BOURTON TIMES Issue 25 April 2012

An independent community magazine delivered free of charge to homes and businesses in Bourton on the Water, Clapton on the Hill and Lower Slaughter, with copies also going into Sherborne. It is ‘twinned’ with Stow Times and Moreton Times, and delivered by local volunteers. Being LOCAL is key - the magazine is designed to carry community news, issues and comment, and support local businesses. Articles, letters & information about local events and issues are welcome. THE COFFEE HOUSE NOW OPEN Until 9:00pm TUES ~ SAT From 3rd April 2012 Come & taste one of our freshly cooked meals Including the new Homemade Local Dexter Beef Burgers Our secluded garden is now open so come and enjoy Spring and Easter with us. Please check online for full menu or call in anytime

Continental Coffee House & Restaurant Church Street, Stow-on-the Wold 01451-870802 www.thecoffeehousestow.co.uk

NUMBER FOUR AT STOW - HONOURED IN THE 2012 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE HOTEL AWARDS

TripAdvisor, Inc. the world’s largest travel website, has revealed that Number Four at Stow is amongst the top 10 hotels in the UK and came out top for service.

Caroline and Patricia Lösel were delighted with the award and had no idea they had received one until contacted by the press. “ It was a lovely surprise and shows that our guests, both local and from further afield are looking for value for money along with great service and food. We come from a family of hoteliers and offer ‘old fashioned hospitality’ alongside our great team of staff . “

The award from TripAdvisor is the latest in various industry recognitions – 2 rosettes from the AA guide and the hotel and restaurant are also recommended by the Michelin Guide.

Cutler’s Restaurant is becoming well known locally for serving excellent food for lunch and dinner. Lunch for two courses is only £14.50 and is available from Monday to Saturday inclusive. An excellent Sunday lunch menu has various dishes including roast rib of Cotswold beef, roast duck and grilled calves liver.

Number Four at Stow, Fosseway, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 1JX Tel: 01451 830297 www.hotelnumberfour.co.uk

2 BOURTON TIMES

From the Editor Inside this edition Bringing together such a wide variety of content each month is quite a privilege, and also an eye-opener! In some ways it appears to makes FEATURES the Editor a ‘know all’, like the man in a uniform who stands on a railway platform. A number of people ‘test’ this attribute every month 14, 15 Return of the Vikings – an owl invasion of the Costwolds: words by Will – with mixed results! Masefield of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, photography by Mike Boyes However, of one thing I feel very sure - collecting information about a 16 Local As ward winners – Clarke Antiques and Foxbury Farm shop community is special. Over time a picture evolves, a combination of 27 Diamond Jubilee Celebrations + an opportunity to join in and get involved personal experience and editorial overview – and rather like a random game of I Spy, it produces some interesting questions and answers. 45 ‘Oh to be in England…’ Carole Foster celebrates allotments 46, 47 ‘Lost for Words’ – a short story by Nicholas John Increasingly apparent at the moment is how alarmed and anxious 56 Debt is invisible – researched and written by Carole Foster residents and business people are about… • The sale of local amenities with only a cursory nod towards 62 Back to the 50’s - helping parents with Internet safety consultation by the authorities, leaving people feeling increasingly sure that they are consistently not being given the whole picture; REGULARS • The rush to let developers into our communities, the short-termism 8 Book Reviews from Cotswold Bookstore of grabbing income now at any price. This includes housing as well as care and support in our communities – our towns all have issues 9 Stow Times Writing Competition; Plant a Potato Pot; Faces of Britain here, different in the detail but overall there is the same need for ‘joined-up’ thinking 11,12 Local Government & Community News • Being short-changed by our local authorities and their 24 Youth in Action: Youth Initiatives - changing neighbourhoods representatives - on the whole residents don’t feel represented at district and county level by the people who asked for their votes. 25 Stow Youth Club; Cotswold Life-saving Club There is growing cynicism about local democracy, how it doesn’t 27 Community News seem to be working. 28 Report from Bourton Parish Council In the next few weeks our parish and town councils hold their Annual 29 News from Local Authorities & Associations General Meetings, at which their district and county representatives are due to give their annual reports. These maybe notes taken from 30 Local Church Services the Budgetary Report about how the district/ county is doing; or a 31 Village Halls discussion about how they are representing our interests, which meetings and debates they attended, what reports they have written 32 Local Cinemas and regular events; Bargain prices on Small Ads for our information. 33-36 LOCAL EVENTS and EVENTS DIARY Maybe this is the opportunity to address some uncomfortable issues, 36 Seven Wonders of the Cotswolds ; Walks with the Cotswold Wardens to share with them ‘how it is’, how it feels to live and be in business at the rough end of poor representation, where decisions taken behind 40 Work in Progress – Spring Allotments closed doors. The words we really want to hear are “You are being 41 Correspondence –Care in our Community; Localism. listened to and here is the proof…” 42 Robb Eden – dealing with HMRC Don’t shoot the messenger! 50 - 53 Reports from some of our local Schools Our elected councillors need to know that they have our support to speak strongly and clearly on our behalves; they need to understand 57 - 61 News & Reports from some of the Local Sports Clubs, etc.. local concerns from the community point of view and be confident in 62, 63 Rotary News from N.Cotswold and N.Cotswold Lions gathering public support in order to put forward and debate community issues at a higher level. 65 News & reports from local clubs and societies It doesn’t sound easy or quick. But when you live and work here, is it 66 Clubs, Societies & Associations, etc (this list is updated bi-monthly) important? 67 Local Business Directory Best wishes, Jenni Turner Editor One glance at our Index and you can see this April edition is bustling with an Something to sell? Lost Property? amazing mixture of items sent in and assembled from Stow and over the BARGAIN ADVERTISING RATES in our new SMALL ADS SECTION - open wider North Cotswolds area. It’s been busy in the office too and I have been for any legal advertising (we retain the right not to publish a submission.) Until 15th May (June edition) there is a Special Rate of delighted to have ‘backroom assistance’ from Christabel Hardacre, Jane £0.50p a word (min 13/max 30 words). Gleghorn (who tackled our biggest number of sports articles yet), Jan Marley and a growing number of contributors and correspondents. They have Our next edition is for May - it comes out at the end of April. The enriched this edition, and I hope you will enjoy it. copydate is 15th April 2012.. Our design team this month was Eagle Design Ltd. Telephone Bourton Times on 0845 230 8955 / www.eagledesign.net Extra copies of Bourton Times are generally available at The Motoring 07789 175 002 Museum, Dial House Hotel and the surgery. (The phone will take your messages too – leave your name & Material published in this magazine is copyright; the Editor may give permission for copy to contact number; we will return your call.) be reproduced for some purposes. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or any member of the team. The magazines are produced email BOURTON TIMES on and delivered almost entirely by volunteers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in the magazine, the Editor/team do not accept any [email protected] responsibility for the consequences of any errors that may occur. www.bourtontimes.co.uk Our Front Cover photograph “Spring – Bourton Cemetery”. P O Box 6, Sheep Street, 03.12©BourtonTimes Stow on the Wold, GL54 1WD

3 Scarfs from £3.50 Costume Jewellery Marshalls of Moreton WE’RE A YEAR OLD!

Rob & Julia Marshall would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout our first year of trading

Handbags If you have not been in yet Greeting Cards, Helium we are well worth a visit, Balloons, Gift Bags etc our prices are amazing!

Costume Jewellery - Handbags - Clutches & Purses - Scarves - Hosiery & Greeting Cards for all Occassions

7 - 8 High Street, New - Hellium Balloons Moreton in Marsh. for all occassions Tel: 01608 650507

4 ­Northleach­Mower­Services Cirencester Road Northleach Gloucestershire 01451 860392 - 01451 860427

A local family run business with over 40 years experience of garden machinery maintenance. COUNTAX GARDEN TRACTOR MAIN DEALER WITH LARGE DEMONSTRATION AREA Large selection of Brush Cutters / Strimmers and Lawn Mowers always available Please ring us we collect and deliver to your home Hayter • Lawn King • Castle • Honda • Mountfield • Westwood • Atco Qualcast • Wheelhorse • Murray • Toro • Flymo

NICK WILLIAMS-ELLIS MA DipLD GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Chelsea & Hampton Court Gold Medallist Design, consultancy and planning service for any size of garden, new or old, by qualified landscape and garden designer. Initial visit free of charge.

The Old Post Office, Blockley, GL56 9BB t: 01386 700883 e: [email protected] www.nickwilliamsellis.co.uk

5 STOW ON THE WOLD Patricia Cook TAXI SERVICE 6 SEATER GALAXY Catering • AIRPORTS • STATIONS • HOSPITALS • COURIER SERVICE for every occasion LOCAL OR LONG DISTANCE 01451 830450 TONY KNIGHT – 07887 714047 [email protected] [email protected] www.stow-on-the-wold-taxi-service.co.uk

TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS Talk to us about advertising 07789 175 002 [email protected]

6 MONTHLY SALES FINE ART, ANTIQUES, JEWELLERY, SILVER, PORCELAIN, COINS, MEDALS, OBJECTS D’ART VALUATIONS FOR PROBATE OR INSURANCE FROM ONE ITEM TO ENTIRE HOUSE CLEARANCE WE OFFER A PROFESSIONAL AND DISCREET SERVICE CALL TO HAVE YOUR ITEMS ENTERED FOR OUR FORTHCOMING SALE

New Antique Centre opening shortly in Broadway for silver, porcelain, jewellery and collectables - Spaces available - Call for details

Forthcoming Auction Dates

Saturday 21st April 2012 11:00 am Sale of Fine Art, Antiques, Objets d Art, Select General Household Goods and Furnishings

Saturday 19th May 2012 11:00 am Sale of Fine Art, Antiques, Objets d Art, Select General HouseholdGoods and Furnishings

7 COTSWOLD BOOKSTORE Can you imagine being elderly, alone, 20 High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh 01608 652666 email: [email protected] isolated and afraid? NEWS Calling all murder mystery fans. Rebecca Tope will be with us on Can you imagine the impact this would have on your physical Saturday 14th April to sign her latest book, ‘Malice in the and mental health? Cotswolds’. In this, the 10th of her Cotswold books, Thea Osborne and her dog Hepzibah are house-sitting in the village of Cotswold Volunteers North has a heart-breaking waiting list of Snowshill, when a local boy is found strangled. Of course it is up people in exactly this situation. We are looking for caring local to Thea to catch the culprit. However, not only will this new hardback be available, but also the new paperback, ‘Deception in people who will come forward and volunteer to befriend them. the Cotswolds’, is now in stock and she will happily sign that or It is entirely possible that there is someone in your village who any of her other paperbacks. On the day, we will have a special needs a befriender, a chat over a cup of tea about old times, price reduction for the hardback so do come along or book your someone to laugh with. signed copy, at the special reduced price, in advance. Those of you who do attend our signings may remember the amazingly young author, James Aitcheson, who came last year to sign Janet, who lives in Stow-on-the-Wold, is 95 and lives alone. She ‘Sworn Sword’. James will be along in September to sign the is still driving and living an independent life, but would really second in the series but meantime, ‘Sworn Sword’ is now like someone local just to call in on her once a week to make available in paperback at only £6.99. sure everything is OK. This would give her a great sense of REVIEWS reassurance and peace of mind: ‘It would be so wonderful if The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryby Rachel Joyce someone could,’ she asks. Hardback at £12.99 John and his wife Alice live in Moreton-in-Marsh and have a When Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend he steps combined age of 182! John has only 20% of his eyesight but is out of retirement and an empty marriage and starts a journey, Alice’s full-time Carer, as she suffers from dementia. John on foot, all the way from South Devon to the hospital in Berwick, where Queenie is dying. On his journey he receives mostly would love someone to come and sit with his wife occasionally, kindness from those he meets and as his progress hits the news, so that he can enjoy some respite and his wife can benefit from more people try to help and even join him on his ‘pilgrimage’. some new company. ‘I have tried to get help, but didn’t think However, this is more than a story of an imaginary journey for, as there was anything available,’ he explains. Julie in Bourton on he travels, we gain insight into his marriage, into his relationships and into a very ordinary man doing something extraordinary. A the Water has lived with her brother for most of her life, but he dreamy ramble that is movingly built around a very unassuming recently died leaving her isolated and desolate. A regular local English hero and I enjoyed every mile. visitor could completely change her world.

The Bleeding Landby Giles Kristian Hardback £12.99 Set at the start of the English Civil War, this novel concentrates on the family of Sir Francis Rivers, a friend of the King. It is a violent and unsavoury dispute with a neighbour which causes the younger son, Tom, to join Parliament’s army whilst Sir Francis and his oldest son, Mun, fight on the King’s side. I enjoyed this read from start to finish. It’s not just the non-stop action, nor the clearly defined and believable characters. Both of All our Volunteers are greatly appreciated. We offer training, these points would make a fair read but this author’s plotting support and the reimbursement of travel expenses. Many of makes this a page- turner and he uses such rich description that our Volunteers make new friends and truly enjoy their his scenes are all atmospheric and involving. This deserves, and invaluable volunteering role. should receive, a very wide readership, especially as it is just the first of a series. Patricia Johnston-Deas recently joined Cotswolds Volunteers More news and reviews - cotswoldbookstore.blogspot.com North as a Volunteer Befriender: ‘I am retired and had some and cotswoldbookstoregamesworkshop.blogspot.com time on my hands. I find the older generation so refreshingly honest and genuine. What is now considered to be old fashioned values are still so important and pertinent today - the young have a lot to learn from the old. With one of the lovely ladies I visit I am learning to play Yahtzee – she tells me off for not being good enough and has advised me to pull my socks up!’

If you have some free time and are considering what to do with it could this be your answer? For more information please contact Cotswolds Volunteer North: 01608 652019

Email: [email protected] [email protected] (office hours Monday and Thursday 9am – 4pm)

8 OUR FIRST SHORT STORY COMPETITION: "A Place In The Heart"

Our first short story competition is based on the theme "A Place In The Heart". Entries can carry an individual title - the only stipulation is that each entry must feature or mention a place (village, town, geographical landmark etc) within the areas where we deliver Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Bourton-on-the-water, Chipping Norton - and the surrounding villages.

The competition is open to all ages and we invite readers to send in their written work. The rules are below. RULES 1. Closing date 30th April 2012 2. Entries must be in English and be the author’s own unpublished work. They must not be on offer for publication or entered in any other current competition. 3. Maximum length 1,000 words. 4. Authors may enter more than one short story, but not more than three. Each one should be submitted separately. 5. Each piece of work, with its title and number of words, must be in clear type on one side of A4 sheet(s). Details of the writer must not appear on this sheet. 6. The author’s name and address and the titles of all entries should be typed on a separate sheet of A4 paper. 6. Entries can be sent by post or email. Please keep a copy of your work, as entries cannot be returned. 7. The prize-winner will be notified by post, if SAE provided, or by email if email address is provided. 8. All entries that arrive before the closing date (30th April) will be considered by the adjudicating panel, whose decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into concerning the result. 9. The results and the winning short story will be published in the June editions of the magazine. We will publish the stories of up to two runners-up in the following editions.

SEND YOUR ENTRY/IES: (by eml) [email protected] (by post) Short Story Competition, P.O.Box 6, Sheep Street, Stow on the Wold, GL54 1WD.

Faces of Britain is quick, free and simple and we’d love as many people as possible to join in.”

With both the Olympic and Paralympic Games now officially under a year away, local residents are being given the chance to join a number of Great Britain’s medal hopefuls by taking part in a free ‘online time capsule’.

Stars from sports including rowing, beach volleyball and badminton have uploaded a photo of themselves onto the Faces of Britain website, www.facesofbritain.co.uk. The site is open free of charge to everyone looking forward to the big events of 2012, which include the London Games, Euro 2012 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Faces of Britain has space for 212 people from every area of the country. In total there are almost 100,000 spaces.

Team GB stars on the site include: James Foad, Olympic rowing, Richmond Upon Thames Andrew Triggs-Hodge, Olympic rowing, Oxford Cameron Nichol, Olympic rowing, London Francesca Jus-Burke, Olympic rowing, Wandsworth Paul Mattick, Olympic rowing, Vale of White Horse Sam Lowe, Olympics judo, Woking Jody Gooding, Olympic beach volleyball, Gloucester Denise Johns, Olympic beach volleyball, Gloucester Izzy Hamilton, Olympic windsurfing, Cornwall Krysten Coombs, Paralympic badminton & table tennis, S. Hams Kenny Churchill, Paralympic javelin, Charnwood Hannah Cockroft, Paralympic wheelchair racing, Calderdale Fran Williamson, Paralympic swimming, Cambridge

Join Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic stars and become a face of 2012! To upload your photo go to www.facesofbritain.co.uk

9 Local shops 'vital' for high streets From an article by Ruralcity Media: www.rsnomnline.org.uk

Nearly eight in ten local people believe local producers, such as a butcher or baker, are critical to the future success of their town centres.

A survey has been carried out by pollsters on behalf of the Local Government Association amid concerns over clusters of premises such as betting shops and fast food takeaways on high streets.

The survey showed: • Local shops polled strongly • 47% of local residents believe that supermarkets had a community role to play • Older people felt most strongly about local shops, with 93% of over 65s saying the local grocer or butcher were crucial to high streets. • 88% of the same age group said local amenities such as post offices and libraries were important. • local people prefer a range of local shops • 74% require post offices, libraries and dry cleaners • Retail shops (75%), restaurants and cafes (69%) and newsagents (66%) also score highly • Younger people value entertainment • 53% of 18-24 year olds (53%) want facilities such as cinemas and bowling alleys. • 38% of this younger age group said sports centres could contribute towards the future success of high streets.

Councils have developed a five-point plan to give high streets a shot in the arm. Proposals include taking over empty shops, more powers over local transport, local control over apprenticeship schemes and less red tape.

Councils are also keen to work closer with businesses to ensure economic growth remains a priority, for example through Business Improvement Districts.

Comment by Sally Henley “The reason that many high streets are in decline is because running an independent business is in many cases, no longer a realistic way of earning a living. The very people canvassed in this survey - those who like the idea of having local shops - are likely to be the ones who are not using local shops with enough regularity. Unless those who want local shops actually use them frequently, avoid a 'big supermarket shop' and resist shopping on line - nothing will change. It is not planning restrictions which stop people from opening shops, it is the costs of trading in a high street premises (business rates, BID levies, rents).In the absence of economies of scale, from which chains benefit, the independent has to charge more in order to cover these huge costs. We have betting shops and fast food takeaway outlets because there is a demand for them and a profit can be made from them – it’s very simple. These often spring up in sites where no other business has shown an interest - they are not 'depriving' other businesses from the opportunity of trading from these sites. It is not because planning is stopping a butcher a baker or a newsagent from opening - it is because starting up and owning a butcher a baker or a newsagent is a risky business in today’s society and economic climate. Reduced rents and heavily reduced business rates would almost certainly make the prospect more attractive whereas no amount of planning deregulation will...... ”

10 Stow-on-the-Wold Moreton-in-Marsh Stow Primary School Congregational Church Hall St Edwards Drive - Mondays 7.00pm Oxford Street - Tel: Mandy 01608 641923 Thursdays 5.15pm & 7.00pm Tel: Christine 01608 686288 Shipston-on-Stour Townsend Hall Sheep Street - Wednesdays 7.00pm Tel: Christine 01608 686288

FREE TRAINING AVAILABLE FREEPHONE 0800 1955 640 Single File INSTRUCTOR 07977 56 00 86 Friendly social group www. martialartsvoucher.co.uk For unattached people aged 50-70 SEPARATE ADULT AND CHILDREN’S CLASSES Welcomes new members to join us, make new friends and NOW TRAINING AT choose from our varied events programme. CHIPPING NORTON Contact 01295 788474 for more details STOW ON THE WOLD

11 From RSN Online – www.rsnonline.org.uk Rural communities shape local development

Neighbourhood planning is a key part of the government's localism agenda, aiming to give local people a major say in shaping development in their area.

Using Neighbourhood Development Orders communities will be able to help determine where development should go and decide the type and design of developments granted automatic planning permission. The system formally commences later this year.

This brings to 233 the number of 'frontrunner' communities Promoting that have been working up plans and testing out Stow and its neighbourhood planning. Local to the Cotswolds are Faringdon, businesses. Calne (Wiltshire), Kempsey (Malvern DC), Honeybourne, Cleeve Prior and Pebworth (all in Wychavon DC). 45,000 visits last year; Is your Communities minister Bob Neill said there had been "enormous interest" in neighbourhood planning. "The large number of business listed? communities jumping at the chance to trial these new powers demonstrates the enthusiasm people have for this local approach to planning. For the first time communities will be in the driving seat and allowed to shape the way they want their area to develop instead of having a vision imposed upon them from above.

"Neighbourhood planning encourages people to plan positively for their future and is a real opportunity to deliver the homes and jobs communities need to thrive."

The local councils of successful front runners have been given £20,000 per project to help their communities with neighbourhood planning.

Qualified gardener • Specialist Pruning

Telephone: 01386 700903 • E-mail: [email protected]

12 e Langston Nursing & Dementia Care Home

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e Langston Nursing and Dementia Care Home Station Road, Kingham OX7 6UP Tel. 01608 658233 | Web site: www.thelangston.co.uk

13 14 15 The Cotswold’s are the Best for Antiques Foxbury’ National Award Christopher Clarke Antiques in Stow-on-the-Wold and Foxbury Farm Shop just outside Burford visited the House of Blighty Antiques in Cheltenham have been named as Lords last month to attend the "Rural Oscars" at the category winners in the inaugural Britain’s Best Antiques Countryside Alliance, Daily Telegraph and Farmers Weekly Shops Awards, Christopher Clarke Antiques as Best Business Awards. specialist shop and Blighty Antiques as Best antiques shop.

Simon Clarke of Christopher Clarke Antiques said: ‘It’s a huge honour to win this award and be acknowledged for our specialty. Britain leads the world in antiques and these awards show that The Cotswolds is a ‘must go to ‘ destination for anyone interested in period art and design.’ Sarah Seccombe of Blighty Antiques said: “We are delighted to be crowned as Britain’s Best Antique Shop and we owe a big thank-you to our customers and Colin Dawes, Pauline Kew, Rebecca Dawes and David Pitcher the public who took the time to vote for us - it’s the Colin Dawes and his team were delighted to be Highly greatest compliment of all.” Commended as the UK and Ireland Best Local Food Business. The judges included Clarissa Dickson-Wright, Countryside The Cotswolds have always boasted the largest Alliance Executive Chairman Sir Barney White Spunner and concentration of serious antiques dealers outside of The Daily Telegraph's Assistant Editor Philip Johnston. The London and these awards confirm it. Blighty Antiques is judges commented "This working farm doesn't stand still – as home to a mix of country house and colonial pieces with well as producing and selling their produce in the farm shop, the farm is an unofficial rural school, reconnecting the next some fabulously eccentric decorative accessories. generation with our farming heritage. The farm shop has Christopher Clarke Antiques are probably the only expanded in recent years with a popular tearoom that offers specialists worldwide to deal in Campaign Furniture - i.e. special deals to the local elderly, an often overlooked minority. antiques that often look like domestic furniture but are The team's passions for community, produce and education made to fold up or dismantle for ease of travel. When are something the Countryside Alliance is proud to support - if the British Empire was at its height there was a large youngsters don't understand the countryside, they won't care" industry that provided such furniture for the soldiers and administrators who travelled to the Colonies. This year alone Foxbury Farm Shop has received 13 awards including a Finalist in the West Oxfordshire Business Awards. The Britain’s Best Antiques Shops Awards were launched View the list: www.foxburyfarm.co.uk The Good Food Barn serves hot and cold food, tea, coffee and in the November 2011 issue of Homes & Antiques to tie more. All the lamb, beef and pork reared at Foxbury Farm is in with National Antiques Week. The competition invited sold through Foxbury Farm Shop. More information online. nominations from the public to find the unsung heroes of the high street in one of five categories: Best antiques shop; Best antiques centre; Best specialist shop; Best vintage/mid century shop; and Best auction house. Graffiti Blighty Antiques and Christopher Clarke Antiques will be Writing Magazine profiled alongside the three other winning businesses in Graffiti is a Gloucestershire-based magazine full of the May issue of the magazine, on sale April 5. poetry and prose by writers from the UK and overseas. It is run as a non-profit making venture and was started as a response to the familiar cry from writers that it's very difficult to get good work published.

The magazine runs a short story competition in each issue and offers a small cash prize to the winner and publication to all the shortlisted stories as well. The short story competition has been judged by writer and creative writing lecturer Tricia Wastvedt and writer Roshi Fernando as well as local short story writers and readers. It is published four times a year and seeks to include articles and reviews as well as poems and short stories. Postal subscriptions are welcome: 1 issue - £2.50 plus 50p postage = £3. 5 issues - £13

Contact: Rona Laycock for details writersinthebrewery@ yahoo.co.uk

16 Strictly - In Moreton

Learn to dance.... Waltz, Cha-cha, Tango Argentine, Salsa, Rumba, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Modern Jive + MORE Ballroom / Latin The Redesdale Hall in Moreton-in-Marsh Thursday 7-00 - 8-30pm - BALLROOM & LATIN Thursday 8-30 - 10pm -N E W Learn “One Dance” over 2/3 weeks... WALTZ -19/26 April, QUICKSTEP-3/10 May, FOXTROT-17/24/31 May 7 week courses - starting Thursday 19th April 2012 early enrolment advised Easter Ball - Sat 21st April The Civic Hall Stratford-upon-Avon 01789 778007 www.margaretgreenwood.co.uk W E D D I N G “ F I R S T D A N C E ” OTHER VENUES include… Choreographed to your special song ALCESTER, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Especially for You

Friendly, professional tuition in FRENCH GCSE A LEVEL SOCIAL 40+ years language teaching Mike Wainwright 01451 830444 [email protected]

17 18 All those aches and pains getting you down? Sick of swallowing pills and portions that don't work?

Moreton in Marsh Chiropractic uses a drug free approach to move your body towards optimum health. Get your life back today. Forward Head Posture What is perfect head posture? When the middle of the ear lobe lines up with the centre of the shoulder. To check this, imagine a line is dropped from the centre of the ear lode, it should land directly in the centre of the shoulder this is considered to be a “perfect” head posture.

Why does it matter? Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states: “Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment.”

With our modern fast pace lifestyle and usage of mobiles (texting) and computers (lap tops), the head placement of the population is getting worse and people are suffering. The forward head position from sitting at the computer all day and/or texting on the mobile creates tension and compression strain in the neck and shoulders, it has been suggested that this contributes to aches and pains of the neck, shoulder and/or arms.

For every inch your head moves forward, it may gain up to 10 pounds in weight as the muscles in your neck and upper back have to work much harder to keep your head (chin) from dropping onto your chest. This results in the muscles at the back of your skull to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the nerves in that area. The compression to these nerves may cause headaches at the base of the skull and mimic other head and/or neck based symptoms. If forward head posture is allowed to persist, this can lead to other postural changes from compressive load further down the spine e.g. upper thoracic hump (often called ‘widow’s’ hump)

Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20 pound bowling ball hanging around your neck? It is not uncommon to observe a 2 inch forward head placement in the new people that come in to see me. That's what forward head posture can do to you.

The good news…. Chiropractic is corrective and can help release the tension and pressure in the neck and shoulders. I specialise in reversing joint fixations to return the spine back to its natural balanced position and to re-train the muscles that normally retract the head.

The result… Neck and upper back pain should diminish and disappear, and movement will be more flexible around the neck and shoulders as your forward head posture returns to normal.

Moreton Area Centre, High Street, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0AZ Tel: 07766 142113 www.moretonchiro.co.uk

19 20 Delightful Kitchen Gift Ideas for the person who has everything at Cotswold Kitchen and Tableware We have a wonderful selection of:- Mugs, Plates, Tableware, Kitchen Gadgets and much much more STOCKISTS OF: STELLAR, JUDGE, JAMES MARTIN KNIVES & SAUCEPANS, PORTMEIRION, DUNOON, SOMERSET MELAMINE, DARTINGTON CRYSTAL, CATH KIDSTON, HEATH MCCABE, ALISON’S ANIMALS, TWO BAD MICE. BENAYA CERAMIC ART TILES, LITTLE CHEFS items. KEEP CALM & CARRY ON RANGE and for those Graffiti fans BANKSY MUGS, COASTERS AND TILE’S QUEEN’S TIBETAN RUGS ALONG SIDE A VAST AND COLOURFUL DIAMOND JUBILEE CHOICE OF BEAUTIFUL AND UNUSUAL GIFTS PRODUCED Gift boxed SOUVENIR MUGS... BY TALENTED CRAFTS MEN AND WOMEN FROM NEPAL COMING SOON! All those items for your street Party!! Plates, Cups Napkins, Bunting, Table Covering etc ALAIN ROUVEURE GALLERIES KEEP AN EYE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR REGULAR UPDATES AND OFFERS! WWW.COTSWOLDKT.VPWEB.CO.UK TODENHAM, NEAR MORETON - IN - MARSH Cotswold Kitchen & Tableware is an Independent Retailer situated in beautiful Grade II listed TELEPHONE 01608 650 418 building in the Cotswold town of Moreton in Marsh. We are focused on providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction. We have a selection of pretty china mugs, plates and tableware, THE HIMALAYAN COFFEE HOUSE NOW OPEN useful kitchen gadgets and delightful gift ideas, even for the person who has everything! VISIT US FROM 10AM TO 5PM WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.AlainRouveure.com COTSWOLD KITCHEN & TABLEWARE WINNERS OF THE 2000 WORLDAWARE AWARD FOR FAIR TRADE 8 HIGH STREET, MORETON IN MARSH, GL56 0AH | TEL: 01608 652028

21 Virtual volunteering From YouthNetUK online, on Facebook, Twitter & You Tube

Volunteering is moving online. Not just through websites like do- it.org.uk that enable you to search and apply, but with opportunities that can actually be done from your computer at home or work.

Here at YouthNet (the charity behind do-it.org.uk) we have several volunteering opportunities that require you to come to our London offices only occasionally or not at all.

Journalists and bloggers We're always looking for people to contribute YouthNet's websites: do-it.org.uk and TheSite.org. For example, you could write a rant or diary for TheSite.org, or apply to be a blogger on do-it.org.uk. If you've got some experience you could even write a full-length feature.

Karin Modig wrote several articles for do-it.org.uk. "Volunteering as a journalist has been a great opportunity for me to practice my skills," she says. " I learned about editing and publishing online. Plus, because it's flexible, I was able to carry on with my job as well."

Modding TheSite.org also needs moderators to help run their popular Discussion boards. Covering a wide variety of topics, the boards are a place for young people to share their experiences and make their views heard.

The role of a moderator is divided into two different areas: making sure that inappropriate posts are dealt with, and providing information and support to users. As YouthNet's Communities Manager, Jim Valentine, explains, it's a great chance to develop your skills. "Being a mod is all about being a facilitator. The skills involved include understanding the views of others and defusing potentially inflammatory situations."

Peer advice Another YouthNet project, askTheSite, also has online volunteering opportunities. However, for their peer advice project you do need to be able to come to training at our London office (and you must be 18-29 years old). askTheSite deals with questions: sexual health, general health, mental health, housing, legal and rights, money and relationships issues. In a new pilot scheme, volunteers are being recruited and trained to answer questions in the relationships section. It requires a reasonable time commitment - about 4-5 hours per week, but volunteers will gain new skills in web communication, web journalism and providing online advice as well as receiving a comprehensive training programme in online peer advice.

Not all the opportunities listed in this article are available at all times. Check online for the latest information - YouthNet

YouthNet is the UK’s first exclusively online charity. We guide and support young people, enabling them to make informed choices, participate in society and achieve their ambitions.

22 23 24 25 26 27 There is rising concern in Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, Unofficial Notes from Bourton on the Water Moreton in Marsh and the surrounding villages about the future of Parish Council Meeting 3rd March 2012 care and support within the communities. A number of reports and press releases from the authorities increase alarm and anxiety, highlighting the apparent lack of sensible planning / the haste to From Tony Ferrige for Bourton Times dispose of amenities with little consideration for those affected and The Chairman referred to the meeting of B.A.D (Bourton their families. Against Development) which opposes further large scale developments in Bourton. The Council had yet to express an A review of current information (as at 20/03/12):- official view. “SALMONDSBURY HOUSE CLOSURE will not impact on care The BIG COMMUNITY OFFER will be referred to in future as the Community Centre Project. PATIENTS' care will not be compromised following the closure of Bourton-on- the-Water's intermediate care unit, says Gloucestershire Care Services, who have confirmed that temporary arrangements are POLICE: PC Gary Brewer has advised BPC that officers will in place before fresh facilities open. increasingly be patrolling on bicycles. 13.4.12 will be a 'Day of Action' at the Melville Estate Play Area from 10:30am involving A new unit with 14 community beds opens next to the Orders of St Police, Housing Authority and the Neighbourhood Watch, John Care Home in Station Road on April 23. raising the profile of the agencies concerned and providing an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Building work is also set to start on the George Moore community outpatient clinic, which is due to open in the summer, next to current VILLAGE MAINTENANCE: 1) The small patch of land outside the Moore Cottage hospital. Chestnut Gallery is liable to flood - a working party has greatly improved matters, for which the Council expressed thanks. To Patients in need of community beds will be cared for in different care settings, including Salmonsbury House, Bourton, Cirencester hospital provide a longer term solution it was agreed that the Council and Moreton District hospital. GCS Cotswolds general manager adopt responsibility consider what needs to be done. 2) On Caroline Holmes said: "This is a temporary measure to support the 28.4.12 at 10:30 am there will be a formal opening ceremony of transition. Patient care is our top priority and we want to make sure the Jubilee Orchard, planting a ‘Final Tree’ supplied by The every individual receives treatment in a caring and supportive Queens Woodland Trust. 3) The goal posts at Naight Playing environment." With thanks to ‘This is Gloucestershire’ Fields will be moved. 14.03.12 6.6.12. The formal Opening Ceremony for the Garden of “The removal of Ashton House residents (Stow) - GCC have been Remembrance: Reverend Rachel Rosborough, Rector of St. dealing closely with the Order of St. John's agent, who recently informed GCC that the original exit deadline of 20th April could not be Lawrence, will officiate and deliver a Blessing. met due to Bourton (Jubilee House) completion delays. This has now been put back to 1st - 3rd of May to accommodate dementia and TRAFFIC & FOOTPATHS: 1) The review of disability access in the general nursing care.” village will go ahead when the weather improves. 2) Traffic problems in Melville Estate may be inconsiderate driving rather 15.03.12 than speeding. Police will continue to monitor.3) There are a “The Order of St. John advised that there has been a serious flood at number of concerns about traffic speed in and around the Jubilee Lodge (new name for new Bourton care home). This means the village, and the location and state of some traffic signs. build completion date and sale of Ashton House (Stow) has to be Proposals for improvement will be considered and presented to delayed for approximately three months, as the damage is so severe.” the July/August Council meeting prior to submitting proposals (03.12)From ‘New Health Services in the N.Cotswolds’ flyer to Highways Department. “North Cotswolds Hospital sits comfortably in beautifully landscaped grounds. Highway and pedestrian access to the hospital has been DIAMOND JUBILEE: Celebrations are being planned; BPC will developed and there are over 100 free –public car parking spaces… request volunteers to help with the events. Funding provided The hospital, which opens to patients on 31st March, has been for the project will cover most of costs; a small shortfall is purpose-built to provide first-rate healthcare facilities for local expected to be met from ticket sales – subject to the weather. residents. It has 22 first floor en-suite bedrooms ….and offers Council considered insuring against bad weather/ Council exceptional standards of privacy, dignity and infection control. underwriting a potential loss of £5000. The latter was agreed as the celebrations are projecting sufficient profit to fund a In Bourton on the Water a brand new Intermediate Care permanent commemoration together with the return of the Rehabilitation Unit, with 14 community beds, is planned to open in Station Road in April (part of the new Jubilee Lodge Care Home £5000 to Council. operated by the Orders of St John Care Trust) and building work will shortly get underway on the new George Moore Community COMMUNITY CENTRE PROJECT: A decision is pending on which Outpatient Clinic next to the current hospital building. The part of the existing hospital may be available for purchase by Intermediate Care Unit within the hospital (including beds) closed BPC. As this will involve a loan to cover the cost, an important permanently on 10 February. decision with long term implications, it was agreed to call an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council at 7:00 pm on Thursday Temporary arrangements have been put in place to make sure that 15th March 2012 solely to consider and vote on this particular care is not compromised in the interim. issue. Patients in need of community beds are being cared for in a number of different settings, including Salmonsbury House, Cirencester Next Meeting of Bourton Parish Council Hospital and Moreton District Hospital. “ Weds 4thApril at 7.30pm at The Baptist Church Hall BPC Agendas, Minutes are reports are available online at Newsletter available by Eml: [email protected] or call www.bourtononthewaterpc.org GUiDE and PALS on Freephone 08000 151 548

28 C.D.C Committees - APRIL BOURTON ON THE WATER Members of the public are encouraged to attend meetings BOURTON ON PARISH COUNCIL of the Council and Committees. If you live in the District and are on the Electoral Register you can take part by asking up THE WATER Notes on the Council Meeting for to two questions per meeting. Information about your March 2012 Councillors and committee members are on the website PARISH COUNCIL www.cotswold.gov.uk NEXT MEETING Minutes of the last Council Meeting are displayed Tues 3rd. Cabinet on the Parish Notice Board at The Chestnuts and Wed 11th. Planning Weds 4th March at 7.30pm ON:LINE at www.bourtononthewaterpc.org.uk Thurs 12th Appeals at Bourton Baptist Church Hall. Full Minutes of meetings, associated committee Mon 16th Licensing meetings and correspondence are available the Prior to the meeting the Police will Council’s Office and ONLINE Minutes & Decisions are available for the public be invited to report and members to read at CDC offices and online at of the public may submit general Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council www.cotswold.gov.uk comments and questions to Council 8 Victoria Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, during a ten minute period. GL54 2BT | 01451 820712 Meetings generally start at 10am. Planning meetings Clerk: Mrs Susan Cretney – held at Moreton Office start at 9.30am.

Questions must be received by the Head of Democratic Services – Gloucestershire First By email no later than 5pm on the prior working day [email protected] WANTED : 100 new employers By post to CDC at Trinity Road, Cirencester. GL7 1PX The 2012 Gloucestershire Apprenticeship Challenge has been launched, and the Tel: 01285 623204/ 201 Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership is urging businesses to come forward and take on an apprentice, or to think about offering apprenticeships in new areas of business.

Last year Gloucestershire businesses smashed the campaign target of creating 100 apprenticeships in 100 days by employing 119 apprentices. This year we are encouraging them to go even further. The campaign, which we are running in partnership with Gloucestershire College, Stroud College, Hartpury College and Cirencester College, is aiming to attract 100 new employers to take part in the campaign, and for previous employers to build on their apprenticeship success. Chipping Campden School – 05/04 Development Manager Sarah Danson, said: “Everyone has really got behind the Gloucestershire Chipping Norton Rugby Club – 19/04 Apprenticeship Challenge over the last few years but there is still a lot more to be done. This year we want 100 new businesses to come forward and take on one or more of our wonderful Do Something Amazing... young people. We also want businesses that have taken on apprentices in the past to take on 96% of us rely on the other 4% more perhaps in different areas of their business.” to give blood. Gloucester-based security specialists Allcooper have employed a number of apprentices over Please don’t leave it to the years and last May they hired Laura Main on an accountancy apprenticeship. Laura goes to someone else. Gloucestershire College’s Cheltenham campus one day a week to do her AAT Level 2 training in accountancy and works the other four days on cash flow, invoices and day to day accounting in Allcooper’s finance department. Allcooper CEO, Roman Cooper, who is also on the LEP board, said: “Apprenticeships offer an affordable way to grow fresh talent and skills and are a key resource for businesses looking to invest in the long-term. Bringing apprentices into all areas of the business, allows firms to build from the bottom upwards. At Allcooper we have taken on a number of apprentices in different fields and will continue to do so to help our business grow for the future.” Register as a blood donor Receive an information pack, containing all you To sign up or for more information about the Gloucestershire Apprenticeship Challenge please need to know about giving blood. call Sarah Danson on 01452 328318 or email sarah.danson@glosfirst.co.uk. www.blood.co.uk NEWS: GFirst’s Local Enterprise Partnership has received an award of £5.7million to help Full details on The National Blood Service drive local economic growth through the Growing Places Fund. This £500m capital fund from www.blood.co.uk the Department of Communities and Local Government is aimed at generating economic activity in the short term through local enterprise partnerships across the country. inform County Council GFirst promotes Gloucestershire as a location for business, for visitors and for investors. We're also Research Team – the driving force behind the recently formed Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Population, Land Use & Community Profiling www.gloucestershire. gov.uk/inform ROAD CLOSURES INFORMATION Tel: 01452 425000 Calls will cost 15p irrespective of how long that call The information is continuously updated. Please check by phone or online may last, on landlines and mobiles. www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/roadworks Call 999 In an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened. MOBILE POLICE STATIONS Dates & times can change as the MPS is an operational vehicle.

3rd April Temple Guiting, Guiting Power, Naunton, Lower Slaughter, Upper Slaughter 5th April Clapton-on-the-Hill, Little Rissington, Great Rissington, Bourton-on-the-Water, Westcote, Wyck Rissington 13th April Chipping Campden 17th April Bledington, Icomb, Oddington, Adlestrop, Evenlode, Broadwell, Donnington 18th April Condicote, Longborough, Bourton-on-the-Hill, Moreton-in-Marsh, Paxford,

29 30 ADLESTROP VILLAGE HALL WYCK RISSINGTON VILLAGE HALL • Spacious, light, warm and colourful and available to hire for your special functions, Recently refurbished classes or any event – only £6 an hour • Discounted fees for long term bookings. • Just redecorated • small stage, kitchen facilities, disabled toilet and disabled access. A perfect Venue for Family Occasions • Excellent parking. Seats 40/20 for Dinner. Disabled access & loos. Please phone 01608 658710 for bookings and further info Fully equipped kitchen Enquiries - Call Judith Wheeler 01451 821094

LITTLE VILLAGE HALL, BELL BANK, BLOCKLEY STOW YOUTH CLUB Two large rooms (accommodating 50-60 people) Quiet rural venue with modern facilities for exhibitions, meetings, classes, parties, weddings, etc. Internet café with 12 computer terminals • Projector & screen • Pool table • Table football • Nintendo 35-50 people. Reasonable charges, ample parking. Wii • Modern kitchen • Disabled access & toilets • Rates negotiable for regular users. WITH -WIRELESS- BROADBAND incl BT OPENZONE. The Club building is next to the Police Station on the Fosseway and accessed easily from The Square. 21 Dilys Neill: [email protected] Tel: 01451 830656 01386 700880 / email [email protected] Sarah-Jane Rich: [email protected] Tel: 01451 830654

ST GEORGES HALL, BLOCKLEY ST EDWARDS HALL, STOW ON THE WOLD Fully Licensed Village Hall in good decorative order. Panelled 1st floor room with Civil War portraits & memorabilia. Seating capacity 160. Large well equipped servery/kitchen. Toilets. Holds 100. Hearing loop. LIFT and staircase from lobby. Kitchen, toilets, Gas central heating. Off street parking for 40 cars. Suitable for wedding receptions etc. Raised stage. Excellent sound system. (No discos) anti-room. CCTV. Competitive rates. 2 Hrs Free C/P(day) Enquiries: Brian Clayton – 01386 701528 2012 dates available. 01386 761514 [email protected]

BLOCKLEY COMMUNITY HERITAGE CENTRE STOW ON THE WOLD Recently refurbished, the Jubilee Hall seats 80. Light, ROYAL BRITISH LEGION CLUB bright and warm, drop down screen, parking. Suitable for Clubroom and bar with entertainment system for discos, karaoke, etc. Small lounge bar. all sorts of events. Very good rates. Large and small Meeting rooms with conference facilities for up to 150 (seats 60/ 12 dining); Catering. Parking. Minibus. Enquiries to Laurie Clayton, 01386 701528 Enquiries to Colin and Alison 01451 830242

BOURTON ON THE WATER STOW BAPTIST CHURCH HALL, STOW GL54 1AA In the community for the community THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION BRANCH HALL Spacious hall, recently refurbished, fully-equipped new kitchen facilities Available for hire; 150 seated / 250 standing. & disabled toilets. Usage Policy: we support community-focused groups. Ample off-road parking. Office Tel: 01451 824303 We do not lease the hall for commercial events. 01451 870437 [email protected]

Victoria Hall, Bourton on the Water AVAILABLE TO HIRE - VERY COMPETITIVE RATES. SALFORD VILLAGE HALL LOCAL FUNCTIONS, CHILDENS PARTIES ETC WELCOME Recently Refurbished. Attractive and flexible venue in Cotswold Village. Seats 80. Disabled Access. Parking. DISABLED ACCESS & FACILITIES Toilets. Modern Well Equipped Kitchen. CALL RICHARD MOONEY 01451 820679 www.salfordvillagehall.co.uk Tel: 01608 642853 FOR BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION

BROADWELL VILLAGE HALL Lovely rural location with spacious parking. Seats 90, ODDINGTON VILLAGE HALL Large main hall, & 2 meeting rooms. Stage with electric Ideally placed in centre of lovely Cotswold village drop down screen. Built in sound system with microphone Newly refurbished - full c/h, new kitchen and toilets. Spacious main hall with seating for 100, stage, pull down projector screen and hearing loop, also a smaller meeting room. Facilities and hearing loop. for the less able. Spacious parking. Children have access to the adjacent playground. Kitchen. Toilets. Disabled facilities. TO GET YOUR DATE ON OUR CALENDAR please ring Bookings - Frances Dodwell on 01451 830994 01451 830817 / 01451 831917

CONDICOTE VILLAGE HALL MORETON IN MARSH The perfect setting for that special occasion” REDESDALE HALL Recently built in Cotswold stone. Large car park, well Clerk 01608 654064 Two venues with a stair lift. The Lower Hall equipped kitchen, on the outskirts of the village. accommodates 80; modern kitchen facilities. Beamed Upper Hall Tel: 07587 097795 Come & see what we have to offer! accommodates 120. Reasonable charges. Nearby parking. [email protected] Historic town centre building

EVENLODE VILLAGE HALL LOWER SWELL VILLAGE HALL adjacent to Green in quiet village Traditional Cotswold VH on picturesque village green. Recently AVAILABLE FOR HIRE at reasonable rates refurbished – fully equipped kitchen, heating, tables & chairs, Disabled facilities. Seats up to 70. Competitive rates (inc.heating) vary with use. Ideal for classes, clubs, parties, receptions, presentations & family events. Newly decorated; light and spacious. Modern kitchen and loos. Disabled Perfect for parties and receptions, Shows, displays, evening classes, etc access. New pull-down projector screen. Tables, chairs, china and cutlery available. Please call Philip Pratt, 01608 652499/ 07051 867493. Tel: 01451 831916 Eml: [email protected]

KINGHAM VILLAGE HALL LITTLE WOLFORD VILLAGE HALL Beautiful Hall; capacity 100. Off-street parking; disabled access. The ideal hall for your event or activity AVAILABLE TO HIRE AT VERY COMPETITIVE RATES. Rural position 5 miles from Moreton and Shipston, accommodates 60 – 80, good parking, fully equipped kitchen, china etc., disabled facilities, Contact Jacki Jones, The Barn, Orchard Way, Kingham. OX7 6YT. projection screen, hearing loop, stage available, reasonable charges Tel: 01608 658089 Details and booking 01608 684704

ADVERTISING YOUR VILLAGE HALL LONGBOROUGH & SEZINCOTE This list is being updated to include more entries. Each box will VILLAGE HALL become a little smaller but will still contain the key information Set in the heart of this delightful village, we can offer We are fully equipped with a few unexpected bonusses - an extendable stage with pull-down screen • 3/4 about the facilities available, contact details etc.. in an A-Z list that sized snooker table • table tennis table • piano • Hi-Fi system • all equipment for short mat bowls.. So if you’re having a wedding reception or wake, children’s party or family birthday, training course or circulates each month. Entries are free. Editor business meeting, exhibition or exercise class, club social or kids’ sleepover, we would love to see YOU! FOR FURTHER DETAILS T: 01451 830218 or E: [email protected]

31 RURAL CINEMA - MARCH THE PLAYHOUSE, ST GEORGES HALL, VICTORIA HALL, Upper Town Hall, VILLAGE HALL, BLOCKLEY BOURTON ON THE WATER CHIPPING CAMPDEN CHURCHILL Thursday 26th April Monday 16th April Friday 30th April Saturday 14th April THE HELP THE HELP THE HELP THE HELP 2012 Season Tickets available - £25 Film 2.30pm & 7.30pmTickets £3 refreshments. Film 7.30pm Film 7.30pm | TICKETS £4.50 Doors/Bar open at 7:00pm - 7:45pm film Family Tickets £10 (2 adults, 2 children) Advance tickets/queries 01386 841206 Advance tickets are now £3.50/ on the door £4 Advance tickets/queries 01608 659903 Advance tickets/queries 01386 700647/593386 Tickets/queries 01451 822365 from Ch C. Information Centre/on door. E: [email protected] SCREEN ON THE GREEN, VILLAGE HALL, VILLAGE HALL, VILLAGE HALL, VILLAGE HALL, ILMINGTON LITTLE COMPTON LITTLE WOLFORD LOWER ODDINGTON Friday 27th April FILMS SHOWN THROUGHOUT Thursday 19th April Tuesday 17th April THE HELP THE MONTH. THE HELP THE HELP Film 7.30pm | TICKETS £3.50 Film 7.30pm - TICKETS £4.00 Film 7.30pm | Matinee 2pm 7.30pm | TICKETS (see below) Advance tickets from the Village Store & Red Lion Advance tickets/queries 01608 674298 Advance tickets/queries Advance tickets/queries 01451 830817 Refreshments, ice cream & bar. E: [email protected] 01608 684223 or 01608 674200 Refreshments served in the interval REGULAR EVENTS The Help (12A) 146 mins This award winning film set in the 60's is an adaptation of a best selling novel about First MON FOLK NIGHT, Ebrigton Arms 9pm. www.theebringtonarms.co.uk the black Civil Rights era through the eyes of a white journalist (Emma Stone). MON DANCE FUSION: Adult dance class. Mixed styles. No experience necessary. Exercise in a fun way. No pre-booking necessary. Chipping Campden Town Hall 9.30 – 10.30. £4.50 MON SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING St Edwards Church Rooms, Stow. 5.30-7pm Children and 7-9pm Adults 01451 831876 MON CHILDRENS DANCE CLASS Chipping Campden Town SMALL ADS Hall.6-8 yrs 4-5pm, 9-11 yrs 5-6pm. Single class £7pp, Monthly membership £22pp. 07527 757057 £0.80 per word. Min 12 words, max 30 words. MON YOGA Chipping Campden Town Hall. 2pm Starts again 21st Sept Payment with booking. Copy by 15th month. 01386438537 Tel: 07789 175 002. MON ‘Old Sweats NAAFI break’ at Royal British Legion, Bourton on the Water (10am -12) for anyone to come along for a cup of tea and a chat, INTRODUCTORY OFFER MON Burford Orchestra. Rehearsals 7.30-9.30pm at Witney Community Primary School OX28 1HL. [email protected]. 07984 492 976. New members welcome; no audition. 50p per word until 15/05/12 MON Powerfreestyle Kickboxing at Guiting power Village hall. Juniors 7-7.50pm. Adults 7.50- In Bourton Times, Chipping Norton, Moreton Times and Stow Times 8.30pm. freestyle Kickboxing or adult Boxersize. Call Adam 07774285459 (delivering almost 12,000 copies a month).

TUES Pottery Classes at Lower Swell Village Hall, 9:30am to 12:00 noon LOST: GENTS COAT. Mid-length county-style, tweed, green lining. Call Chris 10 week term £90 plus £15 materials/firing cost. Beginners welcome Contact [email protected] 01451 870734 07798 602 113. First WED Free MARTIAL ARTS LESSONS. Separate adult & children’s classes. Chipping Norton Leisure Centre. 07977 560086 www.martialartsvoucher.co.uk, FOR SALE. Ladies British Eagle town/trail bicycle. In very good order. £48.oo WEDS WEDS WALK Easy/moderate walks. Start at 10am. 01451 860366 O.V.N.O. 01608.650730 WEDS CHIPPING CAMPDEN BRIDGE CLUB 7.15 for 7.30pm Duplicate Bridge. Upper Town Hall. Non members welcome. Partners not necessary 01608 664456 First THURS Free MARTIAL ARTS LESSONS. Separate adult & children’s classes Stow-on-the-Wold Primary School. 07977 560086 www.martialartsvoucher.co.uk, First THURS Free Self Defence / Jeet Kune Do Lessons for Men and Women (Adults only) Stow-on-the- Wold Primary School 07977 560086 www.selfdefencevoucher.co.uk THURS QUIZ NIGHT at The Volunteer Inn, Ch.Campden 8.30pm 01386 840688 FRI BELLY DANCING New beginners class. 11- 12.30 The Church Room, Chipping Campden. Informal & relaxed classes for ladies of all ages, shapes & sizes. 01608 663480 FRI until J uly. Spinning Fitness Class (reservation required) exercise classes. Suitable for all abilities. Fun exercise, great music!! 6.30 – 7.30pm.. Unit 6 Draycott Business Village Draycott Moreton-in- Marsh GL56 9JY Call 01386701231 www.rapid-fx.com FRI DANCE FUSION Adult dance class, mixed styles. No experience necessary. & MON All Welcome. Ch.Campden Town Hall, 9.30-10.30 £4.50 (conc £2.50) FRI ACTIVE & ABLE Fitness & Falls classes for older people at Stow to Church Rooms, Stow 01285 623450 FRI LINE DANCING: Willersey Village Hall, near Broadway 01386 438537 FRI ACTIVE & ABLE CLASSES Posture & Stability – Tai Chi Chi Kong At Bourton, Moreton and Stow. 01285 623450

32 33 34 A B C D 35 LOCAL WALKS WITH THE COTSWOLDS VOLUNTARY Escape to the Cotswold WARDENS – APRIL Over the Top and Round the Side – Saturday 14 April – The Seven Wonders of the Cotswolds Moderate. A contrasting walk over the top of Bredon Hill to It’s time to VOTE Elmley Castle - ancient forts and orchards. Pub lunch available. 5.5 hours; 8 miles. Start: 10 am Beckford, outside entrance to church. OS Map ref 976 358 Following our quest to find the Seven Wonders of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an overwhelming number To Stow and Beyond – Sunday 15 April – Strenuous and variety of nominations have been received. So we are Using the Oxfordshire Way and other paths leading out of the putting it to the public vote to find the final seven! Evenlode Valley to Stow. Please bring a packed lunch. 6 hours; All eligible nominations (places and features within the 12.5 miles. Start: 10 am Bledington Green. OS Map ref 244 228 Cotswolds AONB) which we received are listed- • Online at www.cotswoldaonb.org.uk Bluebells in Foxholes – Friday 27 April -– Easy • Pick up a list at the Cotswold Conservation Board office at From Shipton-under-Wychwood passing through Bruern woods Northleach reaching the beautiful Foxholes Nature Reserve where Bluebells • Call the office (01451 862003 for a copy by post) should be in flower. Return by woodland and field paths. Please bring a packed lunch. 4 hours; 7 miles. As you would expect, the list includes many places and events in Start: 10 am Shipton Village Hall. OS Map ref 278 181 our area including some local favourites. Brewers and Traitors – Saturday 28 April – Moderate You can vote for your favourite seven from the list by: From Hook Norton to the Sibfords via Traitors Ford and Ditchedge email: [email protected]. Lane (Macmillan Way). Return via Swalcliffe Common and D’Arcy Dalton way. Stunning views over Brailes and beyond; a lovely Post: Nicola Greaves, Cotswolds Conservation Board woodland trail. Please bring a packed lunch. 5 hours; 10 miles Fosse Way, Northleach, GL54 3JH Start: 100 am Hook Norton Primary School, Sibford Road. OS Map ref 356 337 Closing date for entries is 1 June 2012 and the results will be announced shortly afterwards. PLEASE use appropriate footwear as some walks may be steep and muddy in places. MODERATE - includes some hills and rough ground. Sorry, no dogs allowed except guide and hearing dogs.

Walks are free although donations help to fund our conservation work and improvement projects.

The Wardens run a full programme of guided walks throughout the Cotswolds. For more information (including any changes to arrangements such as due to extreme weather) see www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk or Tel: 01451 862000.

NORTH COTSWOLD RAMBLERS GROUP

information on any walk or a copy of the Group’s current walks programme can be obtained from the Secretary : Tel. 01386 700847, email at [email protected] or online under “Local Groups” at www.gloucestershirearearamblers.org.uk

SATURDAY WORKSHOPS at CHIPPING CAMPDEN SCHOOL learn some new skills or revisit an old interest. Grow your own │ Keeping chickens │ Creative sketchbooks First Aid │Digital photography │Dinner parties on a budget Practical science PLUS Children’s football coaching. Chipping Campden High School - Sat 21st April £20 Adult Workshops │ £10 Children’s Football Coaching. For details and to book please email [email protected] Organised by CCSPA Chipping Campden School Parents Association fund raising on behalf of Chipping Campden High School.

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40 Correspondence PLEASE NOTE that all letters and emails sent to the Town Council are in the public domain and are open for the public and press to view. They are reproduced here when, in the Editor’s opinion, the subject matter is of interest to readers.

CARING IN THE COMMUNITY LOCALISM & RURAL COMMUNITIES From Lisa Robinson, Blockley – by eml (13/03) (included here to share the idea expressed) Two responses from Neil Watson and Paul McIntosh – by eml.

Dear Editor “Once again, the focus is on building more houses. What is Whilst we are lucky to have a local hospital at all (despite the (almost) missed is that there are insufficient jobs in rural areas, questionable background to it), I remember when 22 beds were the as urban areas suck ever more jobs into their geographies. On a planned minimum number - and this just quietly changed down to national scale, this can be seen by the drag of jobs to the South just 16 - for the whole of North Glos! One does tend to feel East, but it occurs on smaller scales also. The consequence is powerless in these vital behind-the-scene decisions. that rural areas become dormitories.

But I believe that many/most of us actually feel acute concern If we want to have vibrant rural communities, which I am not about the future - given the realities of so-called "Care" today. Only convinced governments really do, we need to address the recently has a bit more truth become known about what really goes problem, not the symptom. If there were more jobs in rural on in some/many for-profit residential Homes - and that's not to mention the often dire "care" shown by private agency staff areas, that employed more people, then they would be able to (working against time, invariably with seriously inadequate training afford the housing as their income, and the average incomes, or support, and on a pittance of a salary). Meanwhile, the would increase. It would also mean that more people worked owners/directors of these Agencies (wonderful sounding care in close to where they lived, which would reduce the amount of their brochures!) are taking large salaries and often showing no commuting (another priority) and spread the housing "care". I know of many such cases, believe me. development load more smoothly.

It is an utter disgrace that there has been so little (if any) adequate It would also be beneficial to stop loading rural areas with regulation of all these Agencies (and residential "care" homes) that industrial developments that add nothing to their local sprang up when local authority provision shrank. And now the economies (e.g. onshore wind farms). Body that is meant to regulate these private provisions has, itself, had to face major Cuts - rendering its job virtually impossible. This does say something about chosen priorities, though, doesn't it? Let's stop putting the cart before the horse, and start to address And not until it hits us personally, do we become aware of - or seem the real issues. How do we get more real jobs in rural areas for to care about - what's going on. all people, not just the rich and the poor?”

It's time that all showed our concern and expressed our views (and Neil Watson needs) regarding the vital care of, especially, elderly and vulnerable people - of which there are many in Glos. The idea of North Glos. “With current economics making rural enterprise difficult, a becoming a centre of excellence for caring in the community is more effective solution may be in encouraging those who can hugely appealing, as is the suggestion that several bodies such as Developers, Banks, Authorities and potential Funders should now work anywhere to move to the countryside. This requires the take this idea seriously and offer something to that side of Life as installation of high speed broadband in rural areas, and creation well as to the business side. It would surely also gain them greater of shared office space ideally. Villages used to have reading recognition and kudos. rooms for example.

Imagine what this idea could mean to so many - and what it could This would mean that these inhabitants would be sold a high mean to our reputation as a stunningly beautiful region of the quality environment, and the knock on would be that they country that really does also care about quality of life. It could be would hopefully stay in the village during the day and utilise exciting. Will people reading this just put the idea aside and not local services and products. Not just be retirees, and second know what to do next, always hoping that someone out there will homes or commuters. This is how I think you will start to take it up? Or.....? increase employment in these settlements. I would like to Congratulate the Times for raising this crucial issue. Maybe it could now be persuaded to herald and develop it so that it This seems more realistic, than trying to reverse the economics. becomes more than just an inspiring idea? Then, maybe even our Whether onshore wind farms are industrial developments is local Councillors will choose to take it up too - and people will subjective, but making these schemes benefit the community increasingly come forward to help and see what could be made economically through various community ownership models possible, so that a real difference can be made? It needn't be just a could have a substantial impact. Why not all substantial rural dream; it could become a reality if we want it enough to involve settlements generating their own power within the obvious ourselves....and for sure, it is sorely needed, now, for the future. environmental constraints, and keeping the economic benefit.” Yours Sincerely, Lisa Robinson, Blockley Paul McIntosh

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Writing copy for the April edition is always difficult as I have to write prior to the Budget & Need Help With therefore it is foolhardy to try to comment on something that hasn’t happened. What I can comment on is the farce that surrounded the Harry Redknapp affair. Unlike the very lucky man in question, most people don’t have the resources to take on HMRC therefore it is important Your Tax Return? that you declare all income, including any offshore accounts, especially those with pet names! It must be very disconcerting for HMRC to come away from what looked to be an open & shut Contact case with egg on their face. The whole affair has sent out the wrong signals but perhaps it gives Parliament & HMRC an opportunity to review the whole tax system. Why are so many Robb Eden people trying to avoid paying tax? The answer’s simple – because our tax rates are punitive & do little to encourage people to contribute. for: It seems only yesterday that the last of the 2010/11 Tax Returns were filed in January but here we are on the cusp of another tax year. If you’ve received a notice to file a Tax Return for Accounts Preparation & Analysis 2011/12 it’s a good idea to strike while the irons hot by getting your paperwork in order as PAYE & Book-keeping soon as possible. If your affairs are not too complex then you could consider filing the Return Vat Returns yourself. It’s very straightforward & there’s lots of online help available or, if you get stuck, you can talk to an HMRC adviser on the phone. Filling in your tax return can be a daunting task Personal Tax but if you organise your paperwork carefully & follow the guidance notes it shouldn’t take you Sage Training long. However, if you have several income streams or your affairs are more complex than Business Tax normal I would advise talking to an accountant. It’s better to be prepared – too many people leave it to the last minute, bringing about the possibility of a penalty or interest payable on tax due. More than just accounts - a personal service tailored to your needs. We will work with you If you have any doubt about filing your Tax Return or if you’re an employer having problems with year-end paperwork, don’t hesitate in contacting your accountant or you can contact me to get the best from your business. by phone or e-mail for free, impartial advice.

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43 44 45 LOST FOR WORDS By Nicholas John Another short story featuring the members of Wordplay, a creative-writing group.

Melanie decided that she didn’t like peppermint tea. It hadn’t then, Lavender,” she admonished with mock severity, “you really taken her long. She’d grown up in a family that drank mugs of shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for us. Your kitchen set tea; builders’ tea, proper dark brown, stiffened with several would have been quite acceptable.” spoonfuls of sugar. Lavender only seemed to have tea with funny Lavender sagged visibly and even Felicity, who usually viewed names. She sipped tentatively again at the pale liquid under her Marjorie’s hectoring lightly, glared. Melanie winced: 27 Worrell nose, then took a second chocolate finger to compensate. Close only had non-matching mugs. For best or otherwise. Lavender Pettigrew was beaming happily at the small, Roland let out a long-drawn wheeze, like the air-brakes on a assembled throng. When the decorators working at St. Andrew’s lorry. “Yes, well, um, any volunteers to start?” had unsurprisingly failed to finish the painting by the start of “I have a few lines, if I may, Roland.” Marjorie didn’t intend it as term, the delay had necessitated the need for Wordplay to find a question, certainly not one that required an answer. She was pastures new, for a few weeks at least. Marjorie had been primed for action, papers in hand, attempting to stir her ample frantically keen to get everyone along to The Fairway, but it was frame from the armchair into which she seemed rather snugly outside town and, as most of them liked to walk, the offer had wedged. She braced her feet firmly, pushed down hard on the been politely declined, which was not what Marjorie had arms of the chair and heaved, but it wasn’t letting go without a wanted at all. Lavender had happily invited them to her cottage fight. For a minute, the struggle was evenly matched, then in Merriweather Avenue and it seemed the perfect choice: Marjorie broke free like a cork from a bottle and lurched against Marjorie might have the biggest house, but, judging by the oo- the coffee-table with a crash, catching it shin-high and toppling ing and coo-ing, she’d have to go some to match Lavender’s forward like a felled oak, arms outstretched. Royal Doulton. “Steady on, old girl!” Roland was half on his feet, offering a “Do look Marjorie, a lovely design, Old Country Roses if supportive hand, but he was too late. Marjorie had, as in life, I'm not mistaken? Quite, quite exquisite!” Felicity Batchmore swept all before her. was in raptures, twittering like a caged bird. There were two tea- pots, an array of cups and saucers, a huge plate of assorted biscuits and a vast Victoria sponge, all neatly arranged on the low, rectangular coffee-table that stood in the centre of the As catastrophes go, it probably didn’t rate that highly. Except to sitting-room. Lavender had, like her cake, risen to the occasion. Lavender. Felicity shrieked theatrically, Roland remained in his Melanie had been relieved no-one had yet suggested adopted pose, half-sitting, half-standing, arms a-waving and that they took turns in hosting the weekly get-togethers - the Melanie did nothing much, save fight with every nerve to keep idea of Wordplay descending on 27 Worrell Close for tea and from laughing out loud. She kind of snorted, but hoped it came creative-writing didn’t bear contemplating. across as concern. Lavender just stared at the debris on the “Fellow scribes, to order!” boomed Roland, in his usual carpet. Three cups and two saucers in pieces, assorted parade-ground fashion. “Thanks are certainly due to Lavender teaspoons and the sugar bowl. A tea-pot without a spout. for this lovely spread. Didn’t really need my breakfast!” Marjorie had both hands firmly entrenched in the Victoria The room filled with murmured agreements and sponge, like an ageing movie star leaving her mark on Hollywood Melanie discreetly placed her cup and saucer on the floor by her Boulevard. feet, where it hopefully wouldn’t be spotted. A pitiful gasp escaped Lavender; so quiet, yet timed “Now, have we some mouth-watering morsels of prose perfectly to fill the sudden and complete silence that had fallen. to entertain us this morning? Some delicious diction to tickle our It said all that really needed to be said and so, for a moment, no- palettes?” continued Roland, warming to his theme. “But, before one said anything. All the colour in Lavender's face had drained we begin, I had an email from David last night: he’s taking the away. car for its annual once-over this morning and will be here as "My tea set. My beautiful tea set." She looked at soon as he can.” Marjorie accusingly, her voice rising. "It was my mother's." Melanie could have sworn that he glanced at her as he Everyone moved at once, in different directions: said this, but she was distracted by Lavender’s whisper from Marjorie sank back into her chair with a thump, Felicity dashed beside her. to the kitchen for a cloth and Melanie dropped to her hands and “More tea, dear?” She was beaming, nodding at the tea cup by knees to help Lavender gather up broken pieces of best china. the side of Melanie’s chair. “Bless me! You alright, old thing?” Roland looked Melanie felt herself colouring, but managed a weak smile. “No, startled, but resumed a seated position. Marjorie waved him no thank you, I’m fine at the moment.” away. Roland rumbled on, waggling his sheaf of papers with one hand, “Yes, yes, quite alright. Don’t fuss. The chair caught me by flicking crumbs from his Tweed with the other. “We’ll press on surprise that’s all. I was just going to give you my Ode To A Fallen anyway. If everyone’s got something to read and we’re all Hero.” The irony appeared lost on her; she busied herself wiping topped-up, we should get things started I think. OK with you, jam and cream off her hands with a napkin, before rubbing her Lav, old thing?” shins vigorously. “Oh yes, Roland, up and running! Thank you all for coming, “You must let me pay Lavender, but, really, what an awkward please do help yourselves to more tea, whenever. It’s lovely to chair……” be able to get the best china out.” It was an apology of sorts, but one largely untroubled by Marjorie wasn’t one to let a golden opportunity pass by. “Now culpability. Lavender appeared not to have heard, she was

46 picking little shards of Old Country Rose from the carpet. furniture that David had felt needed some communal appraisal. Melanie breathed deeply; it wasn’t really her place, but she was Melanie’s handwritten side of A4 about her childhood wish to getting a little tired of Marjorie, this over-bearing battleship of a become a ballet dancer had stayed in her bag, unread and woman who held sway and always managed to become the unbidden, but she didn’t mind. It had been a long morning. centre of attention. She put some broken pieces onto a mat on “So, what did I miss?” David grinned at her, “I think I the table, hearing Marjorie address no-on in particular, a sense arrived to the fanfare of ruffled feathers!” of injustice colouring her words. She pulled a face. “I’ve put one foot in it big time and “It was an accident, you know. It could’ve happened to anyone… probably shot myself in the other as well. How’s that for .” starters?” She turned to Lavender, who was standing on the “But it didn’t happen to anyone did it? It happened to you.” Even front step. “I’m sorry Lavender. I didn’t mean to say……..well, I though she was still on her knees, half under the table, and even did, sort of, but not on top of everything else." though she’d said them quietly, half-hoping they wouldn’t Lavender patted her arm. “Don’t worry dear. I materialise, the words had escaped Melanie’s lips and reached – appreciate it. Quite an eventful morning really and Marjorie has everyone. Felicity gulped audibly and gripped her dishcloth and promised to pay for all the damage, so no real harm's done. Roland fidgeted helplessly: nothing in army life had prepared There's no point having best china just sitting in the cupboard is him for this. there?" Marjorie spluttered like a tap with an air-lock. “Well! I really “And we were spared Ode To A Bloody Fallen Hero!” don’t think – “ “Now, now, dear!” Lavender's eyes twinkled. She went “No, you don’t, do you?” Melanie instantly regretted it. She’d inside and shut the door. David held the front gate open for said it without looking up, louder this time and before she could Melanie as she walked down the path. stop herself. And there they were: the five most contentious “I’ve got time for a coffee, if you have? It’ll make up for words she’d uttered since joining Wordplay. And everyone had boring you with old Queen Anne.” heard them. She took a deep breath and raised her eyes from Melanie felt tired. She’d spent the last hour and a half the carpet. Marjorie’s mouth was open and her chest heaved wishing she’d kept her mouth shut and trying to avoid looking at with barely-suppressed indignation, causing her pearl necklace Marjorie. Tilting at windmills was all very well, but she didn't feel to ripple. She took in a lungful of air, but the only sound was the particularly cut out for it. She had to get something for the kids' loud ring of a doorbell (which, thought Melanie, was a clever tea and pick up the dry-cleaning, but she had time for a coffee. trick if you could pull it off). Then the hot air left Marjorie with a Or a mug of proper tea. rush. She closed her mouth with a snap like the crack of a dry “Builders’ tea,” she said, “with extra sugar.” stick. Lavender jumped to her feet and the tension was broken. David appeared, framed in the doorway, a smile of greeting half- NICHOLAS JOHN fading as he took in the scene. Melanie was pleased to see him, in a Seventh Cavalry kind of way – doubly-pleased in truth and her smile held both relief and affection. Furniture Restoration “Hi, how’s the car?” She said it a little too quickly, getting to her feet as he came into the room. & Repair/Handyman “Er, fine, thanks. What – “ “Oh, bugger!” She’d kicked her own tea cup (that'd been, up to Furniture restoration and repair. now, safe from the mayhem), across the floor. “Lavender, I’m so Assembling flat pack furniture. – “ Putting up shelves, mirrors, pictures, Lavender had followed David into the room. She saw Melanie’s face and smiled wanly. curtain poles etc. “One more won’t make any difference, dear.” She turned to David. “Come on in. Tea? Peppermint or strawberry? We’ve had Jonathan Ward a little accident I’m afraid, just as we were getting started, but I 01608 664626 or 07557 883835 can easily brew some more.” She looked at Marjorie. “Nothing No job too small. Free quotations in the local area. serious I suppose, just a little crash.” Roland took up the reins again. “Morning David, er, you’ve not missed anything. Well, a bit of kerfuffle and a spot of gymnastics from Marjorie, ha ha……….ah.” He tailed off. Marjorie was >STOP PRESS > STOP PRESS > looking at him impassively and his heart just wasn’t in it. He The first Stow Festival of Writing will take place over the Jubilee weekend of 1st-4th June, featuring storytelling, muttered something about spilt milk and left it at that. David sat poetry, children's events and local authors. We'll be down on the sofa, picked a biscuit off the carpet, blew on it and encouraging people to take up pen 'n paper (and laptops too!) popped it in his mouth. and get writing! Enter our Jubilee Poem competition (see details in this issue) - and there's still time to enter a short story in the Stow Times' writing competition

"A Place In The Heart" competition - both have closing dates “Goodbye, Melanie.” Marjorie was icy politeness and she didn’t of 30th April. wait for a reply. She strode down Lavender’s front path and For those who feel in need of guidance, there is a One-day wheeled out of the gate, Felicity struggling to stay in tow. Ode To Creative Writing Workshop in Stow on Saturday 2nd June. A Fallen Hero had somehow got side-tracked by Roland’s four For this and more details on forthcoming events in the Stow pages on life at Catterick Garrison after the war, a poem by Festival Of Writing, see this and the April issue of Stow Times. Happy writing Felicity about a butterfly and a rather long essay on Queen Anne

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49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Exposure to debt is invisible. Exposure to debt is invisible but it affects Article researched and written by Carole Foster all social levels and even lurks behind long gravel drives. There might be more The world has certainly changed over the past five years noughts on the end for some but the level and many of us have changed with it. Remember when of stress for any debt is just the same. A Greece was a land of sunshine and sleepy islands? Since marriage crumbles, self loathing and we’ve all been exposed to their rollercoaster trauma of feelings of failure, shame, depression and meeting their loan payments it has shown itself to isolation are some of the feelings people have to cope simply been a bigger reflection of what many families go with, on top of their debt. through each month trying to manage their own debts. But there is help and free, straightforward advice One in five of us are struggling with debts according to available. Along with the Credit Counselling Service, the the Money Advice Trust and a recent survey by the National Debtline and it’s sister charity, the Business charity, the Credit Counselling Service, shows that Debtline show people how to negotiate with creditors thousands of households across the Midlands spend at and why it is vital to keep talking to the people you owe least a quarter of their total income meeting credit cards money to. They offer standard letters you can use to fill and loans repayments. This doesn’t include mortgage or in your own details to ask for time but most importantly rent payments and nearly half of them say it was hard to they offer personal advice on the telephone and will talk make it to payday. More than 60% of the people you though your situation. questioned said they were worried about the amount of debt they were carrying. They are exceptionally busy, the National Debtline and Business Debtline deal with fifty thousand calls from For those trying to keep a business afloat or hold onto worried people every month and that figure is expected their house, it has been a time of huge stress and worry. to rise with the growing problems of repaying payday When one man shot dead his family and animals at their loans which have massive interest rates and the home in Oswestry four years ago, rather than let them increasingly people who have fuel bills they can’t pay. be exposed to his possible bankruptcy, it was an extreme reaction to a situation many families are grappling with So with closed shop fronts, lingering unsold properties in this region. Exposure to debt is invisible but it affects and the rise in repossessions there is undoubtedly a all social levels and even lurks behind long gravel drives. hidden scenario taking place in some peoples lives. It could be time for you to seek help or for you to just talk to someone you think might need support. Remember it’s only money, it’s not the end of the world, at least it certainly shouldn’t be.

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Motivation is probably the biggest challenge facing all of us when it A member of this gym, Jenny Stewart, has recently completed a comes to health, fitness and diet, so this month I’d like to look at a few gruelling 100km trek in the Sahara Dessert and in the process raised things we can all do to help ourselves and perhaps others in the process. over £4500 for MacMillan Cancer Support – a fantastic achievement. We all know that the key to losing weight and staying fit is consistency - Jenny won’t mind me saying, but there were points during her training with the things we eat, the exercise we take, the early nights we have that she thought she couldn’t do it. The difference was that she’d and the parties we behave ourselves at! But how do we get that already signed up for it and had to keep going. She trained extremely consistency and keep it? The trick is to achieve something, because hard, lost 3 stone in the process and completed the challenge with once you have achieved something, you feel so good about yourself flying colours! Jenny is now really keen to keep up with her training as and it makes the effort worthwhile. You will want to repeat that she feels so much better – a big turnaround from a few months back. process and before long, you’ll be thinner, fitter, healthier and happier! So there is your challenge for the month. Pick a target, a goal, Why not do something for charity? There are lots of Charity events out something to aim for. It can be as big a challenge or as small a challenge there and the beauty is you can pick something to suit your fitness as you want, but what is crucial is that it is significant to you. And levels and at the same time raise money for something that is close to remember, if you need some help or advice, you know where to find us! your heart. That is a very strong motivating tool. Two common events are the Race for Life or The Sport Relief Mile – easy starting points that From Alex Doggett anyone can train for. • Gym Membership • Personal Training • Help & Advice • Range of Classes

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Children of all ages can stay active in the school holidays by taking part in multi-sport coaching sessions offered at different venues throughout the Cotswold’s for as little as £10 per child per day.

The Sports Club offers multi-sport coaching days with an emphasis on fun, fair play and teamwork in a safe and friendly environment. We cover a range of sports including football, cricket, rounders, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, tri-golf, martial arts, dance, handball and tag-rugby. All sports are delivered by qualified coaches in a fun and inclusive manner.

Sports Club coaching days run from 9.30am till 3.00pm and cost £15 a day per child. There is, however, an opportunity for your child to become a Sports Club member and receive a £5 discount per day. Therefore making it just £10 per day per child to attend. Membership information is available at the bottom of this page.

Any child attending school may attend but spaces are limited so advance booking is essential. See below for a list of dates and venues for 2012/13 and booking information.

2012-2013 Sports Club Easter: Tuesday 3rd, Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th April Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th April Sports Club @ Cirencester Sports Club @ Bourton June: • Easter 2012 • Easter 2012 Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th June • June 2012 • June 2012 Summer: • Summer 2012 • Summer 2012 Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th July • October 2012 • October 2012 Tuesday 31st July, Wednesday 1st August and Thursday 2nd • February 2013 • February 2013 August: Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th and Thursday 10th August Sports Club @ Bourton-On-The-Water Tuesday 14th, Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th August Venue - The Cotswold School, GL54 2BD Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd August Directions -Start - 9.30am, Finish - 3.00pm Tuesday 28th, Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th August October: Tuesday 23rd, Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th October Feb 2013: Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th February (To Be Confirmed) Bookings and more information

Bookings can be made for single or multiple days. Payments are taken on the day in the form of cash or cheques made payable to Cotswold District Council (or CDC). We do not have the facilities for card payments unfortunately. E-mail bookings or questions to [email protected] Or call Scott Burry, Youth Sport Development Officer (Sports Club Head Coach) on 01285 623447

Sports Club Membership The Sports Club membership fee for the 2012/13 programme is £25.00 per child or a family membership is available for only £50.00 (immediate family only). This year’s membership period runs from 1 April 2012 until 31st March 2013 . The Sports Club membership entitles the member to a £5 discount on Sports Club coaching day charges only. The Sports Club membership also entitles the holder to member rates at all Sports Club activities at other Cotswold District Council facilities and events but it does not entitle the holder to any discount on swimming or other leisure centre based activities.

Sailing - Come and Try Day

Sailing is one of the Olympic events where the British sailors have been very successful. As the weather is improving, we are holding an open day on April 21st from 10.30 am until 3.30 pm. Experienced sailors will be on hand to take you out on the lake for a sail and to talk to you about what sailing has to offer you as a leisure time activity. Refreshments will be available, so come along to Bowmoor Sailing club between Lechlade and Fairford and have a look around. Detailed map on www.bowmoor.co.uk. We offer training for all age groups and this year we are offering a course for the over 50’s on a Wednesday afternoon.

58 Moreton-in-Marsh Cricket Club

Situated just beyond the recreation park along Batsford Road is our magnificent cricket ground. Our cricket club has been running since 1856 and we continue to strive to grow and develop the club further.

We have two teams who play league fixtures on Saturdays in the Cotswold Hills League and a friendly team who play the majority of their fixtures on Sundays. Each team requires varying levels of commitment and ability - meaning new players can always be accommodated. For more information on playing please email Dave Henshaw on:- [email protected]. Weekly practice sessions at the club will be on Thursday evenings from 18:30. Current and prospective members are all welcome.

This season we are also running two junior teams for Under 10’s and Under 14’s. Cricket practice will run start on Monday 2nd April (18:00-19:00) for Under 10’s and Tuesday 3rd April (18:00-19:30) for Under 14’ and run all weekly all season. For more information on junior cricket, please contact Graham Jones on:- 07880 886232.

If you wish to get involved in our club, whether it is to play or come to watch and enjoy our fabulous surroundings, you are more than welcome.

As well as hosting cricket, we also hold several events through the year, including our popular car boot sales.

For more information please visit our new website: www.moretoninmarshcc.co.uk

Play Tennis Day – Saturday 28th April

Not played tennis since you left school? Looking for a team to play competitive league tennis? Or just need to improve your fitness in friendly surroundings? Then try out the newly re- surfaced courts and join in the fun and games at Bourton Vale Lawn Tennis Club’s free Open Day on Saturday 28 April.

Players of all standards and ages are welcome and top Gloucester LTA coach James Hilltout will hold competitions throughout the day. Family tennis events run from 2–3.30pm with junior games and a fun factory for the kids. Adult social tennis follows from 3.30-5pm and a tennis tea will be served at 4pm.

Free racquet loan is available for rusty returners who don’t have their own, while stronger players can test their serve against a speed machine. Tennis whites are not required but players do need to have appropriate footwear that will not damage the courts. Sportswear and equipment will be on sale courtesy of Will Arkell’s Bourton-based Wreal Sports.

Bourton Vale Lawn Tennis Club has two floodlit hard courts just off the Rissington Road in Bourton-on-the-Water, runs several adult and junior league teams and holds weekly social tennis evenings besides club tournaments and events throughout the summer.

For more details, contact Gwyneth Simmons at 01608 651397 or visit www.bourtonvaleltc.org

59 MORETON RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB A FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION DEVELOPMENT CLUB www.facebook.com/MoretonRangers Secretary Chairman Treasurer Vice Chairman Martin Jones Tim Sedgley Graham Rees Paul Luker 2 Devonshire Terrace 6 St Pauls Court 5 Fosseway Drive 5 Grays Lane Hospital Road Moreton- in-Marsh Moreton-in-Marsh Moreton-in-Marsh Moreton-in-Marsh Glos GL56 0ET Glos GL56 0DU Glos GL56 0LP GL56 0BL 01608 652696 01608 650611 01608 651737 01608 650955 New Tractor for Ground Moreton Rangers are pleased to have purchased their new tractor for ground maintenance. The club have been fundraising to buy a tractor as we had a roller and grass topper with no means of using them. This tractor will help us maintain the ground at a good standard which along with a ball and goals is essential before you kick off any game. A friend of the club for many years Bob Noctor had been helping us with pitch marking and maintenance so we are now able to share the load with other club members having access to the equipment. We would like thank all those who supported us in the tractor purchase. Everyone who put the green tokens in the Warner Budgens community collection helped with raising over £800 for us. We also had support from the Edith Mann Trust and Moreton Charities , along with our own fundraising. The ground at London Road is starting to take shape with the final touches around the changing rooms being finished. Moreton have a new website courtesy of BOX- 3 which can be found at moretonrangersfc.com Ignore all other sites related to the club. Can I make an appeal to all those who use the Playing Fields to clear their rubbish up after them and that no dogs are permitted. This is a playing field for adults and children and not a dog exercise area.

Moreton Rangers Under 9 squad with the new Tractor, along New Changing rooms with coaches Graham Jones and Tom Newbould

Stow on the Wold Cricket Club

With the summer fast approaching, Stow Cricket Club is back and ready to go. The team has started indoor nets and is preparing for the new season. If anyone would like to come along and get involved as a player, sponsor or supporter please do not hesitate to get in touch with the captain, Ashley Andrews for more information.

A great deal of work has gone into the maintenance of the square this winter and the club would particularly like to hear from anyone interested in giving up some time to look after the playing area during the summer. They will be given all the help and resources they need to keep Stow playing. If you would like to help, please contact the chairman, Tom Knight on 01451 870238. Fixtures The team starts playing in April with some pre-season friendlies before April Fri 20 the league campaign kicks off in May. Once again, the lads will be Sat 21 South Cerney away playing in CDCA Division 1. There is also a midweek 20/20 league that Sun 22 Stow has joined this year. This is very much going to be a learning curve Fri 27 to begin with and something that will be most enjoyable. Along with the Sat 28 Duntisbourne Home regular Sunday and midweek friendlies that have been arranged there is Sun 29 Coln Valley away a lot of cricket to be played at Stow this year. (All Friendlies)

60 Your chance to contribute to this exciting project STOW ON THE WOLD & DISTRICT RFC From David Oughton

As you will be aware Stow-on-the-Wold Rugby Club is doing well The Clubhouse, Oddington Road, Stow on the Wold GL54 1AH 01451 830887 at present with two successful senior sides and a thriving Mini www.pitchero.com/clubs/stowrfc/ and Junior section collecting trophies in several age groups. One CHECK WEBSITE FOR REPORTS, PHOTOS, NEWS & INFO of our alumni recently played for England Under 20’s and we are well represented in the England South West squad with players SOLAR PANELS PROJECT: SCHEDULE OF COSTS up to, and including, the Under 16’s. What is not so widely known is how involved the Club is with the local community, hosting As an agricultural building with an asbestos roof nearing the end other winter and summer sports, and several schools in the area, of it life expectancy the Club was ideally placed to take advantage allowing them free access to our facilities. of the Government’s generous Feed In Tariffs. It has to be pointed out that the Government has appealed against a recent finding, The Club has undertaken a major project that will enhance the and if successful, the Feed In Tariffs will not be quite as good as facilities and greatly reduce the cost of electricity and have a currently available. positive impact on the environmental issues in power generation. We have re-roofed the Clubhouse with insulated composite Re-roofing Clubhouse with Insulated Composite Sheeting £18,000 sheeting and installed a 29.6 kWp pv Solar System. A key part of 29.6 kWp pv Solar System, inclusive of all installation costs £53,000 the exercise was to take advantage of the beneficial rates Contingency Fund £3,000 Total Project Cost £75,000 available, enabling the Club to utilize £1400 of free power per Feed-In Tariffs annum, while at the same time pumping power into the National Should the Government win the appeal the Club will generate a Grid. return on capital of 2.5% of the full £75,000. Should the Government lose the appeal the Club will generate a To meet an extremely tight deadline two colleagues and I return on capital of 7.5% of the full £75,000. underwrote the project on the Club’s behalf, buying time to raise the necessary funds. I have taken on the responsibility of leading Benefits to the Club this fund raising exercise from within the Club and from the £1,400 worth of electricity, free of charge, per annum, as a “Good and the Great” of the community. In this way we can minimum at today’s rates. The Feed In Tariffs is index-linked and guarantee anonymity for those donors who wish to remain so; on with an absolute guarantee that electricity charges will rise in the the other hand, there will be a recognition board for those who future, there will be considerable benefit to the Club over 25 prefer recognition for their generosity. Gift Aid forms are also years. available. I will be happy to expand on this information if you so require it. Any contribution you feel able to make will be gratefully received, My telephone numbers are: and if you feel so inclined, please make your cheque payable to 01451 870473 and 07976 819613. Stow RFC, endorsing the back Stow Solar Panel PV. Please address your contribution to me at: Brock Bank, Rectory Farm, Lower Swell, Congratulations to Will Goodrick- Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 1LH. Clarke, selected for England U16's. By Wayne Loxton Yours sincerely David Oughton (Stretch) After moving to Prop from No.8 on the Trustee recomendation of his coach at Gloucester Rugby Academy, Will's game has gone from strength to strength. No doubt he was very happy to be selected for England U16s South West but it has now got even better. BSc (hons) Dip (ossm) MATT KEYTE Will was invited to attend a full England U16s camp and then Sport and Remedial Massage Therapist made the cut to join England's Elite Squad of 22. He follows in the Sporting or recreational Injury? Sprain or Strain? Muscle soreness or footsteps of another Stow player, Elliot Stooke, who is now playing 2 years up with the England U20s squad. tension? Looking to enhance your training programme? Call me on 01451 830911/07966068604 Well done Will, your club is very proud of your achievements so Fully insured, Qualified and Professional Member of the far and looks forward to watching you develop even further. The U16s, from the coaches and parents to the players, should all feel proud of the help and encouragement they have given Will over GOOD TEAMWORK! the years. You've all played a part in helping him get to the TALK TO US ABOUT ADVERTISING YOUR England Elite Squad. BUSINESS LOCALLY Sorry, I just have to say that again as it sounds so good 'England STOW TIMES - 07789 175 002 Elite Squad'.

61 NORTHLEACH & FOSSE LIONS CLUB

“One Shot One Life” is the Lions International Initiative to eradicate measles throughout the world, following a challenge from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to raise $10 million. The cost per vaccination is less than $1. The Club agreed to donate to this valuable project.

Fundraising: The monthly car boot sales run by the Club in Bourton run throughout the summer every 2nd Sunday. Members will manage car parking on the school field in Bourton on Saturday 7th April. Members and partners enjoyed a skittle evening at the Coach & Horses in Ganborough. In April there will be a Cheese & Wine party at the President’s home.

The Cirencester Branch of the Club meets on monthly on the third Thursday, at The Talbot Arms at 7.30pm. All interested people are welcome. Contact [email protected]

The Northleach Club meets every second Tuesday for its business meeting – at the Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach at 8 pm. All interested are welcome to come. The next meeting is 10th April.. For further information the Club website is northleachandfosselions.org.uk or telephone 0845 8339825

Funeral Director & Memorial Consultant W. J. Wright

The Chapel of Rest, Church Street, Stow-on-the-Wold GL54 1BB Tel 01451 831829 24 Hour Service Private Chapel of Rest, Prepaid Funeral Plans Serving the Cotswold Community for over 30 years

62 63 Need Storage Space?

Tilemans Park Limited Insulated Storage At our site in Shipston, on your site or at home

• We buy, sell, move and convert containers of all sizes. • Fully insulated storage available. • Contract crane services available

The ideal way to free up space in your home or workplace. You can store on our site or simply rent a container for your own property. Various sizes for rent or sale.

Short or long term rates available 01608 661677 or 07976 533771

64 Chipping Norton Probus Club At the AGM in February Ronald Speirs was appointed as this year's President succeeding John Quinn who in his year as President, with support from the Management Team, introduced a number of new ideas and innovations. The Chipping Norton Probus Club has lined up a range of talks and presentations for the coming 12 months, as well as a number of social events and visits.

If you are retired and would like to come along to one of our meetings held on the 3rd Tuesday in the month at The Crown & Cushion at 11am please phone the Secretary Geoff Norris on 01608 676997 or Alan Stewart on 01993 830907. We look forward to seeing you!

SINGING IN CHIPPY Are you aged 50+ and interested in joining a new singing group in Chippy? Songs familiar, songs new and songs for fun. Please contact Rachel Ward, Tel: 01608 646901 ; Mobile: 07730542272 ; email: [email protected]

65 Local Clubs, Societies, Associations & Charities Clubs Great Rissington Archers The Friends of The Moore Cottage Hospital Sat 10.30am at Gr Rissington Social Club (+ Weds 6.30pm in summer) Chairman: Philip Winter Tel:01451 821920 Bourton on the Water W I [email protected] 2nd Tues. 7.15pm, Victoria Hall, BOW Michael Ebelthite: 01451 824161/Niall McIntosh: 01451 870221 Sec Tina Rose. 01451 821891 N Cotswolds Youth Cricket Club The Stroke Group (part of Age UK) Bourton Vale Horticultural Society - your friendly Robert Fox 01751 6732609 www.nycc.co.uk Caroline Seguro 01452 520723 www.stroke.org.uk gardening club: Sherborne Hockey Club U3A – Bourton & District 7.30 pm every second Wednesday of the month Stuart Colmer - Chairman Tel: 01451 844 278 Sec; Janet Prout 01451 821478 at the Baptist School Room, Station Road, Bourton-on-the-Water. Home Fixtures: The Cotswold School, The Avenue, Bourton-on-the Young People & Children Antoinette Green 01451 824141 Water, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BD Bourton o-t Water Probus Army Cadets at Moreton/Bourton 2nd & 4th Mondays 10 a.m. at the Cotswold Way Bar & Restaurant Stow Rugby Club Weds 7.30-9.30pm Major M G Little Sec. Chris Fowler 01451 820787 Tim Bevan/Liz Fraser/Andrew Cartlidge www.stowrfc.co.uk 01451 831408 the [email protected] Bourton Vale Probus Club Tae Kwon Do Assoc of GB Bledington Toddler Group 1st & 3rd Tues. Baptist Church Hall Tues 6.30 Adults| Nicki 01608 658137 Mon: 10-11.30am Sec. Brian Dickens 01451 810053 Thurs 6.30 Juniors|7.30 Seniors| 8.30 Adult Self Defence Bourton Pre-school & Out of School Clubs, Cotswold Investment Club [email protected] www.combinedselfdefence.co.uk Meets 1st Tues of each month. Jeremy Main 01608 658675 Contact Pam Coombes 07950048066 or email: Cotswold Wardens (conservation work, guided walks) Music bourtonpreschool&eygloucestershire.co.uk 01451 8562000 : www.cotswoldaonb.org.uk Bledington Music Festival Children’s Art Club (ages 4-12) Dinner Hosts. www.DinnerHosts.net www.bledingtonmusicfestival.co.uk After school, Saturdays and holidays Single 35-55 yr olds - social life through dinner parties. Blockley Ladies Choir Gill Parkes: 01386 700991 Embroidery Guild, Stow & Countryside Branch. Children & Young Peoples Directorate 1st Tues/month at Broadwell V.H. Speakers, workshops. Tues 7.30-9pm Little Village Hall Sec: Jean Ellis 01386 841253 Stephen McDonald-Senior Youth Worker Mrs S Davis 01451 831277. North Cotswold Rural Youth Work Team Knit One, Sip One Knitting Group Burford Singers www.burford-singers.org.uk Alternate Weds at 8pm Coach & Horses, Longborough (Box Office: The Madhatter Bookshop, High St Burford) Bourton Youth Centre The Avenue Contact: Kirsty on 07787767957 0r [email protected] Kingham Choral Society Bourton on the Water Life Saving Club (Fire College) Derek Woods 01608 658738 Tel: 01451 820525 Mobile: 07825732523 Co-ordinator: Lynette Mantle 01386 882430 Naunton Music Society email: [email protected] Northleach & Fosse Lions Club Barbara Steiner 01451 850897 Guiting Power Brownies (age 7 – 10) 2nd Tuesday/month (business) at The Wheatsheaf Inn, 8pm Tuesday Evenings 6.15-7.30pm northleachandfosselions.org.uk/0845 8339825 [email protected] Stow Youth Singers Leader Cheryl Millar 01451 831233 N Cotswold Bee-Keepers Assoc Monkey Music (pre-school music classes) (Ages 9+) Linda Green – 01451 830327 Julie Edwards 01608 659396 [email protected] Tues. afternoons 07768 457403 or [email protected] N Cotswold Bridge Club Fridays Term Time, 6 – 7pm at St Edwards Church, Stow Meets Bourton on the Hill on Tues, Weds, Thurs Moreton Scouts Alan Lamb 01386 701603 www.bridgewebs.com/northcotswolds Local Authorities Beavers Mondays 17:30 – 18:45 Age 6-8½ N Cotswold Disabled Club Breathe Easy Groups (British Lung Foundation) Cubs, Mondays 18.45-20.15 Joan M Oughton 01451 830580 2nd Tuesday every month, 2-4pm Explorer Scouts, Wednesday (fortnightly) 20.00 - 22.00 Age 14-18 N Cotswold Digital Camera Club Baden Powell Hall Bourton on the Water Scouts, Thursdays 19.30 - 21.30 Age 10½-14 James Minter 01451 824175 www.ncdcc.co.uk 01451 822102/810520 Dave Manley-Moreton Scout Group Secretary 01608 650814 N Cotswold Friendship Centre (Within Age UK) County Cllr David Allan Thorpe Oddington Bumps, Babes Beyond 1st Weds monthly. Colin 01993 842820/01608 650868 Shire Hall, Gloucester GL1 2GT Mondays 10-12 at Oddington Village Hall [email protected] Mob. 07790491000 Emma 07966 205774 N Cotswold National Trust Springboard Children’s Centre Mem.Sec Dr.Colin Ellis 01451 822208 [email protected] Cotswold District Council St Edwards Drive, Stow 01451 831642 N Cotswold Probus Club www.springboardcc.co.uk 2nd and 4th Thurs mornings Sec. Martin Hornby on 01608 654356 Cirencester – Trinity Road, Cirencester N Cotswold Rotary Club 01285 623000 www.cotswold.gov.uk Key Information Contact: Dudley Mills 01451 820704 – Bourton on the Water District Cllr Sheila Jeffery (Bourton Ward) Childline 0800 11 11 Brian Honess 01451 830052 Stow /Barry Peaston 01608 650526 01285 623850 [email protected] N Cotswold U3A Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111 District Cllr Len Wilkins (Bourton Ward) First Responders (St John’s Ambulance) Contact Jenny Stanfield 01451 824338 01285 623802 [email protected] Rotary Kingham/Daylesford 01452 858220 [email protected] Meets fortnightly Weds evening, Sat morning District Cllr Venetia Crosbie Dawson (Rissington Ward) www.sja.org.uk www.kinghamrotary.org.uk 01285 623876 [email protected] N.Cots.District, Community First Responders, Royal British Legion Branch & Club Glos Rural Community Council meet at Notgrove Training Centre, SJA, Bourton-O-T-Water The Naight, Lansdown, Bourton GL54 2AR Marilyn Cox 01452 528491 3rd Monday/M at 7-30pm. Branch 01451 820478 [email protected] [email protected] www.grcc.org.uk Scottish Country Dance Group You can train to be a CFR in this area, Bourton on the Water Town Council Tel. William Warmington 01608 651886 Brenda Parsons 01451 831876 Council Offices, 8 Victoria Street. Single File social events for The Gloucestershire Heart Support Group: unattached 50-65s, meets fortnightly Tel 01451 820712 [email protected] 10.15 am every Wednesday morning Moreton-in-Marsh Contact Daphne 01295 788474 www.bourtononthewaterpc.org.uk Congregational Church Rooms Stow Disability Association Village Agents John Green 01451 824141 George Hill - 01608 658636 www.stowda.org.uk [email protected] Bourton on the Water Visitor Information Centre Stow Embroiderers’ Guild – tel 01451 832427 [email protected] Victoria Street. Tel: 01451 820211 / 822583 Community Groups [email protected] Sports & Outdoor Bourton on the Water Police Station Bourton Vale Cricket Club Breathe Easy Groups (British Lung Foundation) Moore Road GL54 2AZ Tel: 0845 0901234 Hon.Sec./Treas Philip Winter 01451 821920 01451 822102/810520 Moreton Hospital (Minor Injury Unit) mailto:[email protected] Cotswold Volunteers (a local charity helping disadvantaged people) Tel: 01608 812605 – 8am-8pm Bourton Vale Lawn Tennis Club Jane Winstanley CEO 01285 658802 [email protected] X-ray opening times: Mon-Fri 912am-12.45pm and Mon and Wed Ann Whitney. 07917163001 Fair Shares N Cotswolds Community Time Bank 1.45-4.15pm [email protected] 01608 812338 [email protected] N Cotswold Neighbourhood Watch Bourton Vale Equestrian Centre Pony Club Glos Association for the Blind Non-Emergency 0845 090 1234 Weds 3.45-5.45. 01451 821101 Moreton Area Centre, High St, Moreton Mondays 10am-1pm 01242 221170 www.northcotswoldsnw.co.uk [email protected] [email protected] N Cotswold St John Ambulance & St John Cadets Bourton Badminton Club Home-Start N Cotswolds (from age 10) Meets at Bourton 7-9pm Thurs 01451 820570 Cotswold School, Monday evenings Family Support Charity: 01451 831781 Business Associations & Groups Mike Winters 01451 831194 / [email protected] Kate’s Home Nursing (palliative nursing care at home) Bourton on the Water Chamber of Commerce Bourton Roadrunners Robert Barnett 01451 870349; www.kateshomenursing.org admin@bourtoninfo,com Meet at Cotswold School, Bourton N Cotswold Community Radio WIRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Network Tues & Thurs 7pm (short run); 7.30 (long run). Juniors Thurs 7pm Tues. Old Police Station, Chipping Campden, N Cotswold: Emma Heathcote-James Lynn Hudson 01242 820920. www.bourtonroadrunners.co.uk www.nothcotswoldonline.com www.wire.org/networks 01386 831379/07977 226025 Cotswold Walkers N Cotswold Support Gp – Parkinson’s UK YHA Stow on the Wold Sarah Clifton-Gould 01285 623450 Mike Winter 01451 831194 Manager Dawn Rankin Every Thurs 2pm Moreton Area Centre RNLI N Cotswold Branch [email protected]/www.yha.org.uk Wed 2pm Bourton Parish Ch.- Alan Robinson 01451 821067. Chairman Diana Porter 01451 830508 66 Local Business Directory Stow Times, Moreton Times, Bourton Times and Chipping Norton Times new BUSINESS DIRECTORY. Animals & Pets House & Home DIAL-A-DOG-WASH Mobile Grooming Parlour J.BRYER CARPETS 01993 845360 / 07754 039665 Carpets supplied & fitted at below shop prices. MMaatttt FFeerrggyyssoonn Dog Walking/ Sitting Service Shop at Home Service. www.jbryercarpets.co.uk Telephone Carol 01451 820661 Call: 0790 9991216any time. DDrryy SSttoonnee WWaalllllliiinngg 0011445511 885511992277 // 0077779922 33331122441 1 Accommodation Learning & Tuition 0011445511 885511992277 /// 0077779922 33331122441 1 TREE TOPS GUEST HOUSE (Liz & Brian Dean) ITALIAN LESSONS IN CHIPPING CAMPDEN Secluded B&B; 5 mins from train station & Moreton town centre www.italianlanguageschool.co.uk 01386 849156 LONDON ROAD, MORETON IN MARSH 01608 651036 Marquees 3* Tourist Board Approved B&B, Bourton O/T Water Lin Stevens 07740 805250. “Comfortable & friendly” COTSWOLD MARQUEES LTD Tel 01608 686900 www.cotswoldmarquees.co.uk Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning GRIMEBUSTERS 01993 868924/ 07778 298312 Pest Control Services Professional service at unbeatable rates MIKE VICKERS PEST & MOLE CONTROL Domestic, Chiropody Commercial, Agricultural Tel 01608 642531/07788 668740 DEREK BROOKES MSSCh,MBCPA,HPCReg [email protected] For all your foot health needs. 01451 822540 Property & Garden Services Clothes & Curtain/Alterations Batsford Timber Ltd – Fencing & Sheds C.C.Electrical 01608 651096. www.batsfordtimber.co.uk Electrical Problem? We can help! BERNIE’S ALTERATIONS – 35 yrs experience Jobs of all sizes undertaken. Tel 01451 833831 or 07768 305427 Brian Halling - Window Cleaner Portable Appliance Testing (PAT). 01608 651406 | 07969 934230 FAULT FINDING | LOCAL SERVICE 24/7 How to Use a SEWING MACHINE or How to Make 07798 602113 | [email protected] Curtains, Cushions, Blinds or Clothes TREE CONNECTION.CO.UK - Climbing tree surgeon 07538 538534 | [email protected] www.sewing-tuition.co.uk•Ring Sue on 01608 644877 Fully insured & qualified. Free quotes. 07588417514 (E)[email protected] Florist Professional Services ALLIUM FLORIST www.alliumflorist.co.uk Just Wills - Will Writing Service. Marsh Flowers More than just Flowers Your instructions are taken in the comfort of your own home. FLOWERS FOR... 1 Oxford Street, Moreton-in-marsh, GL56 0LA Tel 01608 650630 From £47.50 single will £80 joint/will. No payment until your will is produced. 01608 643142 or [email protected] Weddings, Sympathy, Every Day Stow Roses – The Flower Shop Excellence in Design, Service & Value 01451 832277 www.stowroses.co.uk JSM BOOK KEEPING SERVICES Small business High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AD 01608 652234 specialist, monthly accounts, VAT, Payroll, etc.. [email protected] Hair & Beauty 07779 384998 / 01608 644242 BELLISSIMA BEAUTY Treatments and make-up for all occasions. 01451 810489/07780 684134 www.bellissima-beauty.co.uk Taxi/Private Hire Health & Fitness ELDRIDGE TRAVEL – PRIVATE HIRE 8-seater – 01993 822271 PHYSIOTHERAPY – Orthopaedic & sports injury specialists. Local - Long distance - Airports MCSP HPC Reg. Spinal & joint pain. Acupuncture. Bourton-on-the-Water. 01451 822660 M.H TAXIS – your Local Taxi Service Tel 0777 993 9415 www.mhtaxis.com PILATES 4 U - Tel Robert - 07500 188 445 Bourton on the Water, Northleach, Aldsworth, Wyck Rissington NORTHWICK PRIVATE HIRE John Whateley 01386 701806/07855 824 788 Home Care STOW TAXI SERVICE – 07887 714047 Rosie - Experienced & Insured Carer [email protected] STOW TIMES LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY 01386 593392. References & CRB available 2 line entry @ £70 a year, 11,500 copies a month

STOW TIMES, MORETON TIMES, BOURTON TIMES & CHIPPING NORTON TIMES Tell BOURTON TIMES & we’ll tell the WHOLE COMMUNITY Advertise your business IN EVERY EDITION OF ALL 4 MAGAZINES Put your business into every house * in the community – FOR AS LITTLE AS £12/MONTH from Adlestrop to Bourton on the Hill, Condicote to Fulbrook, Local Business Directory Chipping Campden to Chipping Norton, Moreton in Marsh to Entries are included for a calendar year (eleven editions) and priced Naunton the Swells and Bourton on the Water, and Stow on per business. Your advert can include photos and logos as well as the Wold to the Wolfords, the Comptons and the Rissingtons. text - IT’S STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SIMPLE WE DELIVER TO OVER 11,500 LETTERBOXES SMALL BOX = 15mm high x 60mm wide(1 column) If your advertisement catches the eyes of only 1% of £12/month (by DDM) or £120 /year our readers, that is 300 people Include photos & logos as well as text All advertisements appear automatically in all 4 editions LARGE BOX = 33mm high x 60mm wide (1 column) * In most communities. For areas currently without deliverers £22/month (by DDM) or £220/year we deliver copies to key centres for personal collection. CREDIT & DEBIT CARDS ACCEPTED We are currently offering up to 20% discount for prepared FOR INFORMATION or TO BOOK YOUR ENTRY artwork and multiple bookings. 07789 175 002 or [email protected]

67 With over 10 years experience the Real Wood Kitchen Company knows how to make the perfect kitchen. We work with you to ensure you get your ideal kitchen. We are friendly, reliable and come highly recommended with references. Call us for a free no obligation design and quote. Tel: 01993 898808 Email: [email protected] Tim Maule and Dominic Harrison www.realwoodkitchens.co.uk

Talk to us * about advertising TOTALLY TILES your business TRADE LTD 07789 175 002 *MORETON TIMES, BOURTON TIMES, STOW TIMES & CHIPPING NORTON TIMES Huge Collection of Wall & Floor Tiles Available to the Public & Trade Travertine, Limestone & Slate Ceramic & Mosaics – Oak Flooring Artsnose Home visits can be arranged to bring a selection of products & to give advice Studio Shipston on Stour Full fitting service by our experienced tilers We are a non-commercial recording studio with production Complete bathroom refurbishment spaces and live rooms as well as Band Practice Prices to suit all budgets room for rent Tel: 01608 652825 on an hourly basis with backline NEW ROAD, MORETON – IN – MARSH 07976 533771

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