West Dean Parish Council Newsletter Winter 2018 Volume 2 Issue 11

Our villages remembered Berry Hill; Bream; Brockhollands; Cannop; Christchurch; Clements End; Edge End; Ellwood; Joyford; Little Drybrook; Nine Wells; ; Parkend; ;

Shortstanding; Sling; Viney Hill; ;

◼ The Cenotaph at Bream beautifully dressed in knitted poppies for the well supported Service of Remembrance. © Nigel Woodhouse

◼ Preparing for Whitecroft’s annual ◼ Yorkley’s watchful soldier at the Remembrance Service the Rev Denise war memorial in readiness for the Hargreaves, with, left to right, Ken Service of Remembrance Giddins, Paul Roberts, Ian Howells (Standard Bearer), Dave Kent (clerk, West Dean Parish Council) and Barry Jessop, service organiser. More reports P12

Page 2

West Dean Centre Users

England Primary School to Bream School, we are site, highlighted the poor very concerned about condition of the building. raising sufficient building We are unable to funds. renovate it because it is If something were to Spotlight situated on both county happen to our current to support your council and Gloucester building or we were local pre-school Diocese land. We are unable to raise sufficient on also able to use the funds for new premises, BREAM Early Learners West Dean Parish we may have to close — is a registered charity Centre one morning per meaning a great loss to and not-for-profit week. the local community. We BREAM business, which has Now the county would be grateful if you been serving the local council and Bream could help us raise EARLY community for 53 years. School have identified awareness and lend An Ofsted ‘good’ land at the school where your support by rated pre-school, our we can put a new ❖Spreading the LEARNERS last inspection found our building. Our current word children “make good or lease expires in ❖Completing a better progress” and our November 2019. questionnaire staff team “create a very Over the past six ❖Supporting welcoming environment years we have raised fundraising events for children and almost £33,000 but ❖Donating on our parents”. require £130,000 for our website - http://www. A 2016 building new building. breamearlylearners. survey of our old As the only pre- com/fundraising/ modular building, on a school in the village and Estelle Harvey Bream Church of the main feeder nursery

rules on the application form. £ £ Financial support is available Non compliant applications will be rejected. If you need further advice for your community work £ £ please contact the clerk.

WEST Dean Parish Council makes dates please download the rules grant awards twice a year. The and the application form from the dates and times for next year been parish council web site. decided and will be strictly ob- Alternatively contact the clerk at served. West Dean Parish Council, The Par- NOON on Friday 31st May 2019 ish Office, The West Dean Centre, is the closing date for the summer High Street, Bream, , GL15 grant applications and Noon on 6JW; 01594 564484 or email: Image for illustration only Friday 4th October, 2019 is the [email protected] date for the second round of appli- Please read the rules very care- cations. fully to ensure your application ◼ Need financial help with To make a bid for either of the complies in every way with the community project? Page 3

Shed celebrates

Inside this issue

Bream Early P2 Learners

Stake your claim P2 £ £ Visit The P3 Shed

◼ All the tools of the trade at Whitecroft Men’s Shed. P4 BREAM NOW one-year old, the Forest done, we also contribute a of Dean & Wye Valley Men’s small amount voluntarily to the What’s in P5 Shed is a registered Communi- club's future. store? ty Interest Company. Does this sound of interest How can we P5 Originally set up for lonely to you or to someone you use these? older men and women, we know? Then 01594 780170 now welcome anyone over 18 and join us. Creative P6 years of age. If you are a voluntary group Canopy The group meets in White- or charity looking for assis- croft on Thursdays from 10am tance we can also help. Our P7 to 5pm and offers a safe, sup- activities range from carpentry, Dabdown portive and friendly place to furniture repair and renova- where we socialise and work tion and sharpening tools and P8 together to learn and share knives. Sling skills. With more than 30 men and You shop — P9 In our workshop we pursue women, from 29 to 95 years, we win! hobbies, chat and have re- we need permanent, larger freshments. To raise funds we premises and would also wel- Christmas P10 work on our own projects; help come donations of woodwork comes early others and contribute to com- hand tools. In this way we can munity projects. Run by the extend the type of activities. Meet your P11 members who decide what is Secretary Jane Trout councillors Page 4 BREAM Your

from Mary Rontree village & Jon Graham matters

Now you can help — both home and away volunteers, however, for various reasons numbers have recently become depleted. Now, in order to sustain our current opening hours, we desperately need more people. varieties so often Please bring milk If you would like to discarded when bottles bottle tops to the West WEARNG two hats at the join us, please pop in for are put for re-cycling. Dean Centre collection same time, I’m entering an informal chat during We have identified a point in the café during pleas for both Bream opening hours, which charity supporting the the Centre’s opening Community Library and you will find on the manufacture of hours. the West Dean Centre door. prosthetic limbs and We will ensure they Café. ◼ MY second request is they will be grateful for reach their final any contributions large destination. ◼ AS you know the for milk bottle tops — or small Library is run by cheerful the red, green and blue Mary Rontree

Spooky goings on at Bream Sports Club MANY scarily dressed games for all the kids. ◼ Isobel visitors were at Bream The organiser Julie and Jack Sports Club for the annual Holder said: “I hope next Eisel with Trunk or Treat evening year’s event will be a draw Violet held in October. for even more scary cars Rose- To add to the atmos- and their owners to come Hunt phere residents dressed and join in the fun. ready to up their car boots with “I thank everyone who enjoy a scary items relating to came to support us this spooky Hallowe’en. year.” night in There was also a fami- Jonathan Graham Bream. ly disco including party Page 5 Water harvesters come to rescue after long dry summer

FOUNDED in 2010, the a plot of our own and a Allot- volunteer committee ment Association has ensures the sites are taken on land at two managed fairly for all. sites — Parkend and We also wish to help Whitecroft. others in the communi- Tucked away next to ty to have access to a the church the Parkend growing space. site is tranquil and sur- The Whitecroft site rounded by wonderful has a raised bed which woodland while the is available for people Whitecroft site is over- who would not be able looking the hills rising to manage a full or half ◼ Water harvester in situ to ensure produce towards Bream offering plot. grows. stunning views of graz- The long dry spell ing land and the Forest. much enjoyed by many cil towards buying wa- volunteer, the harvest- Both sites were ear- led to problems getting ter harvesters. ers were in position marked for community water to both sites. Members were re- when the rain came. use and allotments Water was being carried lieved and pleased to Thank you WDPC. were decided to be a by hand which was back receive the grant and fitting use. - breaking work. after hard work by the Our aims are primari- An emergency grant allotment holders, in- ly to have a place to request was made to cluding a fall which led grow our own food and West Dean Parish Coun- to broken ribs for one

Parish saves the red BT phone kiosks – how will you use yours?

WEST Dean Parish Councillors have  01594 564484. bought 14 former British Telecom The kiosks are at: Holly Tree Place, Old- iconic red telephone kiosks. We have croft; Viney Hill, GL15 4LZ; Clements carried out an audit on their condi- End, GL16 8LN; Pillowell Road, White- tion and now need YOUR support and croft, GL15 4RL; Yorkley Wood Road, ideas on their future use. We need to GL15 4TX; Main Road, Pillowell, GL15 establish whether they be retained 4RB; Bailey Hill, Yorkley, GL15 4RS; for purely heritage reasons or encour- Parkend Road, Bream, GL15 6JX; Park age communities to use them as lend- Road, Berry Hill; Woodland Road, ing libraries, defibrillator boxes etc. Christchurch, GL16 7NR; Oakwood If you are interested in being in- Road, Sling, GL16 8JH; Ellwood, GL16 volved please contact Phil Jones at 7LY; Brecon Way, Edge End, GL16 7EW; the parish office in Bream, email Highfield Road, Bream, GL15 6HU. deputyclerk@westdean pc.org.uk or Phil Jones, deputy clerk WDPC Page 6

Like us they want to see more cultural, creative, artistic events Opportunities and opportunities in the Forest and are willing to invest signifi- cant funds to make this happen. to celebrate West Dean Parish Council, working with artists and arts or- ganisations from across the dis- Forest’s culture trict, has pulled together to make this ambition a reality. Get involved As a major partner in Creative Canopy’s establishment, WDPC has stepped up to the mark and the heart of Creative Canopy, provided significant guidance now is a great time to get in- which will continue throughout its volved. Tell us what you’d like to set-up, giving input into the see happening in the Forest, steering group, and leading its help shape the future of this ex- growth and development by citing new initiative and dream ◼ Brass instrument reflection. providing hot - desk space and a © Tina Dorner big about what we can achieve physical home to the organisa- in the years to come. CREATIVE Canopy is a newly tion. For further information or to established organisation, cur- WDPC led the successful bid get involved, please contact rently supported and hosted by to Arts Council in 2018 Donna Baber, Creative Arts & West Dean Parish Council. and supported the recent recruit- Culture Project Manager for Cre- (WDPC) ment of a project manager. ative Canopy on fodcreative The goal is for Creative Cano- Because of comparatively low [email protected] arts engagement and invest- py to engage more people in the arts, build partnerships to max- Based at West Dean Centre, ment, in 2016 Arts Council Eng- Bream, my normal working days land chose the Forest of Dean imise opportunities and celebrate the culture of the Forest of Dean. are Mondays and Tuesdays. as a priority area for the South Donna Baber West Region. As the community will be at

THE Purple4Polio cam- across the world. ners WHO, UNICEF, paign launched by Rotary When a child receives CDC and the Bill and Purple for in Great Britain and Ire- a life saving polio drop on Melinda Gates Founda- land is providing commu- mass immunisation days tion, just Pakistan, Af- nities with ideas to help in many countries their ghanistan and Nigeria are hope rid the world of polio. little finger is painted with now classed as endemic. Recently Yorkley a purple dye so it is clear To ensure total eradi- Community Centre re- they have received their cation two billion oral ceived 1,000 purple cro- life saving vaccine. polio vaccines have to be cus bulbs from Forest of Rotary’s pledge for a administered every year Dean Rotarian, John Free- polio free world was made until the world is finally man, to support the cam- in 1985 when there were certified polio free. paign. 125 polio endemic coun- Yorkley volunteers, By raising both funds tries with hundreds of new Jackie Dale, Heather Don- and awareness to eradicate cases every day. In 2017 nelly and Sharon Freeman polio across the world there were only 22 cases planted the bulbs. they also promote the in the world. These will be enjoyed work of their global cam- However, as long as by everyone when the ◼ Volunteers paign End Polio Now. there is a single case any- beautiful purple crocuses Sharon Freeman, For more than 30 where children every- appear in the early Spring, years, Rotary members where are at risk. acting as a reminder of the Jackie Dale and have been committed to Thanks to Rotary, and enormous task yet to be Heather Donnelly fighting to eradicate polio the support of their part- completed. Page 7

Do you know the link?

LIKE the ubiquitous buses, you wait patiently for a book about your village and then two come at once. Welcome to Dabdown and A Whitecroft Scrapbook celebrate the diversity of a village that rose from a farming community into a bustling Forest industrial hub. Welcome to Dabdown tells the ◼ Books full of surprises. story of Whitecroft, the original home of Marigold Gloves and a newspaper cuttings showing coloured) towards the fund and world famous pin factory. Whitecroft’s rich heritage with decorated with words associated From a time when 1,500 peo- many images of fun times and with Whitecroft. ple were bussed into Whitecroft views that have long disap- Welcome to Dabdown (£14), every day to work, shop and peared. A Whitecroft Scrapbook (£7) and play, the book also explores ex- It has been published to help the mugs (£7) are available by planations as to why the hamlet raise funds for the Whitecroft contacting Jenny on jennycare is called ‘Dabdown’ and why the Defibrillator Fund and volume @btinternet.com or phoning sporting sides have always been two is already being compiled. 07908 374291. The same contact known as ‘The Greeks’. Alongside volume one the vil- details can be used to contribute A Whitecroft Scrapbook is a lage is also selling limited edi- towards A Whitecroft Scrapbook collection of photographs and tion mugs (blue, purple or multi- Volume Two.

Church and Community St James’ Church Youth and Children's Worker. Charlotte is in- offers something volved with activities based around Bream for everyone Church and School as well as more widely in MEMBERS of St the Forest. James' Church, Bream, The church contin- have been settling into ues to have a befriend- their new centre and a ing scheme for isolated number of groups are and lonely people, in enjoying the bright hall. addition to Barry Ste- The Under-5’s group vens who works in meets on Monday schools with particular around New Year reso- Everyone is welcome mornings, and the children and families. lutions to make positive at all our events. Luncheon Club meets He also offers par- changes in our lives. Just drop into the fortnightly on Fridays. enting courses etc. In addition we will office at the centre, or The church has now In the new year it is have a Happiness Lab search the website employed Charlotte likely we will offer a Re- which takes a 6-week breamchurch.org.uk Butcher, a full-time solve course based look at Happiness. Page 8

Winter or Summer — there’s something for all at Scarr Bandstand start of the bandstand restoration, shire Youth Players and Jenny Wren with its links to Forest bands Productions. stretching back over 100 years. We have already received very In June, Forest training bands generous sponsorship towards the will play at the new Rising Stars costs of Summer 2019, but more is event; your chance to hear future still needed. virtuosos. In July and August, eight Might your local group like to Forest brass and silver bands will use the Bandstand site for your play at either the Brass Festival or own event, picnic or party? Do get the Festival Saturday events. in touch with: Returning by popular demand, [email protected] we will again host the Gloucester- (secretary)

◼ YOU are invited to join in fes- tive fun at Sling Club on Friday, 14th December, at 7.30pm when Pillowell Silver Band will be playing Christmas favourites. ◼ THE Friends of Scarr Bandstand are delighted that during summer 2019 all Forest brass and silver bands will be represented in the ◼ The Brass Festival, 10th June 2018. third season of events since the

Be telephone aware

THE district council is warning cils and Community Safety member of the council tax residents to be wary of bogus said: “We urge residents to be team. calls from a company claiming wary of phone calls of this na- Should you wish to appeal to be working on behalf of the ture. against your council tax band- council. “This nationwide telephone ing, you can do this yourself, Callers are advising resi- council tax banding scam is free, by contacting the District dents that council tax or prop- currently targeting our district. Valuation Office on 03000 erty banding on their property “The council will never use 501 501.” may be too high and offering a third party to contact a tax- to reduce it for a fee. payer in this. For details of council tax They also ask for personal “We urge anybody receiv- bandings please visit the information, including bank ing such a call to end the call Council Tax Bands and Ap- details. immediately and never to pro- peals page of our website Several residents have vide personal information over www.fdean.gov.uk. contacted the council after the phone, especially bank For more information or to being targeted by scam calls. details.” report a telephone scam visit Councillor Paul Hiett, Cabi- If you have any doubt the Action Fraud website net Member for Communities about such a phone call,  www.actionfraud.police.uk or and Parish and Town Coun- 01594 810000 to speak to a  0300 123 2040. Page 9

Development Plan, the Five Acres for- The parish council has made the Five-year campaign mer College site is now sports fields available to Broadwell safe from unwanted development and Football Club and Berry Hill Rugby Club. secures college site is secured for community use. The parish council with the district WDPC has possession of the sports council will make the aspiration to cre- AFTER a five-year campaign, spearhead- fields, while the district council is the ate a leisure and recreational hub at the ed by the dynamic and influential Berry owner of the rest of the site — thea- site for the local community, the wider Hill action group FANS and the West tre, leisure centre, other buildings on Forest and for tourism, a reality. Dean Parish Council Neighbourhood the site and the tennis courts.

Long wait almost at an end AFTER almost 20 sea- already made there is sons away from home still much fund-raising Bream Amateur FC to be done to help with hope to be playing in the expensive tasks village in the next 12-18 These include weed months. killers, fertilisers and Once the seeding and seeding. growing period is com- The football club is plete the club playing arranging a variety of field will begin to take fun, fund-raising events shape. in the next few months ◼ The start of work to end 20-year wait Members thank all from a horse racing residents and local busi- evening, to a beer ping they also hope to buy a the changing rooms and nesses for their support pong evening and the state-of-the-art grass facilitate the return of during the initial con- much welcome return of mower. junior football to the struction phase of the Breamfest. Looking further village. pitch. In addition to raising ahead members are Despite the progress funds for these items looking to redevelop . Jonathan Graham

You shop — we win! Forthcoming Council Meetings All meetings will be at 7pm, where an open forum is SIMPLY by shopping online you can help to followed by the full council meeting. raise money for Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance . Residents of the parish are invited to attend and raise Using the great website easyfundraising matters of concern at the open forum. turns your everyday online shopping into free donations when you shop with more than There is no meeting in December 3,300 retailers such as Amazon, eBay, John Lewis, Argos, NEXT, TESCO and Booking.com. 2019 The retailers make a small donation to say Wednesday 30th January ‘thank you’ and easyfundraising gives the donations free funds to us. Please register Wednesday 27th February using this unique link – just search for 'Forest Wednesday 27th March of Dean Dementia Action Alliance and click support us —https://www.easyfundraising. These meetings will be held at West Dean Centre, Bream. org.uk/invite/AEJ75W/6QW1KA/ Once you’ve signed up and raised £5 in donations, easyfundraising will give us an extra £5 dona- Agendas are published on the parish council website and tion. There’s no catch or hidden charges. on notice boards five days before each meeting. Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance will be really grateful. Page 10

Exciting time for involvement WEST Dean Parish’s second Neigh- in terms of references, footnotes bourhood Development Plan (NDP) and photographs. is well under way. An NDP allows This would suit someone with communities to influence develop- considerable experience in filing ment in their areas. and retrieving information electron- The new plan is for Forest Edge ically, in archive management and (South) area — the old Pillowell in the presentation of technical ward, which includes Yorkley, Pil- documents. An interest in local lowell, Viney Hill, Oldcroft, White- communities, in particular the vil- croft, Parkend, the Barracks, and lages of the Forest Edge (South) large swathes of the Forest as far as area, would be an advantage. The Speech House. The position will be on an ad hoc Dedicated teams have been basis, involving attending meetings working in the area, identifying the once every two months, working important community features in ◼ The Parkend community with community teams, and ensur- the form of Character Assessments. has already come forward ing safe and accessible storage for These provide the necessary with plans for the derelict documents. Remuneration will be information to present an NDP Sheward’s shop. mutually agreed. If you are inter- strong enough to stand up to the ested, please send details to the rigorous legal check which will be the final document in a clear and Parish Clerk, (see page 11). made once the document is ready well-referenced way. The next meeting of the NDP for the referendum process. Therefore we are looking for an team is at Pillowell Village Hall, on As large amounts of data will be experienced Document Manager to Wednesday 12th December at 7pm. collected, it is important to keep take charge of the documents, to If you are interested in taking the information in an accessible store and log them, and to ensure part in this exciting project as a vol- way to ensure the development of the integrity of the final document unteer, please contact the clerk.

limit. The M48 crossing be- Christmas is tween Aust and Chepstow will be closed westbound coming early later on 17 December, reo- pening early on 19 De- cember so the booths on THE Forest of Dean Dis- the English side can be trict Council has wel- taken away. comed the announcement Further work will be that toll charges on the carried out in 2019 to re- Severn Bridge will be turn both routes to a three- scrapped before Christ- ◼ Tolls to be scrapped for Christmas. lane motorway with the mas. usual 70mph speed limit. The original plan was booths as the bridge goes M48 Severn Bridge. Vehicles have had to to abolish the toll on 31st toll free. The M4 bridge will pay to cross between south December, 2018, but this The renamed Second reopen early on 17 De- west England and south has been brought forward Severn Crossing will shut cember for a formal cere- Wales since the first to the morning of Monday westbound on Friday, 14 mony, as it is believed it bridge was opened by the 17th December. December at 20:00 GMT will be the first time in Queen in 1966 The Prince of Wales ahead of the Severn tolls about 400 years that cross- Regular users of the Bridge will close west- being scrapped on Mon- ing the Severn estuary will bridges, which costs £5.60 bound on the penultimate day, 17 December. be free. for a car travelling west- weekend before Christmas Motorists will be di- There will be narrow bound, could save as much to remove the M4 toll verted around the original lanes with a 50mph speed as £1,500 a year. Page 11

How to contact YOUR West Dean Parish Councillor Email: [email protected] e.g. [email protected] or as below:

Bream Ward: Claire Smith Peter Dunford Berry Hill Ward: Paul Hiett (chairman) The Forge Bungalow The Willows, Tim Gwilliam Baytree Cottage, The Tufts New Road Upper Road 15 Astridge Close, Bream, GL15 6HW Bream GL15 6HJ Pillowell GL15 4QZ Coleford GL16 8GA  01594 564571  07903397277  01594 562170  01594 781451 Steve Crick Ellwood & Sling Ward John Pemberthy Jim Richmond Woodside Farm, Debra Oliver Sunnycroft 29 Woodgate Road Beech Way 46 Tufthorn Avenue Castlemaine Mile End GL16 7QJ Bream GL15 6NB Milkwall GL16 8PT Parkend GL15 4HH 01594 836728  01594 564657  01594 810836  01594 560105 Christchurch Ward: Bill Evans Bill Gayler Sharon Freeman Mike Costley Hill Dene, High Street, Julola, 2 Arlin Cottages, Touchwood, Clearwell, GL16 8JS Marsh Way, Sling Lower Road Woodland Road,  01594 837211 Coleford GL16 8JN Yorkley GL15 4TH Christchurch, GL16 7NR Frank McGuinness (deputy  01594 832969  01594 560105  01594 836528 chairman) Pillowell Ward Andy Moore Dave Kent (Clerk) Brockaran Barn, Bob Freshwater Anna’s Cottage,  01594 564484 Blistors Farm, Bemerton, Crown Lane, Wesley Road, Phil Jones (Deputy Clerk) Bream GL15 6EW Yorkley, GL15 4TP Whitecroft, GL15 4RE  01594 564484  01594 564421  01594 562014  01594 563784

Member of Parliament

Rt Hon Mark Harper, House of Commons, London SW1 0AA 01594 823482: [email protected]

County Councillors

Richard Boyles Bream and Pillowell 07979755101: [email protected]

Carol Allaway Martin Sling & Ellwood 01594 834345: [email protected]

Terry Hale Christchurch and Berry Hill 07702660430: [email protected]

District Councillors

Marrilyn Smart OBE Christchurch  01594 837303: [email protected]

Tim Gwilliam Berry Hill  01594 836441: [email protected]

Diana Edwards Pillowell  07712160452: [email protected]

Alan Grant Pillowell  01594 562789: [email protected]

Paul Hiett Bream  01594 564571: [email protected]

Richard Leppington Bream  07816381909: [email protected]

Chris McFarling Sling & Ellwood  01594 531225: [email protected]

Terry Hale Sling & Ellwood  07702660430: [email protected] Page 12

◼ In a moving ceremony accompanied by Parkend Silver Band and with standard bear- ers from the Royal British Legion, Parkend Parish Councillor John Pemberthy laid a wreath at Parkend Memorial Hall on behalf of West Dean Parish Council to commemo- rate the hundred year anniversary of the armistice.

◼ The final word lies with pupils from Berry Hill Primary School who wrote and read their own thoughts at the school’s Remembrance Day Service