch this space! We have a friendly, happy, dedicated team here at Minsterworth, working together to ensure we provide all our children with a firm foundation for life. Finally, a HUGE THANK YOU to the Staff, School Governors, Friends of Minsterworth, parents, the local community and beyond who all play a part in Minsterworth s success. I wish you a restful, enjoyable and hopefully sunny summer and look forward to working with you all towards another successful year 2010/2011. Angie Ritchie 18

19 Harts Barn Craft Centre and Old Dairy Tearoom Monmouth Rd, Longhope. Hand-crafted metal work produced on site. Bespoke interior soft furnishing. Wedding, Portrait and Event Photography. Florist and Gift Shop. Charity run craft shop Elegant jewellery and Dress Bags. Health and Beauty Therapy. Siku and Britains wooden toys. Plants and garden ornaments. Delicious food and drinks hand prepared in The Old Dairy Tearoom. Coming to Brockworth Tithe Barn Arts and Craft Centre in January 2010 Cat s Eye Carving Stone Carving & Letter Cutting Figurative and Abstract stone sculptures. House Names and Numbers, carved to your specification, using locally sourced stone. Decorative garden ornaments, Bird baths and waterfalls. Gifts for friends and family, prices start from 10; Tea light holders, painted and plain bowls, soap dishes, painted flower panels and other simple designs. Brockworth Tithe Barn Arts and Crafts Centre. Tel:

20 VILLAGE HALL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BUY A BRICK BUILD A LOO! As part of the fund raising campaign for the improvement project we are selling bricks. Each 1 that you donate will buy one token brick and your name will be recorded on a chart which will be on display in the hall and afterwards kept as a permanent record in the hall s archives. The chart will be in the form of a grid of bricks, each brick containing one name. The aim is to sell 3000 bricks. You can buy a brick at any time from a committee member. Bricks will also be on sale at selected functions in the hall. 20

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22 Minsterworth Village Hall News THANK YOU A big thank you to Elaine Hammonds and Norma Ritchie, the two halves of Pastorella, who gave a delightful evening of music through the ages from Elizabethan to contemporary music in the hall on Friday 4th June. They very generously gave their time free and the event raised 425 for the Hall Improvement fund. We are also very grateful to Michael and Toni Williams for their donation of just over 300 to the Improvement fund. The money came from their very successful Tea and Jazz in the Garden event at Minsterworth Court on Saturday 5th June. The proceeds were split 50/50 between the church and the hall. VILLAGE HALL IMPROVEMENT FUND It is with great pleasure that the Management Committee is able to announce that the Hall Improvement Fund has reached its target of 68,000. The fund was officially started at the 80th birthday party of the hall in November 2008 and the target has been reached in just over 18 months. This has been achieved in large part through the generosity and community spirit of the many villagers who have given so much of their time, and money, to the Hall. It is an achievement of which we can all be proud and the sincere thanks of the committee are extended to everyone both in the village and elsewhere who made contributions large and small. The intention now is to close the hall on 1st September, as planned, so that the building work can start. We are planning on the hall being closed for 4 months i.e. until the end of December. However we will open it as soon as is practical after the work is completed if this happens sooner than expected. A breakdown of the major contributors to the fund is as follows: Tewkesbury Borough Council 27,200 Gloucester Environmental Trust 15,000 Village Hall funds 14,800 Grassroots 5,000 `Garfield Weston Foundation 3,000 Summerfield Trust 2,000 Minsterworth Parish Council 1,000 Total 68,000 22

23 VILLAGE AGENT NEWS EXCITING NEWS! LUNCH AT THE HALL - a new monthly social group FIRST LUNCH: 29th July 2010 WHERE: Taynton and Tibberton Village Hall WHEN: AM 2.30 PM on the last Thursday of each month COST: 5 for a 3 course lunch & refreshments To find out more please call Hilary Lyon, Village Agent on the number below or Moira Norwood, Chair NEW NAME - Age Concern Gloucestershire changed its name to Age UK Gloucestershire on 1st June 2010, having entered into a formal partnership with Age UK. You may have seen the press coverage recently about the launch of Age UK, which is the name chosen for the new organisation created by the merger in 2009 of the national Age Concerns (England, Wales, Scotland and N Ireland) and Help the Aged. Although they have a new name and logo, they will continue to deliver the same quality services to the people of Gloucestershire. Importantly, they will remain an independent, local organisation and, as now, all funds raised by them in Gloucestershire will be spent in the county. The costs of rebranding are largely being met by Age UK and the intention is to change only essentials for 1st June and to rebrand leaflets as and when stocks run out. So the old name may appear for some while to come. My next drop in session will be Thursday 1st July noon at Tibberton Church Room. Tania Shuttleworth, Police Community Support Officer will call in at 11 am duties permitting. Come and join us for a chat, pick up information leaflets and enjoy a cup of tea. For news and events visit my village agent section at Hilary Lyon, Village Agent for Tibberton, Taynton, Churcham, Huntley, Rudford and Highleadon. Tel or Hilary@villageagent.grcc.org.uk 23

24 Interior and Exterior Painting & Decorating Fitted Bathrooms & En-suites Bedrooms & Kitchens Plumbing, Joinery & Carpentry Tiling & Flooring Home Improvements & Interior Design Electrical Installation Decking & Patios, etc, etc No job too small Fully Insured For Quality Work at a Reasonable Price, call Chris Baston Oakle Street, Churcham T: M: or chris@allaspectspm.co.uk Thomas IT Consultancy Limited Supporting The Villager

25 ROADMARK LTD THE WHITE HOUSE GARAGE MAIN ROAD MINSTERWORTH GLOS GL2 8JX TEL: FAX: WWW: Please contact Sue Smith with any lining requirements. We carry out works to car parks, playgrounds, tennis/netball/ basketball courts, anti-skid surfacing as well as all highway works. ROADMARK LTD HAVE BEEN BASED IN MINSTERWORTH FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS AND ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE VILLAGE WITH THIS ADVERTISEMENT. 25

26 MINSTERWORTH PARISH COUNCIL The June meeting of the Parish Council took place on Monday 14th chaired by Richard Few with six members present with County Cllr Phil Awford and Boro Cllr Derek Davies. Apologies received from Cllr Cathy Thomas. There were seven members of the public present and apologies from Mr & Mrs Cottam and Mr Selwyn were received. After the minutes of the last meeting had been taken and signed a presentation by Martin Hutchings of the GRCC followed giving information about Affordable Housing/Housing needs survey, the parish council pursuing the request of the Annual Parish Assembly. Even though it is slightly less than five years since the last survey (which showed not a single request) it was felt that it might be worthwhile undertaking another as circumstances will have changed. It will be necessary to distribute forms to all residents with an issue of The Villager but it was stressed that it is vital that these are all returned in order to give a complete and accurate picture. The Boro Cllr gave his report, before Mr Hutchings left, as it had a certain relevance to the subject in view of numerous changes that had taken place recently, including the abolition of the Regional Strategic Authority. As a result TBC will be responsible for providing 356 dwellings per year, of which some will need to be affordable housing. Planning matters included discussion of amended plans for extension and alterations to Foxgrove House, which in fact were a renewed application for alterations already refused on appeal but which they had started. The council unanimously agreed that they were strongly opposed for the reasons previously stated and reiterated their objections. There was also a revision, chiefly with regard to the position of the garage, of the proposed new house in Bury Lane. This appeared to be a legal rather than a planning matter. An appeal against the rejection of an appeal on the site in Starcroft Lane was objected to on the same grounds as before. (Continued on page 27) 26

27 (Continued from page 26) There was a discussion about the best course to take over the methods of viewing TBC plans in future now that they were to be available on line only. It was decided that a sum of 250 should be sanctioned for the clerk and Cllr Simon Ruffley to investigate the purchase of a laptop/printer. Cllr Ruffley, as the Village Hall representative requested the council's permission to erect signs on the A48 advertising the Village Hall. It was pointed out that the County Council would remove them as a distraction to drivers. It was reported that the potholes in Bury had been satisfactorily dealt with; but many more remain in the lower road. The chairman reported that the environment health officers had visited The Hawthorns and that the smell in School Lane had been remedied. The Clerk reported that she had attended the training course to review Standing Orders and would report next month. A letter had been received from Dr Anthony Lynch on the subject of motor-boats on the Severn Bore. This also would be dealt with next month, as it had not been received in time to appear on the agenda. Anybody who has experience of problems should inform the council before the next meeting. In concluding the meeting the chairman expressed the council's congratulations to Minsterworth Football Club on being promoted to the First Division. The next meeting will be held on Monday 12th July at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. RLD 27

28 ***This is a Neighbourhood Watch Message to the whole Forest There have been a number of incidents across the country and two in the Newent area of the forest of bogus callers purporting to be Police officers. In the first incident a male knocked on the door stating he was a police officer investigating a burglary in the area but was deterred when the victim s dog started barking. In the second case a male called on an elderly resident saying he was a police officer, there had been a burglary in the area and asked the lady where she kept her money. Two other men turned up and only after they had all gone did the victim realise money had been stolen. In both cases some form of ID was shown, one looked like a metal badge. Please contact all elderly residents and warn them. Police officers will never ask where money or valuables are kept. Should someone come to the door purporting to be an out of uniform Police officer please ask for ID, CLOSE THE DOOR and ring and check, quoting Neighbourhood Watch incident 148 of the 4th June. *** 28

29 Illustrated talk by Chris Witts My Life on the Severn Friday 13th August Westbury-on-Severn Village Hall 7.30pm Tickets 5.00 Come and listen to a very interesting and informative talk by the former Mayor of Gloucester. In his early working years he worked on the oil tankers that plied up and down the Severn Estuary. His talk includes details of the horrific collision with the old railway bridge and he is one of the few people now qualified to navigate barges on the Severn between Tewkesbury and Gloucester. All proceeds in aid of the Westbury Bell and Tower restoration fund. Future events for your diaries: Saturday 2nd October Quiz night Saturday 27th November Flower arranging and cake decorating demonstration with a Christmas theme. For further information and to book tickets please telephone Mary Fear on or Sue Sterry on CHURCHAM GARDENING CLUB THE ANNUAL SHOW will be held SATURDAY 7th AUGUST at THE FAIRVIEW GARDENER BIRDWOOD The Show will open at 2.30pm Everyone welcome Raffle Refreshments available 29

30 MINSTERWORTH ROYAL BRITISH LEGION A Day Trip to Windsor Castle has been arranged on Sunday September 19th. * STOP PRESS: ONLY 5 TICKETS REMAINING * The coach will leave the Village Hall at 8.30am and travel to Maidenhead, where we will then board our privately chartered boat for the journey along the river Thames to the Castle. A fork buffet will be served during the river journey, kindly sponsored by White Dove Garages of Cardiff, main dealers for Mitsubishi, Seat and Skoda. After touring the Castle at your leisure we will board the coach for our journey home. The cost is per person to include coach, river cruise, buffet and Castle ticket. Only 45 places available. Please purchase tickets from Minsterworth Garage. Please support the Royal British Legion. Terry Bourne Chairman 30

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32 FOR YOUR DIARY July 2010 Page 1st Village Agent drop-in session 23 1st-4th Open Garden Berrys Place Farm 4 2nd Newent School Art & Design Show 4 5th St Peter s PCC Whist Drive 10 7th Minsterworth Reading Group 6 7th Churcham Garden Club 12 8th NADFAS 8 12th Minsterworth Parish Council Meeting 26 13th Minsterworth WI 13 14th Bristol Botanic Garden visit 12 14th Minsterworth Royal British Legion 6 18th Riverbank Songs of Praise 5 21st Minsterworth Churchyard working party 8 27th CMU meeting 22 29th Village Agent lunch 23 August th Churcham Garden Club Annual Show 29 13th My Life on the Severn 29 Recycling Collection dates 3 Mobile Library dates 3 32