Bisley news feb 15 finished

The Bisley News February / March 2015 www.bisleynews.co.uk

Please recycle our village magazine by returning it to:

The George Stores, Holbrook Garage or Stancombe Beech Farm Shop so that someone else may read it. Thank you.

Incorporating ‘The Spire’

Panto Special

The Bisley News Colin Hassall

[email protected] 01452 770335

This magazine is also available at www.bisleynews.co.uk

Copy DEADLINE April / May edition

9am Monday 16th March 2015 Or earlier if all space taken

BISLEY W.I. Admission £3.00

Meetings start at 7.30pm at the Bisley WI Village Hall

Thursday 12th February Previne Doshi; Wills

Thursday 12th March Nell Gifford, Giffords Circus

Guests Welcome

Printed by MDL Kelex 01453 791 400

Bisley Friendship Club

Bisley WI Village Hall 2.30pm – 4.30pm

Wednesday 18th February Farewell to Selwyn

Wednesday 18th March Ann Taylor, Objects and tales

from yesteryear

Delicious Homemade Teas Guests & newcomers very welcome

Enquiries to Susie Bromley 770232

OPEN HOUSE Coffee & biscuits 11am – noon

Thursday, 5th February, 2015 Evelyn Veale,

Pinfold, Vanderbreen Street

Thursday, 5th March 2015 Audrey French

Homeland, Vanderbreen Street

Open house is a good way to meet your neighbours and catch up with village

activities Everyone Welcome

Flicks In The Sticks Bisley WI Village Hall

Tuesday 10th February “The Book Thief”

Geoffrey Rush + Emily Watson

Tuesday 10th March “Belle”

With new star Gugu Mbatha-Raw

7.30 for 8pm Everyone Welcome

Editor’s Notes

PANTOMIME This edition came out a few days late to accommodate the review and pictures of the Bisley Amateur Theatrical Society (BATS) pantomime 1001 Nights. The cast and crew will by now be enjoying some relaxation after the frantic period of rehearsals, set creating, stage building, performances and the final taking down of the stage to revert the Village Hall to its full size. There will hopefully be lots of happy memories of the show to be revisited over time! Giffords Circus Talking of performances, our new neighbours have announced the dates of their 2015 tour ‘Moon Songs’ (See advert on back cover) where the season begins at Fennels Farm Friday 15th to Monday 18th May – can’t wait to take the grandchildren! Faster Broadband Bisley Parish Council have informed us that the work to upgrade Bisley Exchange is due to begin in June and be largely completed by December 2015. I can’t wait – you should see how long it takes this magazine to upload to the printers!! Village Diary A big thanks to Roger Smith for giving us a diary of coming events at the Village Hall. It helps us all get our diaries in order. The ‘Moscow Drug Club’ on 28th February sounds intriguing (especially with my

professional background!). We look forward to being entertained!

Big Breakfast This ever-popular event is back on Valentine’s Day (probably helping to increase the village’s need for a defibrillator!). It is of course helping to raise vital funds for our precious Village Hall, and giving us all a great chance to meet folk and chat over a hearty ‘Full English’. Please support. Village Defibrillator With lots of money already raised the Bisley WI look set to take on the management of it. So it’s time to say a big thank you to Peter Thorp for steering the progress so far and to all the Book Club ladies and the Bear Inn & clients for their wonderful efforts in fundraising. The Bear Inn How splendid it is to see the Bear Inn fall into safe hands. It is always a worry that our pubs may suffer the fate of so many others across the country. So a great big welcome to David and Amanda Terry who seem set fair to keep us all happy customers. They are keen to hear your comments and suggestions about what the pub can offer the village. As David says, “It’s YOUR pub, we’re just looking after it.” So now’s your chance to have your say. Bisley & District Theatre Club Are looking for new members to join them on their trips to the theatre. Contact Tessa Allen 01452 770073

Minchinhampton Holy Trinity

Impress your friends and date a church? In 1817, Thomas Rickman (1776–1841) published his An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation. Although there appears to have been an earlier attempt to ‘establish an exact chronology for English medieval architecture’ (Tutton & Hirst, 2007, p. 34) by John Aubrey (1626–97), it is Thomas Rickman who has been credited with ‘inventing’ the definitive set of architectural terms that have been so widely accepted and adopted. Indeed, Rickman’s generic terms, namely, Norman, Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular, are as common place nowadays as the classical grammar used to describe the orders of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. Rickman was a self-taught architect and his antiquarian interest in church architecture, allied with his ability to reproduce carefully measured drawings of thousands of churches, allowed him to build up a remarkable knowledge. His careful analysis embraced all aspects of church buildings and his classification aimed to shoe horn the full range of architectural features into a historic period. These included: windows, doorways, arches, piers, columns, buttresses, tablets, niches, carvings, steeples, roofs and porches, to name but a few. As an architect, Rickman played an important part in the revival of the taste for medievalism (i.e. Gothic) in the early nineteenth century and was perhaps second only to Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812–1852). Notwithstanding Rickman’s significant analytical work, it is important to remember that whilst many churches can and have been dated accurately by their architectural features alone, style and fashion, even in the 11th to 14th centuries, were not wholly predictable. Likewise, churches founded during the Gothic revival of the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries can be confused with the true medieval, especially if their surfaces have developed a heavy patina of age. Rickman acknowledged there was never a ‘fixed line of division between the styles, but a

gradual change in character of the buildings going on from the eleventh century to the present time, so such comparison cannot be relied upon by itself for fixing a date’. The above is the introduction to a longer piece of work written by Nick Miles. To receive a full version, including illustrations and photographs, please feel free to email [email protected]

PARISH COUNCIL NOTES

Your Parish Council Representatives are: John Mulligan 01452 770214 (Highways) Roger Utley 01452 770614 (Planning, Finance) Shelagh Utley 01452 770614 (Play areas) Jane Walker 01452 770713 (Chair of Ward, Footpaths)

What does the Parish Council do? Follow this link to find out what we can do and what we are responsible for: http://www.localgov.co.uk/Parish-council-responsibilities/29135

Fibre Optic Broadband for Bisley with Lypiatt Parish. The Fastershire project has announced that work to upgrade the Bisley exchange to provide faster broadband speeds is scheduled to begin in June 2015 and should be largely complete by December 2015. Drains (1).The drain in the Car Park at the King George V Playing Field in Vanderbreen Street has been overflowing for some time. A specialist company has carried out a survey of the drain to establish where the problem lies and at the time of writing we are waiting for their report. Our thanks go to all Vanderbreen Street residents who helped by clearing the car park of cars on 23 December so that the survey could take place. Drains (2). A Highways contractor carried out extensive work on the drains in Wells Road during December and we are promised that this will alleviate the problems of highway flooding in this area. We have also been promised that the long-awaited remedial work to cure the regular flooding of the road by the War Memorial will take place before the end of March. This is, however, a much bigger job and it will be necessary to close the Cheltenham Road completely in order to carry it out. Hopefully the contractor will warn us when it's going to happen this time. Winter roads. We have been lucky that the snows have not been a problem so far this year. We will still need some volunteers to help with clearing roads and grit laying in the event of bad weather in February/March. Please contact any name above. Mobile Library. The times of the mobile Library visits are as follows: Thursday 19th February, Thursday 19th March The van will visit the following areas….Bisley, Windyridge between 9.30am and 10.30am Waterlane, Crossroads between 10.45am and 12.15pm Oakridge, Butchers Arms between 12.20am and 1.20pm Bussage, The Ridge between 2 .30pm and 4.30pm Police To contact your local Police Community Support Officer please ring: 01452 753508 or e mail: [email protected] The mobile police unit will stop at the Bear Inn car park, Bisley, and outside the Lamb Inn, Eastcombe, on the following dates and times: February 10 - arriving Bisley 15.30 and Eastcombe 16.30 March 12 - arriving Bisley 15.30 and Eastcombe 16.30

Please contact us on these numbers or by email to http://www.bisley-with-lypiatt.gov.uk/

PARISH COUNCIL NOTES (2) Next Meetings of the Bisley Ward. The next meetings of the Bisley Ward Committee are on 9th February, 9th March, and 13th April 2015(every Second Monday of the month) at 7.30pm in The Bisley WI Village Hall. Anyone is welcome to come to listen, comment or raise an issue with the Ward team (30 minutes allowed at the start of the meeting)

Next Meetings of the Full Parish Council are on 4th February, 4th March and 8th April 2015(Every First Wednesday of the month) at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Again all are welcome. Both meetings publish their agendas and minutes on the Bisley Parish Council website at http://www.bisley-with-lypiatt.gov.uk/

Your Bisley Social Diary

To keep you updated, and to help keep your Social Diary primed and ready Roger Smith has kindly completed this list of Coming Events at the Bisley WI Village Hall.

Keep your eyes peeled for posters with further details nearer the time.

We’ll update the list throughout the year in The Bisley News

Bisley Village Hall – COMING EVENTS February Tuesday 10th Saturday 14th Saturday 28th

Flicks in the Sticks - The Book Thief BIG BREAKFAST Moscow Drug Club... LIVE MUSIC cabaret

March Tuesday 10th Saturday 21st

Flicks in the Sticks - Belle Village Quiz Night – Tables of 6

April Friday 10th

Tuesday 14th

Cirkus Spectakular – Children’s event/Puppet Show (Late afternoon performance) Flicks in the Sticks – TBA

May Date Pending Tuesday 12th Saturday 23rd

Murder, Mystery Evening Flicks in the Sticks – TBA Buddy Presley - 60’s Tribute Theatre Sho

Coming Soon

The magical songs of Tom Lehrer and Bob Newhart. Theatre show. (September 12th )

News from Bisley Blue Coat School

Are/were you a carpenter, cook, nurse, mechanic, plumber, engineer………? Could you help in Maths Week? We are keen to show the children just how Maths is relevant to our daily lives and how it is used in very many jobs. If you could spare an hour or so in the week beginning 2 February, and are willing to share your experience with a small group of children, please contact the school (Tel. 01452 770251).

Outdoor Classroom Have you seen the new extension to Class 3? From the churchyard the appearance of Classroom 3 has been much improved by the addition of a wood framed outdoor space which will give groups more space and the chance to work in the fresh air.

Class 1 have had a lot of fun in the fresh air too. Mud pies have always been popular, but I’ve never before seen them made in a mud kitchen!

The lucky pupils can enjoy themselves playing with mud and learn at the same time.

More sporting success Bisley have beaten three other small schools to win through to the next level at an indoor athletics competition held at Wycliffe School Sports Hall. Good luck on 11 February when they will meet the winners of the other Groups.

They have also recently taken part in a Quicksticks indoor hockey tournament at Thomas Keble School.

Cross Country and Tag Rugby Clubs are both giving boys and girls plenty of opportunities to improve their skills and fitness this term.

New Governing Body The new Governing Body for Bisley and Oakridge Schools has now been set up. Gareth Newton is the first Chair of the joint body and Anne Eaton the Vice-Chair.

Young Contributors Look for a fresh take on the news from Bisley School in the next issue as I look forward to having two pupils helping to write our contribution to Bisley News.

Vera Clouston

The Bear Inn welcomes David & Amanda

Just a couple of weeks before Christmas, David and Amanda Terry moved in to The Bear Inn as the new Landlord and Landlady. They were met with the busiest time of the year with the Carols Evening, Quiz Night, Mummer’s Sunday and then the Christmas week bringing crowds of customers, which at least gave them lots of opportunity to regularly meet with the locals! A month later and they’re happy and looking forward to putting their own personal touch on this ancient hostelry. Amanda is gradually introducing her own dining menu, with lots of weekly ‘Specials’ promised and their new selection of fine wines already bringing pleasing comments. David meanwhile is honing his Beer quality skills (having taken an NVQ in preparation) and has joined the famous ‘Cask Marque’ that assures quality from cellar to pump (he already has an ‘excellent’ rating from them). He will be introducing a further real ale to the bar selection shortly. All this whilst moving into what is now their new home, with renovations taking place upstairs and soon behind the bar. They want all that finished by early February when their family come over from Canada to celebrate younger daughter Katherine’s 21st birthday. So how did they arrive at The Bear Inn? Some twenty years ago when Amanda was being mum to her two young daughters, David was Northern Line manager for London Underground when he had an offer from the Canadian TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) which he couldn’t refuse. There started the family’s long association with Canada during which time David and Amanda embarked on a number of business ventures. They bought an Antiques Centre, which elder daughter Samantha (24) is still managing, where there was a ‘Mad Hatters’ tea room and an introduction to catering. Later they bought an old Victorian building in Port Stanley, Ontario, which housed a Coffee Shop which they changed into a fine-dining licenced restaurant, and ran it for a further three years. Then came the purchase of a large Winnebago motor home and regular trips down through America to Florida Keys for fun and holidays. It was there that they went when the time came to think about their future. They realised that they liked all things British, and after long consideration decided that it was time to head back to the UK. As far back as April 2014 they found an advert on-line for The Bear Inn and so rented a long-term let in Cranham and came to visit. They then travelled all over the country looking at other pubs on the market, but always came back to the Bear Inn. We wish them a hearty Bisley welcome.

Bisley MUMMERS on Tour with ‘BOLITICS’

With politics thrust at us in all directions as we built up to the General Election, this MUMMERS take on the political scene brought refreshing humour and a hint of sarcasm to the situation. In that timeless tradition of

old and new the story of good versus evil came through in ‘Bolitics – Quirky Politics, Bisley style’. The UBLIP (United Bisley Lads in the Pub) leader Nigel Barrage had the traditional sword fight with David Can-o-worms, Con-swerve-a-bit Party, which should have seen Pete Edwards face his son Josh, but Pete had a severe attack of man-flu that day and Colin

Hassall had to step in at the last moment. Other party leaders were Nick Clogg, Literally Dead-as-rats Party played by Peter Thorp and Ed Mill-about, Lay-by Party played by Simon Burwell (on his first MUMMERS outing). Alan Sapsed played a convincing Mr Grump and Luca Chapman an inspired Bolshie Boris, with the young team of Verity Trinder, Jilly Jolly, Charlie Trinder, Billy Better, Ben Burwell, Loll About and Hardy Burwell, Alahf, bringing youthful vibrancy to the show. The inevitable Doctor who puts all things right, Iain Neighbour, bowed to the aristocratic Queen of Bisley, Susan Vesey (another maiden Mummers outing). All the cast were brightly made up by Nicola Styler and the songs accompanied by musicians Chris Beaumont & Andy White. The Bear Inn kindly continued their support and provided a splendid lunch for the players and crew. Thank you all for your donations to Bisley BATS.

Bisley Village Hall presents…

LIVE MUSIC 28th February 2015 Moscow Drug Club.....is a curious musical place where elements of Berlin Cabaret, Hot Club de France, Nuevo Tango and Gypsy Campfire meet, have a few drinks, and stagger arm-in-arm into the darkness of an eastern European cobbled street on a mission to find the bar where Django Reinhardt and Tom Waits are having an afterhours jam.

Combining original material with songs by the likes of Jaques Brel, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Bertolt Brecht, they provide an intoxicating and intimate musical experience.

The band have been garnering rave reviews for their performances at venues and festivals across the UK. You are cordially invited to share the darkly comic world of the Moscow Drug Club......

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28th. Doors open at 7.00 pm. Tickets £10 each from George Stores.

Duck Breasts with a bitter orange sauce

to serve 4 - 4 duck breasts bunch of watercress

Sauce - 2 shallots - skin and finely chop 2 tbls. bitter orange marmalade 1 x 150ml tin Britvic orange juice Grated zest of one orange

Set oven at gas 6/450°f/220°c/180°fan/Aga roasting oven Dry the skins of the breasts with kitchen roll then prick all over with a metal skewer and sprinkle with salt. Place them on a meat trivet set in a meat tin and add a little cold water to cover the base of the tin, cook in the pre-set oven for 20-30mins. While the breasts are cooking make the sauce as follows - soften the shallots in a little boiling water with lid on pan. stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5mins. without lid. To serve - on individual hot plates or one meat platter - slice each breast and coat with a little of the sauce and garnish with a little watercress - serve the remaining sauce separately.

Lazy Cook tips - I usually serve the cooked breasts on a bed of cooked rice. A quick meal to serve when life is hectic - full of delicious flavours, colours and textures.

1001 good reasons for a PANTOMIME Bisley’s pantomime, 1001 Nights, was a great success and brings full credit to the Bisley Amateur Theatrical Society. After a year off, BATS was back with this take on the story of the Arabian Nights superbly directed by David Klein and produced by Peter Thorp. David’s choice of music, including well-known and lesser-known songs from ‘Kismet’ gave a dramatic accompaniment to the production. This was BATS 10th pantomime and one or two of the original cast were still performing or supporting, supplemented by some splendid young talent. After a professional introduction by Ellie Collins, the show began with the young princesses Bobastasia (Diana Chapman) and Jasmina (Melissa Sapsed) in a pickle as they were in line to rule Arabia from Jasmina’s 21st birthday in three days’ time, but could only do so if she were married. With no suitors it became a battle of wits against the wicked Grand Vizier; Wasir (Colin Hassall) who would take control if the princess was still unmarried. He did everything to taunt her and prevent suitors getting near her, whilst the two princesses linked up with two local lads, Ali (Charles Price) and Singbad (Robert Eaton). Their exploits to make themselves suitable to be the bridegroom led them on a pantomime journey, constantly chased and harassed by their mother Dame Barber (Iain Neighbour) causing the ‘fat frump’ to get into all sorts of comic situations. The old ‘Guard’ (Ken Brown) and the young ‘Guard’ (Charlie Trinder) made a comical duo of hapless military men and were splendidly supported in their guarding duties by Luca Chapman (who also played the thief), Ben Burwell and his brother Hardy. Meanwhile the search was on for the Wasir’s secret cave in the desert, where ‘Skeleton Warriors’ including Peta Klein (who also choreographed the dances), Janet Martin, Amber Nash and Sophia Driver-Dickerson controlled by the unlikely Genie (Tracy Brown) were protecting the giant ruby – the source of the Wasir’s power. Heading haphazardly in the direction of the cave was the Dame accompanied by her splendid camel, Humpy (Issy Collins). As in all good pantos it all came to fruition when the Genie escaped the cave and joined forces with the would-be-marrieds climaxing in a big showdown with Dame against Wasir, who lost all of his ‘ruby’ power and nastiness returning to his original self as the Dame’s husband. Some notable song solo performances came from Melissa Sapsed (Let it go), Tracy Brown (Hey big spender) and Colin Hassall (Was I Wasir?) expertly trained by Matt Richardson, and a sing-a-long epic from Ken Brown (Sheik of Araby). Well done: Lyndsay Driver-Dickenson and Christine Bulcock for superb costumes; Sue Bryant for props; Keith Dickenson, Ollie Miles and Jilly Cobbe for the splendid scenery painting and the team of technicians; Darrell Richard, Malcolm Sergeant, Alan Sapsed, Mike Waite & Paul Bryant for sound & light.

1001 Nights written by TLC Creative – Damian Trasler, David Lovesy, & Steve Clark. Photos on cover and over-leaf courtesy of Jim Fraser - jamesmfraser.co.uk

B t I h S e L a E t Y r

i A c M a A l T E s U o R c

I e t y

The Spire – All Saints’ Church February/March 2015

This can be a depressing time of year - it is still rather dark, often wet and cold, and spring can still feel a long way off. We find ourselves hankering for a bit of warm sunshine - a few weeks in the South of France perhaps? Some are lucky enough to be able to do that - to jet off like migrating birds in search of better weather - but for many, for all sorts of reasons, that is impossible.

Our New Year resolutions have gone the way of the dodo, perhaps leaving us feeling guilty. Lent arrives early this year too - on 18th February - not exactly guaranteed to cheer us up. Sometimes February and March can feel just like the desert through which Jesus journeyed in his own temptations in the wilderness.

But the thing about this time of year is that just when things seem at their darkest, light begins to dawn. Bulbs come up, bringing a welcome splash of colour to our gardens and verges. Lambs and other young animals are born, lifting our hearts with the signs of new life.

And, early in April, the darkness shatters as the light of the resurrection of Jesus Christ explodes into the world on Easter Day. Death has been defeated and good has overcome evil.

It’s also true that no matter how much we celebrate that moment, God is with us too through all the dark and desperate days of Lent. We do not walk alone through sad or difficult times, but he walks alongside us, even if we may not realise he is there. He weeps with all those who weep, and watches and waits with all those in the world who watch and wait for the dawn of new hope and new life.

That thought brings me great comfort - I hope it can do the same for you.

Rev Rosie

Services & Special Events at All Saints’ Church

And elsewhere in the benefice as shown February/March 2015

February Sunday 1st 11am Sunday Praise - our monthly service for families

3pm Celebration Service (details over) Wed 18th 11.30m Holy Communion with ashing at St John the Baptist, France Lynch

7.30pm Holy Communion for Ash Wednesday, with ashing

March Sunday 1st 11am Sunday Praise – our monthly service for families Friday 6th 2pm Women’s World Day of Prayer Service (see overleaf) Sunday 15th 11am Mothering Sunday – Family communion Sunday 22nd 9.30am Benefice Eucharist at St Michael and All Angels, Bussage No service in Bisley Sunday 29th 10.30am Palm Sunday Procession from Mary and All Angels RC

Church in Wells Lane followed by 11am Holy Communion and dramatized gospel in All Saints

Mon 30th 8pm - Compline with meditation – St Augustine, Eastcombe Tues 31st 7pm -Agape meal with meditation – France Lynch church rooms

April Wed 1st 8pm Taizé service with meditation – Christchurch, Chalford Maundy Thurs 11am – Chrism mass with blessing of the oils – Glos Cathedral 7.30pm – Eucharist with foot-washing and the Watch at

France Lynch Good Friday 10am Good Friday Walk of Witness with Stations of the Cross Starting at Mary and All Angels RC Church

2pm – An hour before the cross at St Bartholomew, Oakridge Lynch and at Christchurch, Chalford

Sunday 5th 11am Family Communion for Easter Day (no 6pm service)

There's a long-standing tradition in the Stroud area in general, and Bisley in particular, that church bells are rung half-muffled on Holy Innocents Day to commemorate the baby boys killed by King Herod. It is one of the key events of our ringing year so, on 28th December 2014, we rang Grandsire Triples and teenager Julian Howes conducted one of his own compositions. It was also made a little more special as it was the first time for years that four Bucknells rang a Quarter Peal

altogether - Carole and I were joined by my brother Steve and his wife Allison.

Half-muffled ringing is haunting yet comforting. To novice ringers it appears easier because they think they need only concentrate on the "clanging" side of the pull and they don't need to bother about the muffled side but as one becomes more experienced you realise that not only are both strokes equally important but also any mistake sounds REALLY bad as the fault is magnified. The next problem is that the ringing tends to be slower so this, together with having to listen that bit harder for the muffled stroke and the magnification of faults, means that the ringing has to be really rhythmic and controlled. In short - half-muffled ringing is extremely rewarding for both the ringer and the listener outside, especially on a crisply cold, quiet winter’s night.

NEWS FROM THE BELL TOWER Commemorative Ringing during March will be for Private Duncan Ridler-Dutton of 2nd Battalion Border Regiment who was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle on 13th March 1915. Duncan grew up with his parents, William & Louisa, at Bratton's Farm. Following his death there was a memorial service at All Saints, Bisley where he'd been a member of the church choir; and for Private Joseph Mansell, 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment who died of his wounds on 28th March 1915. Census returns show Joseph, who was born at the Scrubs to ’rough carpenter and hurdle’ maker William, and Louisa, working as a farm labourer at Ansteads in 1911.(Source: ‘Rural Sacrifice: The War dead of Bisley, Eastcombe and Oakridge 1914-1919’ by N J Thornicroft. The Bisley ringers are delighted and relieved that Peter Hendy is recovering well at home after his lengthy stay in hospital. We are looking forward to his return to the ringing chamber where, instead of ringing, he will help teach our less experienced ringers some of the theory of change-ringing. Best wishes for a safe journey to Connie, who is volunteering at an Indian orphanage for a month, and to Amelie, who is going to New Zealand where she and a friend will travel around the country working on organic farms.

Ian Bucknell

Thank you to all those who supported the December fund raising events. The All Saints’ Big Breakfast and Christmas Fair raised £720 and the sale of Christmas cards raised £280. Thank you also to those who responded to the Stewardship Appeal to give financial support to All Saints on a regular basis.

This Lent, ecumenical discussion groups will be looking at ‘Songs of Praise in the New Testament’ using one of the popular York courses. If you would like to come along, details of where and when the groups meet – choice of daytime or evening and different venues - are at the back of the church. Just add your name and indicate if you would like to order a booklet.

Everyone is most welcome.

If you are housebound for any reason and would like to receive

communion at home during Lent or Eastertide, please contact Rev

Rosie on 01452 771 084 (Day off Friday)

From the Registers Deaths Sylvia Moss, Paul Weaver Baptisms Ann Salter

The pastoral reorganisation scheme to join the Bisley benefice with Bussage and

Eastcombe comes into effect on Sunday 1st February and there will be a Celebration Service at 3pm in All Saints’ Church with the Rt Rev Martyn Snow, Bishop of Tewkesbury and the Venerable Jackie Searle, Archdeacon of Gloucester, in attendance and to which everyone is most warmly invited. Tea & cakes afterwards. No 6pm service in Bisley

Women’s

World Day of Prayer A Service will be held

at 2pm on Friday 6th March

at Chalford Baptist Church

Coppice Hill GL6 8DZ

All welcome The service this year has been

written by women of the Bahamas,

focusing on the theme of ‘Jesus said

to them, “Do you know what I have

done to you?” ‘.

The Bisley Bakehouse Do you have a love of cakes, puddings and all things sweet but never seem to have the time to get into the kitchen and create? Then let us help. The Bisley Bakehouse is a small company set up with the sole purpose of providing mouth-watering, wholesome cooking using traditional recipes, locally sourced ingredients and delivered freshly made to your door. Whether it’s puddings, cakes or any other item we know you will be able to taste and see the difference instantly. If you are a hospitality or catering business looking for a regular supply of puddings or a private client preparing for a special event we would love to share with you what we can bring to the party. Please contact us for an informal chat or to place an order [email protected] 01452 770575 07970 147304

News from your Village Agent

Friends for You Befriending Scheme

I’m delighted to let you know that GRCC have secured funding from Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group to launch

Friends for You, a volunteer befriending service in support of older, isolated and housebound people living in the community. Friends for You provides a free volunteer befriending service for older people who maybe can’t get out as much as they would like and who would enjoy some company in the comfort of their own homes with regular companionship. A reliable, local volunteer visitor calling regularly each week, offering friendship and a listening ear has a positive impact on a person’s state of mind and well-being as well as enhancing their sense of belonging and feeling a valued part of their community. The friendships that develop enrich the lives of both people. Friends for You will be launched countywide, with the launch dates as follows:- Monday, 23 February – at Wotton under Edge Civic Centre from 10am-11.30am, Kings Stanley Village Hall from 12pm-1.30pm and Longlevens Community Centre from 2.30pm-4pm. Free refreshments will available at each venue. So please do come along to the launch to learn more about this new service. You may well feel it could be something of interest to you, or to a family member or friend. Or, you may well feel this is something that would be interested in volunteering for. In the meantime, if you would like to find our more information please do contact Sue Black, Friends for You on 07810 630167 / 01452 528491 or email [email protected]

Lou Kemp Specialist and Village Agent - 07776 245767 - [email protected]

Hilda Eileen Ruther 1920 - 2015 Hilda died peacefully on 16th January 2015. She had celebrated her 95th birthday on 1st January. She was much loved by her family and friends and will be missed by them all.

Bisley Village Defibrillator – Update

Progress continues to be made in securing our own machine for the village. In terms of fundraising, thanks to quiz night donations by both Colin & Jane and now David & Amanda have followed suit at The Bear Inn, together with a stonking £625 made by Anne Eaton and her “Hearty Lunch” Team there is now £1,740 in the account. It is believed that the Bisley branch of the WI is going to move the procurement of the AED forward, which is great. As mentioned previously there is going to be some research and a number of decisions will need to be made (location, training etc), however I think it is fair to say that this project is on its way to fruition. Peter Thorp.

Snow on the rooftops

The first covering of snow fell on Bisley in mid-January, prompting one of those ‘bedroom window’ photos. Here the church spire sits elegantly among the tall trees, with the early morning sun glinting through the branches. Now you all know what my early morning view looks like! Editor.

“WORKING WITH AUNTIE” A TALK BY ‘Lazy Cook’ MO SMITH (5 Exciting Years working for the BBC in the 1960s)

SATURDAY 7TH MARCH 7-7.30pm In Bisley WI VILLAGE HALL

Glass of wine and canapés Tickets available from George Stores or phone April Philips 01452 855545 Tickets £6 bought before March 1st, £8 after March 1st and on the door To be held in aid of The Bisley Flower Show

News from our District Councillor

This is the first real chance I’ve had to wish you all and all of your family a Happy, prosperous, New Year. Local Government plan. On December 9th 2014 we were called to an “exceptional” meeting; this is when the subject is too important to wait for the next full council meeting. On this occasion it was to discuss, at great length, finalising ‘stage one’ of the local Govt. plan. The purpose was to consider the cross party planning review panel and based on its recommendations the council was to resolve: 1. To proceed with the Stroud district local plan 2. To adopt option 2 which provides for a new dwelling development

requirement of 11,200 homes by 2031. 3. To adopt option D alternative M5 catchment Stonehouse focus. 4. To reaffirm that the local plan will be subject of review within 5 years of

adoption An inspector was brought in to check and confirm local plans before they can proceed to the next stage. Six months ago the inspector recognised the district council’s cooperation but felt that the report needed some more work before it could progress to ‘stage two’. He offered 6 months to review the figures and reconvene with those amendments. His comments and the councils amendments are available from the SDC website. The council voted for all four motions to be carried with the majority of the chamber voting for these recommendations. I feel it is important to state how vital it was that the local plan was agreed because it safeguards against big developers leading the council’s decisions in the future. For any of you that watched the video cast from the meeting will know that a lot of discussion was put into the exact numbers the officers recommended. It had to be clarified and highlighted that this is not an exact science and trust must be given to the officers. None of us really know what is going to happen between now and 2031 the important thing was to agree to keep this dynamic plan moving forward, which is amendable along the way. Bus issues The cancelled bus at Eastcombe has been widely discussed at all levels of local govt. however, even with the council supplying an interim solution from Cotswold green, residents are still feeling that this fails to bridge the void left by stagecoach. I have been looking into this matter and requested that my colleagues Cllr. Jason Bullingham of the county council and Our MP Neil Carmichael join me in a joint campaign to find a better solution.

News from our District Councillor (2)

A concerned resident contacted me on behalf of all the people who rely on that service. He has reiterated the concern that the stops are too far apart and involve walking along some un-lit parts as well as containing areas where there are no pavements to safely walk along. With kind permission from the Local shop at Eastcombe, I will be placing a petition and urge everyone to go and sign it. Living in this rural community means limited public transport as it is, without having further cuts reduce and prevent the freedom others in our ward.

Neighbourhood warden On Monday 15th December I met with the PCSO and our neighbourhood warden to discuss matters. We discussed key issues surrounding our ward. Mainly it was focused around parking, speeding, dog fouling and whether it was deemed necessary for the parish to donate to the neighbourhood scheme. We agreed that for the parish to invest more financially, little would be gained as we live in a ward where the need for such a service is often considerably reduced. It was stated that the neighbourhood warden and PCSO worked together on just one case in the entire year of 2014 and so at this stage it isn’t necessary, or wise, to waste further funds for no reason. We also agreed a proactive approach was needed and should the services start to be needed, further investment would be put straight to the parish council. The belief was that often people don’t know the full extent of what neighbourhood wardens do, more information is found out at: www.stroud.gov.uk/comm_safety/wardens.