Page 2 A May Letter from Canon Michael May is possibly my favourite month of the year. Spring has definitely arrived and there is a suggestion of summer on the horizon. I always feel that my garden looks its best in May when the early blossom has given way to the blossom on the fruit trees with their sugges- tion of the fruit that will come later in the year; that sense of anticipation in the air. This year May is a very significant month for our family as our daughter’s wedding takes place at the end of the month. The sense of anticipation has certainly been mounting although thankfully, with just a year between engagement and wedding day, our lives haven’t been too dominated by ‘wedding talk’! Our daughter is getting married in York, where she and her fiancé met, and in the church that they belong to. We worked out that under the Qualifying Connection rules of the Church of England she actually had the choice of more than a dozen possible churches where the wedding could have taken place. These rules have made it much easier for couples to find a church to be married in and it is good to see that church weddings are still a popular choice. This year, between the three churches of St Giles , Holy Cross and St Bart- holomew’s Nympsfield, we have 11 weddings booked. The regular members of our churches enjoy seeing the wedding couples in church and getting to know them a little. As a priest it is a real privilege to share something of a couples journey to marriage and, of course, to conduct the service on ‘the big day’. I always remind couples that they are the ones who actually ‘do the marrying’, by giving their consent to be married, by exchanging solemn vows or promises with each other and by giving and receiving a ring. My role is to make sure they do all that in the correct order and using the right words and to make sure that it is all legal. The most significant thing that I do is to speak the words of God’s blessing on the couple as they begin their married life together. This is what is uniquely different about a church wedding; we believe that the marriage is celebrated in the presence of God and that God, who is love, pours out that love on those who are beginning a new journey together. Whatever age couples are and however long they have been together, the wedding day is a new point in a relationship and a new beginning. A celebration of the love that has brought them to this particular moment in their lives and an anticipation of all that is to come; all that they will share together. We pray for all those who will be married this year, with special prayers for those who will be married in one of our churches. If you are thinking about getting married or know someone who is, the Church of England has an excellent website with lots of really useful information; www.yourchurchwedding. org. Whether or not you will be involved in a wedding this year, enjoy the month of May with all its sense of anticipation! With my prayers and best wishes, Canon Michael Cozens Parish of Uley with Owlpen and Nympsfield Churches of St Giles, Holy Cross and St Bartholomew The Revd Canon Michael Cozens Assistant Church Wardens 01453 546459 Mrs P Jones 860696 Mrs A Hardy 860876 Parish day off - Fri Mr J Wood 860236 Messages listened to daily All bookings for the Church Churchwardens and St Giles Room to Mrs J Rymer 860265 Marion Kee 860364 or Mr D Valentin 860245 email:[email protected] Normal church opening times are 10:00am - 6:00pm or dusk whichever is earlier www.stgilesuley.org.uk Page 3 Page 4 ULEY PARISH COUNCIL CLERK – ASHY MCKAY TEL. 01453 861260 E-MAIL: [email protected]

PARISH COUNCILLORS

JONATHAN DEMBREY CHAIRMAN 07801217230

JANET WOOD VICE-CHAIRMAN 01453 860236

BELINDA HOLLEY 01453 860604

MELANIE PARASKEVA 07929360221

MIKE GRIFFITHS 01453 860463

JULIET BROWNE 01453 860710

TIM MARTIN 07772268473

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

JIM DEWEY cllr.jim.dewey@.gov.uk 01453 860795

COUNTY COUNCILLOR

STEVE LYDON stephen.lydon@.gov.uk 07748328061

VILLAGE AGENT

PENNY FRENCH [email protected] 07776245726 Other Information The Parish Council meets in the Village Hall on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm. You are very welcome to attend. Details of the meetings can be found on the notice boards at either end of the village or on the Uley village website at: www.uleyparishcouncil.gov.uk

The May edition of the Messenger is now available to download from:

http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/parish-resources/communications

Page 5 Village Agent News for May 2017 I have just been reading an information leaflet from Age UK which is about the connec- tion between social contact and brain function. The article points out the importance of keeping up our ties to friends and family and taking part in social activities in later life. According to the Global Council on Brain Health it may help us stay sharp as we age. It is not unusual for social networks to shrink as we age, but there are things we can do to improve the quality of relationships. We can join a club, class or social group to meet new people or focus on relationships or activities that we enjoy. Computer based com- munication can be useful and can help to expand our social world, as well as to maintain existing contacts. People vary in the degree to which they seek out the company of other people but we share the fundamental need to interact with others. A wealth of evidence shows that positive relationships and shared activities contribute to our wellbeing. Often we can find that there are plenty of activities in our local communities that can offer us what we need in this respect however it can be more difficult for some people for a variety of reasons. For those with their own transport or with access to public transport there are plenty of opportunities to join groups and clubs (I hold details of some of them). It is more difficult for those who live in isolated areas or who have mobility problems. I will list a few possibilities below: • There are a few lunch clubs where transport is available from some areas. • In some rural areas small groups of people have got together at each other’s homes to hold informal groups, for example, a book club or a knitting group, the possibilities for this are endless. • There is a free Befriending Service that can offer a visit to a person on a regular basis for a chat and a cup of tea. The service is for people who are 70+ and live alone. Also volunteer befrienders are always wanted, and this is a great way to meet others in the community. Tel: 07810 630 167. • Or maybe try the free telephone friendship service, “A Call in Time” from Age UK. Tel: 0844 225 0320. For people who are 60+ and live alone. • Sometimes a good old chat can help if we are feeling a bit fed up. There is Sil- verline, Tel: 08004 70 80 90, which is a helpline for older people, open every day and night of the year. They have no strict age limit. If you would like any further information from me please contact me on the number below and I will do what I can to help. Penny French Tel: 07776 245 726. Email: [email protected] Thank you and Happy Retirement wishes to Walter (the "eggman") and Peggy Philpott, from all his customers around the Uley 100 Club Winners village over many years. First Mark Bailey £15 The week just won't be the same! Second Tom Potts £10

Page 6 ULEY COMMUNITY STORES and POST OFFICE DIARY (Eileen ,Ailsa , Carolyn, Amanda) April & May 2017 Another Easter has been and gone, the super WI knitted ducks with eggs did waddle off the counter. The Easter Hamper was drawn Good Friday. I will announce the winner in next month’s issue. The spring sunshine has been playing a part showing off the lovely flowers and plants that have been filling up our shiny new trolley, lots more to come. Inside check out Jacqui Sarsby’s newly designed card, ”The Melancholy Gardener’s Alphabet”. In the shop window we are very proud to show a picture of the Uley Primary School Football Team in the new football kit we have sponsored. They will be playing in the UK National Championship Final in Stoke at the Britannia Stadium Saturday May 20th. Go Uley! If you have any suggestions for any new items you’d liked stocked please let us know. Change of Shop Hours for the May Bank Holidays Monday 1st May : 8am - 12pm but no Post Office Monday 29th May : 8am - 12pm but no Post Office www.uleycommunitystores.co.uk RUN BY VOLUNTEERS Tel Shop 861592, PO 860203

FROM THE PARISH REGISTER Congratulations to our wedding couples: Adam Haines and Sophie Jones married in St Bartholomew’s Church and Felix Appelbe and Lisa Bulgar Smith married in Holy Cross Church during April. We remember those who have died and their families… Michael Stennett. And those whose year’s mind falls at this time: Derek Heaney, Tessa Watts, Alan Derek Bartlett, Mervyn Tilling, May Charlotte Neville, Diane Rule, Eric James Lockier, Gerald Thomas, Nancy May Shipton, Rosemary Stokes, Margaret Robins, Graeme Bone, Effie Duffett, Enid Sylvia Holloway, Olive Lillian Sharland, Audrey Booth, Wenda Elliott, Alfred Rymer, Bettina Mack…

Da Capo A big thank you to the St Giles Room for coming to our rescue when our April meeting found the Pavilion double booked. We were still able to enjoy our Music for Spring. On May 3rd we will be back at the Uley Pavilion, with a programme of music for two performers, including Bach's concerto for Oboe and Violin in its version for two harpsichords, which is just as good. Also a wonderful fantasy for four hands at the piano by Schubert. Add Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms and sneak in some jazz and that's it. If you think you might enjoy some of of this then you are welcome to come along on the 3rd of May. We meet from 2pm - 4pm at the Pavilion on the first Wednes- day of each month. Call Andy, 860043 for any more details.

Page 7 Seasonal Surroundings : May This month I've been thinking about what lies beneath our feet in our lovely valley: Cotswold stone - Wikipedia says that "Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic Jurassic limestone… The stone varies in colour from north to south, being honey-coloured in the north and north-east of the region, as shown in Cotswold villages such as Stanton and Broadway; golden-coloured in the central and southern areas, as shown in and Cirencester; and pearly white in Bath". I've always been fascinated by the amber light that seems to resonate off our village at dusk and now I understand why. Oolitic apparently means 'egg stone' and is formed of spherical/egg shape grains in sediment. One of the first things I was taught on moving to the village was the concept that Cotswold stone 'breathes', moving in response to atmospheric conditions - cracking against inflexible concrete and sweating under normal plaster. So I tested it and had the concrete pointing and plaster removed in the dampest areas of the house, replacing it with lime pointing and plaster and it hasn't been damp in these areas since - amazing! Visit http://www.oldhouse.info/ohdamp. htm for more on breathing stone. Soil – Before I moved to the village the only thing I knew about soil was how to test its acidity using a Hydrangea Macrophylla. If the soil was acidic the flowers were blue, mauve in neutral soil and pink in alkaline (it doesn't work with white hydrangeas). I've recently begun a four-week course on soil to learn more. You can find this course, which is run by Lancaster University, on www.futurelearn. com, a website which has hundreds of free university courses on a huge range of topics, open to all. One of the most interesting things I have learnt so far is that "...there are more living things in one teaspoon of soil than there are peo- ple on the planet." We've started digging in the compost from the bin that has matured over the winter, adding our own rich and unique layer of soil to our tiny patch of the earth. Things I am looking forward to this month: rhubarb from the garden, cornflow- ers, alliums, peonies, camellia and granny's bonnets (aquilegia vulgaris), which are now all flowering, and orange-tip butterflies on the verges (the females have black tips on their wings), cooking with wild garlic and making daisy chains. Emily Mathisen

Page 8 Wild Garlic Roasted Chicken I can't think of a better way to use the abun- dance of wild garlic flooding our hedgerows and woodland at the moment, more subtle than bulb garlic, seasonal, available and delicious! Try and use the youngest leaves for this, it goes with- out saying be careful when foraging to ensure you are actually eating wild garlic; it's easier to identify now that the flowers are in bloom but if in doubt leave it out! Ingredients 100g wild garlic leaves, washed 50g softened unsalted butter Zest of 1 large lemon Medium size chicken (the best quality you can afford) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 glass white wine, or water 1 - 2 tablespoons plain flour (any type) 300ml quality chicken stock 2 teaspoons redcurrant or cranberry jelly Method Place 3/4 of the wild garlic leaves, the butter and the lemon zest with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper in your food processor and create a herb butter. Set aside. Take you chicken out of the fridge about an hour before dressing. Preheat the oven to 200 (180 fan) degrees C. Make a small incision along the breast and legs and loosen the skin from the flesh carefully using your fingers, be sure not to tear the skin. Next insert 3/4 of the herb butter under the skin and massage to distribute. Season well, drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Next, baste then add the liquid and cook ( basting regularly) for another 50 minutes. Removed the chicken from the oven, dot over the remaining butter and scat- ter the remaining leaves into the juices and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Check the bird is cooked though, returning to the oven for additional time if necessary. Once cooked, remove the bird, retaining the juices, wrap and rest. Drain off any fat from the juices and set the pan over a moderate heat to create the gravy, add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the stock stirring con- stantly and cook until thickened. Add the jelly and season to taste. Serve the carved chicken with the gravy, roasted new potatoes and (even more) seasonal greens. Tip: Use the carcass to make a spicy, flavoursome chicken stock for future roasts or a tasty risotto! Becky Sage/May 2017 Page 9 Uley CC Uley Playing Field, Uley, GL11

11:00am - 12:00pm, Saturdays (June 3rd - July 22nd)

Contact: [email protected]

Page 10 Thursday 18th May Monthly branch meeting Dursley Methodist Church. Doors open 10.00 a.m. meeting starts 10.30 a.m. VALE OF BERKELEY RAILWAY is our topic this month. Ian Raven will tell us about this exciting project and update us on progress to date. This will also be our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Refreshments served after the meet- ing. Visitors welcome. Thursday 15th June Monthly branch meeting Dursley Methodist Church. Doors open 10.00 a.m. meeting starts 10.30 a.m. The important work of the FOODBANK will be explained by Will Mansell of Stroud Foodbank, which also covers the Dursley area. Refreshments served after the meeting. Visitors welcome. Thursday 20th July Monthly branch meeting Dursley Methodist Church. Doors open 10.00 a.m. meeting starts 10.30 a.m. Our speaker will be Paul Barnett on "THE PURTON HULKS". Paul is an excellent speaker and we received great feedback from his 2016 talk on Operation Tiger. Refreshments served after the meeting. Visitors welcome. See details of all our activities on our web site : https://u3asites.org.uk/cam-dursley Uley WI President: Dorothy Collett Secretary: Linda Duffett [email protected] Wednesday May 10th 7.30pm, Uley Village Hall

Tore Fauske: Growing up in Norway During the German Occupation

Page 11 Parish of Uley, with Owlpen & Nympsfield

Join us at 7.30pm Thursday 18th May St Giles’ Church, Uley Monday 15th May 2pm - 3pm A quiet candlelit service of reflection. Babies, toddlers and pre-school children with your mums, dads, Everyone very welcome grandparents, carers... Come and join in with stories, songs, prayers, play & refreshments.

Our theme this month is ‘The Lost sheep’ Everyone is made very welcome!

Walk, Remember, Celebrate Uley Cricket Club Update This year’s Outdoor Nets Walk for Outdoor nets have started at Shadwell playing field on the artificial wicket; the Longfield net sessions are from 6pm – 9pm (formerly every Thursday. New players (and old!) are Solstice welcome to come along and have a bat or Walk) will a bowl, there will also be fielding practice be on Friday from May onwards. 9th June, All Stars Cricket with the option of 5km or 10km walks on The club are delighted to be and All Stars Cricket Centre and will be holding Minchinhampton Common, plus music, an 8 week programme for 5-8 year olds children’s entertainment, a barbecue and a throughout June and July on a Saturday bar. All money raised will support Longfield’s morning, full details and registration infor- amazing care for people in Gloucestershire mation can be found at www.ecb.co.uk/ with life-limiting illness and the walks start at play/all-stars or on the clubs Facebook page. our building in Burleigh Lane from 6.30pm. Entry fees are £10 for an adult and £5.00 per New Players With the 2017 season only a few weeks child (4 –16, under 4’s go free) but if you can away the club are still keen to attract new fundraise £100 or more, you will walk for players to strengthen the playing squad, free. the club play during the week and on So register today at www.longfield.org.uk or, Saturday’s as well as weekly net sessions. Players are welcome to play the entire if you need to know more, call 01453 886868 season or play games that fit around peo- or e-mail [email protected]. ple’s busy schedules. Page 12 WI DIARY APRIL 2017 The ladies of the WI Racing Club had a cracking day at Cheltenham Festival when we attended on Gold Cup day. A different atmosphere prevailed compared with Ladies Day last year, fewer fashion victims, more dedicated race-goers, and much harder getting through the heaving masses in the Guinness area to reach our dedicated pavil- ion. Crossing the course to watch the Gold Cup race enabled us to get a view from the rails – very up close and personal! We have a fun packed month ahead. Having achieved some success in the County Quiz, we are about to join battle in the County Skittles Tournament. The arty types will be learning a new skill with Karen Hilliard when she comes to teach us how to manipulate clay into a beautiful finished article. Nell Gifford will be our speaker at this month’s meeting and what could be more excit- ing than hearing about life in the circus? Maybe be an evening with His Majesty King Henry VIII? Sally Lamerton

Page 13 Uley School Football Team I would like to say a huge congratulations to Uley C of E primary school football team, who finished runners up in the South West Regional Finals. In doing so, they will now represent the South West in the National Finals on Saturday May 20th. It has been a complete pleas- ure and privilege to coach these boys and they should be so proud of all they have achieved. I would like to wish them all the best for the finals. Special thanks go to Uley Stores & Uley school FUS for supplying their kit. They looked very smart. Steve Large

ULEY PLAYING FIELD ROOM BOOKING RATES APRIL 2017 The rates for hiring the Uley Playing Field Pavilion have increased for the first time in many years to reflect the increased cost of running the wonderful new building. The facilities include parking, a kitchen, disabled toilets, full disabled access, the playing field and of course the unrivalled view across the Uley Val- ley. There are three different categories of charges: Ordinary Rate – for all bookings that do not fit into either of the other two categories, including parties. Commercial Rate – for businesses/commercial organisations. Club Rate – for local clubs, societies and charities. Ordinary Hourly Commercial (+20%) Club Rate(-20%) 9-5pm £15.00 £18.00 £12.00 5-10pm £18.00 £21.60 £14.40 Sat. Sun. £24.00 £28.80 £19.20 Weddings £1,000 The Committee can increase or decrease the rates at their discretion. Hourly bookings include set up and clear up times. For booking please contact Ashy McKay on 01453861260; email: [email protected] SPRING FLING at the Matara Centre Kingscote Sunday 14th May 2017 A family friendly event from 11am to 5pm with free admission. There will be games, music by local artists, singing, donkeys, maypole dancing, a steel band - fun activities throughout the day. Refreshments will be on sale and/or bring a picnic. All proceeds in aid of Rory’s Well Registered charity No:1165664

Page 14 Excitement at Owlpen For three weeks in February and March Owlpen was roused from its normal somno- lence by the presence of the film company shooting a major movie. With a reported budget of $37 million, with Daniel Day-Lewis as the star and Paul Thomas Anderson as Director, it is obviously a serious undertaking, and its impact on the valley was startling. The story of the film remains a mystery. Tom Barnes, the amiable location manager, who dashed hither and thither in person, and put out a continuous stream of sooth- ing emails, would divulge only than that it concerns the fashion industry and is set in the 1950s. Some scenes had already been shot outside Whitby, in Yorkshire, but now Owlpen Manor became the main character’s principal country residence. Scaffolding went up on the south front, and half the façade was blacked out – because indoor shots apparently cannot stand any variation in the light. Sir Nicolas and Lady Mander moved out for the duration, as did some of their furniture, which did not fit the date of the story. The star was housed in Woodwells, also known as Peter’s Nest, the most remote of the estate’s holiday cottages, where (rumour had it) he took against the crockery. The most obvious manifestation of the invasion was the main car-park, established in one of John Jones’s fields, immediately below the entrance to Dingle Farm. Hundreds of inch-thick rubber mats made a firm base for 40 or 50 cars and living wagons, and brilliant security lights blazed out across the valley day and night. A security guard, on permanent duty at the exit, struggled to control the traffic along Fiery Lane as cars, vans, lorries and minibuses squeezed past each other, churning mud off the verges and spreading it liberally across the road. The occasional limousine, arriving spotlessly black or white, went away plastered. The most visible part of the action was the descent of the steepest part of Fiery Lane, repeated for five takes, by the company’s sleek, plum-coloured 1950s . The deni- zens of Owlpen are now agog to see how much of their environment survives when the film hits the screen at the end of the year. Duff Hart-Davis Dursley Farmers Market Next Markets : Saturday 13th May Saturday 10th June Come and discover your local market serving you with: bread; cakes; preserves; handmade crafts and much more! So why not come and discover amazing local produce and treat yourselves!

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Local supplier of seasonal home grown flowers and foliage from June – Oct. Hand tied bouquets and posies or buckets of flowers for DIY arrangements. Free delivery in Uley. ------Thurs 22nd June - Open garden 11am–8pm Free entry. Light refreshments available; donations to charity. Sunday 13th August – Workshop 3pm-5.30pm Create a stunning hand tied bouquet using flowers from the cutting garden under the expert guidance of local florist Ellie McCombie (of Flowers by Ellie.) £45 Includes afternoon tea ------Contact Fiona Porter, Withywind, Ham Lane, Coaley, GL11 5AS 07967 416799 www.cotswold-country-flowers.co.uk [email protected] Page 17 Rural OutFIT The outdoor fitness class for all abilities. Burn Fat, improve strength and sculpt your body! CAROLE McDONALD Classes run every week at the SOFT FURNISHINGS Uley Playing Fields: Beautiful Hand-made Soft Furnishings Wednesday: 7-8pm Friday: 6:30-7:30pm Sunday: 9-10am Uley, Gloucestershire Come and have a go. Tel: 0759 7919 118 First class is FREE! www.carolemcdonaldsoftfurnishings.com £5 per class or pay £25 a month [email protected] for unlimited classes For further information, please contact Becky on 07805 427653, or find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/RuraloutfitandPT

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Parish of Uley, Owlpen and Nympsfield Churches of St Giles, Holy Cross and St Bartholomew The Revd Canon Michael Cozens - 01453 546459 Churchwardens Jo Rymer 860265 David Valentin 860245 www.stgilesuley.org.uk

May 2017 Services

Sunday 7th May The Fourth Sunday of Easter St Bartholomew’s 8.30am Holy Communion (CW) St Giles 10.00am Family Holy Communion (CW)

Sunday 14th May The Fifth Sunday of Easter St Giles 10.00am Parish Holy Communion (CW) St Giles 12 noon Holy Baptism Holy Cross 6.00pm Sung Evensong (BCP)

Sunday 21st May The Sixth Sunday of Easter St Giles 10.00am Parish Holy Communion (CW) St Bartholomew’s 12 noon Holy Baptism

Sunday 28th May The Seventh Sunday of Easter St Giles 10.00am Parish Holy Communion (CW)

Church opening times Church Activities Normal Church opening times are: 10.00am - 6.00pm or dusk (whichever is earlier). The Ark - Monday 15th May, St Giles’ Church at 2.00pm. A special service for Children and Families - Children are welcome to all our services. There are activities and special worship babies, toddlers and pre-school children material for them in each church. with their mums, dads, grandparents, carers. Our theme this month is ‘The Lost The Ark (under 5s, mums, dads & carers) Third Monday in the month. St. Giles’ Church 2.00- Sheep’. Join us for stories, prayers, songs, 3.15 followed by tea. All Welcome play and refreshments.

Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals Taize Service - Thursday 18th May, by arrangement. Please phone the Revd Canon Michael Cozens (01453 546459) 7.30pm in St Giles’ Church. A quiet candlelit service of reflection. Parish Administration - Please contact the St James' Parish Office: [email protected] , telephone 01453 549280. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 12.30pm.

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