ISSUE NUMBER 203 “For and about the people of Berkeley” September 2012 Price 20p Welcome to the Berkeley Flyer Website The Berkeley Flyer is pleased to launch its new web site which is now available online at; www.theberkeleyflyer.co.uk From here you will be able to view all the back issues of the Flyer along with the latest edition. We have introduced a gallery for pictures of events around the Town and are hoping to start a collection of historic photos. If you have any that you would like to see on the site please send them to [email protected]. We’re now looking for ideas on what you would like to see on the website; we are already looking at a business directory, a local information page and will have links to other local organisations and attractions. If you would like to advertise your business or local event online please contact any member of the team for further details. If your business has a website, we can provide the link to this along with your advert. This will increase your online exposure and will also boost your search engine rankings. Please contact one of the Flyer team for more details on the cost of online advertising. The price of the Flyer has remained the same since the first edition was published but now, due to increasing costs, will have to rise to 30p with effect from January 2013, we hope that this will not deter you from buying a copy and will still continue to enjoy the newsletter. …After 45 years, a sad Farewell to the Berkeley Playgroup
After running in Berkeley for 45 years, and being based in the grounds of the Primary school for the last 22 years, the children and staff at Berkeley Playgroup marked the end of their last ever term with a thank you and farewell party in the Town Hall. After being told that they could no longer use their building the playgroup committee considered a number of options. With news that the Primary School was launching their own preschool in September it was felt that the town could not sustain both groups and so the difficult decision to close the playgroup was taken with the loss of seven jobs. Having run for so long in the town there are few families who have not been involved with the Playgroup at some stage and so its closure has been felt throughout the community. Thanks go to all those who have been involved in the running of the group over the last 45 years and best wishes go to all the staff for the future.
Pictured top left; Playgroup Leaders Alyson Hunt, Misako Camper, Chris Knapp cut the cake (pictured top right). Picture bottom left; Berkeley Playgroup children sit down for their tea party.
September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] Shucks! Great Day at Black Frog Creek!
Who would have thought that a Diamond Tooth Lil is astonished to find corny story line about a diamond out that her former accomplice, No robbery, a double cross and a Nose Muldoon, cheated out of his share bunch of dippy small town of a diamond robbery in Jelly Junction, characters could provide so much is on her trail and looking to recover a fun and laughter for an audience million dollar gem. In a hilarious scene and a happy ending? In what has Lil is supported by Big Brad the local now become a traditional annual sheriff, Angel Delight his girlfriend, outdoor event, in the beautiful barman Yippee Brown and Old Ma setting of the Jenner Museum Treacle the cook, all dressed as Red garden, Berkeley Players delivered Indians and hell bent on driving No a rib tickling performance of an old Nose and his henchmen Dumbo favourite. Dawson and Hairy Hannah out of town.
Bad Day at Black Frog Creek is set With the aid of their sacred totem, the in a Western saloon with a cast of fowl smelling scraggy chicken left characters that could only be found behind by foul smelling gold prospector in an old John Wayne movie, Filthy Frank Chisholm, they succeed in brought to life for the evening by a overcoming the Muldoon Mob only to be spirited team of amateur players. thwarted by No Nose who isn’t The script is liberally peppered with overpowered by the smell because “he rib tickling one liners and some ain’t got no nose”. hilarious knock about scenes which had the The plot is peppered with audiences rolling in their musical numbers which garden seats. give the cast even greater opportunity to indulge in Outdoor performances are riotous slapstick, much to never easy with the the delight of the greatly vagaries of the weather appreciative audience. To and the difficulty of cap it all we are treated to working on grassy the famous Hollywood surfaces but set designer style ending when goodies Phil Metcalf really and baddies settle their surpassed himself with an differences and live happi- authentic atmosphere ly ever after. As the sun conjured up by some set over Berkeley, the cast highly imaginative scenery took a well deserved bow and props. and went off to prepare for the next two performances in that happy land of far off Black Frog Creek. Meanwhile back at the play, local saloon keeper
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2 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] The Beach comes to Berkeley Heath
Stormy, unseasonal, weather brought a surprise delivery to some local residents as gardens, cars and roads were covered in seaweed that fell from the skies on a rainy day at the start of August. Weather forecasters say that thunderstorms around the coast at Clevedon, 20 miles away, were the likely cause. The storm resulted in a tornado that picked up the seaweed from the beach before depositing it on Berkeley Heath later. The story certainly seemed fishy to the media with coverage locally, nationally and even on international websites!
At Your Service...
Police (non emergencies) 101 Cast in order of appearance: West Country CRIMESTOPPERS 0800 555 111 Yippee Brown (Phil Metcalf) Neighbourhood Warden 01453 754276 Diamond Tooth Lil (Sue Studden) Marybrook Medical Centre 01453 810228 Old Ma Treacle (Susan Dearness) Repeat Prescriptions 01453 562044 Big Brad the Sheriff (James Walls) Angel Delight (Annie Waldron) NHS Direct 0845 4647 Filthy Frank Chisholm (Tony Moseley) Berkeley Pharmacy 01453 810316 No Nose Muldoon (Bill Glover) Dumbo Dawson (Mike Studden) Electricity Supply Power Loss 0845 7331331 Hairy Hannah (Natalie Powers) Gas Emergency Service 0800 111999 One Eyed Joe (Tim Blake) Water Emergency 0800 7834444
Produced by Berkeley Town Council 01453 511964 Cath Metcalf and Berkeley Post Office 01453 819351 Margaret Glover Berkeley Primary School 01453 810254
Refuse Collection 01453 754424 Special thanks to Berkeley Stroud District Council 01453 766321 Arms Hotel for their invaluable support and Gloucestershire County Council 01452 425000 everyone else who has Neil Carmichael MP 01452 371630 helped in any way. Citizens’ Advice Bureau 01453 762084 See you all at the Xmas People for You, Barbara Weldon 01453 511964 panto, Berkeley’s favourite Samaritans 0845 7909090 festive frolic. National Rail Enquiries 0845 7484950 Traveline 0870 6082608 The Berkeley Flyer accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of these telephone numbers
3 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] Alpha returns to Berkeley The churches in the Berkeley area are running The Alpha Course this autumn. This course has been enormously successful around the Saturday 1st September world, and has been attended by 18 million Spaniel in the Works ‘A Near Run Thing’ 3.45pm. people. Alpha is a relaxed, informal exploration of the To celebrate The Brussels Ball at Berkeley Castle we have a Christian faith, with each session based on a DVD and unique theatrical re-telling of The Battle of Waterloo. The followed by discussion groups. There is no charge for performance explores the excitement and heroics but also the attending, although a donation can be given towards the devastation of one of the most famous battles in history. cost of the meal with which each evening will start. Further Performance is included in standard admission, seats can be information can be found on the website alpha.org reserved in advance. Contact us for details. Alpha is taking place at the Sports Pavilion in Canon Park, Berkeley, from 7.30 to 9.30 on Wednesday evenings. It will Sat 8th September run for ten weeks starting on 26th September, except for Heritage Open Day (12 – 5.30pm). FREE entry to the 24th October which is half term. For more information Museum and Garden plus live Jazz and even Attic Tours of the about the local course, please phone 810294. former servants quarters of Dr Jenner’s House (for a donation). You can also find out more at a Buffet Supper & Musical Evening, from 7.30 to 9 pm at Berkeley Town Hall on Contact Dr Jenner's House on 01453 810631 or Saturday 22nd September. [email protected] for more details.
An Invitation to be Inspired! TomatoJack Arts Studio Opening Friday 7th September 7-9pm & Saturday 8th September 10-1pm Free entry including complimentary drink Angela and Lynda invite you to our first Open Studio at Whitehart Court, High St, Berkeley. We will have displays of mosaic art, and examples of what you can make at one of our mosaic workshops or children’s parties, an exhibition of our school projects and displays by other local artists who will also be offering workshops. Details and discounts will be available for booking workshops or children’s parties. Any queries please contact Angela & Lynda on [email protected], or ring Lynda on 07833 496 799.
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TEL: 01453 811477
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HOME COOKED FOOD LUNCHTIMES AND EVENINGS AS WELL AS SUNDAY LUNCHES
Sunday lunches need to be booked in advance
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4 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
Once again we’ll be collecting and sending off gift filled shoeboxes to some of the world’s poorest children via Operation Christmas Child run by the charity Samaritans Purse. Each year we have a fantastic and generous response to this appeal from the people of Berkeley and our shoeboxes last year were sent to children in Kyrgyzstan. The website www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk has lots of stories about children who have received the boxes and information about what to include in your shoebox. We will be collecting the gift filled shoeboxes in from the 3rd to the 11th November at the Union Church, Evangelical Church, St. Mary’s Church and Berkeley Primary School more details to follow. Please look out for the posters around town and up to date information at www.st.marys-berkeley.co.uk. We always appreciate donations of empty shoeboxes, wrapping paper, gifts and money, if we could have these before the November dates that would be really helpful. If you would like to be involved in any way please contact Grace King 811138 or Alice Price 511161 [email protected]
COFFEE MORNING at THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH — SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 10.00 - 11.30am Thank you to all who came to our August Coffee morning. Our numbers, and the laughter volume, were greatly increased by the visit of a number of the Vindi Boys to share our coffee and cake. As our regulars know we do not make a charge for our refreshments which seemed to surprise our guests, so we take this opportunity to thank the Boys for the donations that they kindly gave towards the charities that we support. Let's hope that someone might know someone who knows someone who might pass on this message. The ring pulls as always were well received. The recent flooding in Manila might hold up the delivery of them to the waiting ladies in their home based industries, but please don't let that stop your collections. We look forward to welcoming you again next month. If you would like to come and try our cakes but have a mobility problem that makes you think twice then please phone me, Dawn, on 810494 or Grace on 811138. See you in September.
5 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
Graduate jobseekers cannot spell or communicate through written English? Practise what you preach, employers. By Liz Overton, Berkeley Heath Today’s graduates are being showered on a daily basis with negativity regarding their career options. Television, newspapers and even friends and family are quick to assert that employment prospects have never looked worse, and struggling jobseekers are understandably losing motivation. Employers become more ruthless, demanding that candidates tick every box on ever-increasing lists of skills, qualifications and experience. The situation for many is, it would appear, desperate. However, it may not be accurate to claim that all graduates are deserving of harsh chastisement on their flaws. Employers may be demanding more and more from graduates hoping to enter training schemes or internships, but unfortunately are not practising what they preach. From listening to Duane Jackson, Managing Director of KashFlow, on the Today Programme on Radio Four, it is evident that top employers are disappointed with the current crop of graduates. Jackson bemoans the fact that many graduates cannot spell, have no grasp of grammar, and struggle to communicate properly through written English. While this may be so, it is only fair to expect employers to set an example by displaying the same levels of accuracy in communication that they expect from their candidates. Worryingly, increasing numbers of organisations are placing less and less emphasis on the importance of correct English. Company names omit apostrophes to indicate a possessive. Websites display the wrong form of ‘you’re’. Emails sent from senior employees lack basic punctuation. These errors are saddening, and are unfortunately becoming more and more commonplace. Aside from having a palpable impact on the credibility and image of a company, grammatical mistakes become even more laughable when they are visible in job applications. It is bad enough to see poor English on an application form for an engineering company that asks for ‘excellent attention to detail’, but imagine the irony of a small magazine or news website – an organisation whose product is, after all, words – whose employees cannot even spell ‘gauge’ correctly! The missing ‘u’ screams hypocrisy. Is an ambitious graduate with a 2:1 in English and French from a Russell Group university really expected to shine in an organisation where the letter ‘I’ is mistakenly used in place of the word ‘in’, where capital letters are thrown around like confetti, or where prepositions are permitted to end a sentence? Employers need to wake up. Demanding accuracy, strong communication skills and a close eye for detail from candidates is only appropriate when current Heads of Department are capable of the same. Practise what you preach, employers, or you’ll end up attracting jobseekers who are just as incompetent as your current employees.
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6 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
The ladies of the Berkeley WI visited Westonbirt House and Gardens on 18 July. PHOTOS We looked around the Westonbirt House which is slowly being restored to its former NEEDED glory and is now being used as a school. Were you at the Berkeley Diamond The library was very impressive with its original fittings and splendid view of the Jubilee Street party? garden. We followed the tour of the house with a cream tea in the Camellia Did you take some photos? House and worked off the calories with a walk around the gardens which were If so we would love to hear from you as beautiful and contained many exotic trees. we are hoping to put together a photo book of the day which can be held in Margaret Wozencrloft did Berkeley WI proud when on Thursday 2 August we the library for all to enjoy. If you have set off from the square to visit Beckford Silk Mill and then onto Broadway. any photos that you would be happy to share please either email them to us at Everyone was in good spirits even if the weather was not and our first stop was [email protected] Beckford Silk. What an interesting place - a family run business which started or drop them into our collection box at more than 30 years ago. We were given an explanation of how the print was the Pharmacy with your name and put on the silk fabric from beginning to end and then taken around the contact details. workshop to see exactly how this was done. There were beautiful silks of all Group photos, fancy dress pictures or colours of the rainbow which could be purchased at reasonable cost. We pictures of individuals are all welcomed. lunched at Beckford Silk before boarding the coach to go onto Broadway. There were plenty of shopping opportunities at Broadway including a Christmas BERKELEY FLYER TEAM: Shop and we all mingled with the many tourists before having tea and leaving PUBLICATION: for home. Simon Bingham 511838 Sarah Hall 511681 Sue Studden 511131 James Walls TBA
If you want to make a contribution, please contact one of the Flyer Team on the numbers WEB PAGE: www.theberkeleyflyer.co.uk David Hook [email protected] shown, place your contribution in the collection box in the Berkeley Pharmacy in the Market Place, or e-mail: [email protected] by 15th of each month ARTICLES, LETTERS AND DIARY DATES: PUBLICATION DATE: 1st of each month [email protected]
THE BERKELEY FLYER While every effort is made to ensure accurate reporting of events and information supplied to us, we DISTRIBUTION: Grace & Dave King 811138 regret we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions that may occur. Publication © 2012 The Berkeley Flyer. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Editorial Committee. Copyright ADVERTISING: of individual articles or pictures submitted for publication vest with their authors, but may not be reproduced as published within [email protected] this publication without the permission of the publishers.
7 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] We now operate a Nurse Triage system for all urgent Dr S J Higgs Dr P B Walshe appointments which require an appointment the same day. Dr R Basu Dr S Corston If you call the surgery at 8.30 a.m. the reception staff will take your contact number and our Practice Nurse will return your call to arrange an appropriate appointment. If you require a routine appointment you can call the surgery at anytime between 9am and 6 pm. Thank you to Mrs B Jordan for suggesting I gave all our Please note we do not hold a walk in surgery each day. patients an up to date timetable for the surgeries held at Prescriptions: We remain the only surgery in the area who Marybrook Medical Centre via the Berkeley Flyer. Here is takes prescription orders over the telephone. We continue to our latest timetable which I hope you find a useful tool to do this due to the large number of elderly patients who live in keep next to your telephone. rural areas who find it difficult to get in to the surgery. NB From April 2012 Drs Higgs & Walshe reduced the Berkeley Pharmacy also supports our patients by delivering number of surgeries they hold each week, Drs Basu and any prescriptions to their home address. To arrange this Corston have increased the number of surgeries they service please contact them on 01453 810316. hold. To order a prescription please call 01453 810228 between 10 Appointments can be booked at least one month in am and 3 pm. Alternatively you can pop your repeat advance for the following surgeries (including Mondays) prescription forms into the box on reception or use our online anytime between 9 am and 6pm via reception and system . telephone or at anytime online (Please see opposite for details). This timetable remains a guide only as it will change during GP holiday periods. During this time our regular locum, Appointments are booked at 10 minute slots. If you have Dr Andrew Woodhall will hold surgeries to replace the GP on more than one problem you wish to speak to the GP annual leave. about please book a double slot, our receptionist will be happy to help you. A telephone appointment can also be If you have any comments or would like to know more about booked with any of our GPs to discuss persistent any of our services please do not hesitate to contact me via problems which are treated regularly, test and x ray the surgery or online results, subsequent sick notes, discussions regarding Lorraine.hollingworth@glos,nhs.uk
relatives and general advice. To use our online system please bring two forms of ID to Lorraine Hollingworth reception and you will be given your own unique Practice Manager password and instructions on how to log in. Marybrook Medical Centre
ALLEY KEBABA All our food is prepared on the premises and cooked in full view of the customer. So for the best kebabs and burgers in Berkeley, come in and give us a try! We also do golden French fries, cheesy chips and jumbo spring rolls. If you’ve never tried a doner kebab, call in and we’ll give you a FREE sample! Find us up the alleyway opposite the B.A. Old Berkeley Garage, 13 Canonbury St. Tues to Sat 5.30 to 11.30, Sun 5.30 to 10.00 pm Now taking phone orders 01453 811554 (for collection from shop, no deliveries). Call in for a menu and pricelist!
Need Help Sorting Out Your Paperwork? Monthly Management Accounts VAT Returns Enterprise Costings Invoicing Weekly or Monthly Payroll Free Initial Consultation Contact Mary Gregory 01453 511294 [email protected]
8 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
Dr Higgs Monday 8.30 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Tuesday 8.30 am – 10.30 pm 3.30 pm – 6.00 pm Thursday ( fortnightly ) 9.00 am – 12.00 am
Dr Walshe Monday 8.30 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 6.00 pm Tuesday 8.30 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Wednesday 8.30 am – 10.30 am Thursday (fortnightly ) 9.00 am – 12.00 am Friday ( 1 session a month ) 9.00 am – 12.00 am
Dr Basu Monday 9.00 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm (fortnightly) 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm Tuesday 9.00 am – 10.30 pm 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Wednesday 8.30 am – 10.30 am Thursday 8.30 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 6.00 pm Friday 8.30 am - 9.30 am 3.30 pm – 6.00 pm
Dr Corston Monday (fortnightly) 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm Tuesday (fortnightly) 9.10 am – 12.00 am Thursday 9.10 am – 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Friday 8.30 am - 10.30 am 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm
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9 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
September Events Saturday 1st, 8am and Sunday 2nd 9am This year we have launched a new event; floodlit swan supper Birdwatch Mornings - Waders - Join the nights. We have offered flood lit swan feeds with a meal to warden as he walks out on to the Reserve to groups for some time but for the first time we can now offer watch the high tide bring hundreds of birds closer to the places to couples and groups of friends as well. To watch the shore. £15 including admission floodlit feed followed by the meal is only £25 per head and for Tuesday 4th, 7.30am to 2pm bookings received before October we are offering a 10% Nature Photography on Tour - £60 inc lunch & admission discount. Saturday 8th 9.30am - 3pm The dates are Friday 14th December, Friday 18th January and Decoy Carvers Demonstration - included with admission Friday 8th February. For more details, to see the menu, or to Saturday 15th, 8am download a booking form, go to our website; www.wwt.org.uk/ Birdwatch morning for beginners - Autumn special, £15 visit/slimbridge and take a look at our ‘what's-on’ page. including admission We are also delighted to announce another special event this Friday 21st, 7.30pm winter, the return of zoologist, photographer, writer and Talk by Charles Kinsey - "Encounters with Animals", presenter Mark Carwardine. As well as running his popular Members of Friends of Slimbridge £5.00, Guests £6.00 2-day photography course on the 1st and 2nd November Mark will be doing an evening talk at the centre on the 2nd November Saturday 22nd, 10am at 7.30pm. Photography for beginners - with Iain Green. In this highly entertaining and informative lecture, entitled £60 including lunch & admission Photographer on the Loose, Mark will chat about his passion for Saturday 29th, 7am wildlife photography and his efforts - some successful and Advanced Birding - There is a lot more to birding than just some not - to photograph everything from great white sharks identifying birds. Learn to assess fine details such as and Amazon river dolphins to albatrosses and Sumatran rhinos, plumage, weather conditions and habitats to take your using a motley collection of hides, vehicles, boats and planes. skills to a new level. Inevitably, he'll also have a thing or two to say about the state £30 including admission and bacon roll / scrambled egg of the world along the way. on toast. The 2 day course costs £140 including refreshments and lunch Full details on our website the evening talk is £20 including canapés and drink. There is a www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge/whats-on discount for booking both events—contact our bookings officer Or for more details on any of our events or to book please on 01453 891223 for more details of any of our events. call our Bookings Officer on 01453 891223.
Established Practice of Goldinghams Solicitors amalgamated with other law firms Legal Advice Sessions will be held every Tuesday 10.00am - 12.00noon We can also be available at other times by pre-arranged appointment at The Coventry Building Society Agency 6 Market Place, Berkeley, Glos GL13 9BB
Call Alan Gould on 01453 547221 for more information We provide the following services Residential Conveyancing Elderly Client Advice and Care Home Fees Powers of Attorney Wills, Probate, Trusts & Inheritance Tax Planning Family & Matrimonial Commercial Conveyancing Business Start-up and Sale & Purchase Employment Law Litigation Debt Recovery
10 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] VILLAGE Little Fishes Music Group AGENT For little children and their grown ups Berkeley Union Church Hello from your Village Agent, Penny. phone the Gloucester number in the 9.15 am -11.00 am Term time usual way, just tell them if you want to The main topic that I would like to focus Free use the Vale Hospital in future. on this month is the subject of hearing loss and the use of hearing aids. Did you Contact information for anyone with An easy going, friendly know that one in six of the population hearing loss. group run by mums with have some form of hearing loss and from singing, stories, craft and Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) a total of 3.7 million people, two thirds are Colin Rd, Barnwood, 01452 372999. refreshments over retirement age? Predictably, more They hold an open equipment morning Just turn up or contact Claire Gibson than 70% of over 70 year olds have some every Wednesday morning 10am –2pm. form of hearing loss, yet many people 511658 or [email protected] additionally there is an advice and who have a hearing aid rarely use it. maintenance clinic at The Subscription The first session of the autumn term will Did you know that in order to get the best Rooms, Stroud, in conjunction with be Friday 7th September 2012. use from your hearing aid, you should use Gloucestershire County Association for it all the time. That means putting it in as the blind. Contact the number above for soon as you get up and leaving it in until dates and times. bed time! The reason being, the auditory The Sensory Services Team is a team processing of sound takes time to adjust of social service professionals who and using the aid as much as possible support deaf, deaf/blind and visual helps the brain make that adjustment. The impaired people throughout the county. hearing aid does the work of the “inner They provide advice, advocacy & raise ear”. It can make sounds louder, make awareness of support available. Referral conversations easier, help you to hear on is through the Adult Helpdesk the telephone and some can reduce 01452 426868. certain background noises. Now just a few words about “Connect”. If you think that you might be experiencing It is a project which offers free help to some level of hearing loss, then go to see older people in rural areas to get online your GP in the first instant. The GP will & to learn computer basics on their own need to check that there aren’t other terms. They provide help and advice issues causing the loss. Some with computers and the internet for medications, a build up of wax or an those who are either new and nervous infection can affect hearing. You may then users or those who want to further their be referred either to an ENT doctor or an knowledge. They offer one-to-one audiologist depending on the initial training and support in the home from findings. local volunteers. Or if you are a People who are used to travelling to confident user and would like to share Gloucester Hospital for hearing services your skills with others and could offer a will be pleased to know that the same few hours each month, new volunteers services can now be offered at the Vale are always welcome. For more Hospital in Dursley as they have the same information about the Connect Project technology, however there maybe you can contact me on the number occasions when it is still preferable to use below. the services in Gloucester, for example; if Tel: 07776 245 726. an appointment is needed quickly. To make an appointment you will still need to Email: [email protected]
11 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected] BERKELEY FORUM The Flyer reserves the right to edit and abridge letters submitted for publication. Anonymous letters will not be published, but we will withhold your name if requested
The following letter was sent in for inclusion last month but due Dear Name and address supplied, writer of the Berkeley to an error it was the final paragraph was chopped off. We have Police Farce therefore reprinted the letter in full in this edition and we Love a duck! Who upset your apple cart? apologise for the mistake. I fully appreciate your frustrations, where your coming Dear Mr Editor, from, I agree with most of your comments. In last month's Flyer, the Police report mentioned that "a car was I have had frustration with the Constabulary for over 20 years during which, as passing through Dursley on the way damaged in Salter Street". In fact as I'm the owner, I can report home, I called into Dursley Police Station. I asked for the that the damage to the car was so great that the final bill is Gloucestershire Constabulary form to permit me to speed £2,420.32 - which of course means our insurance premium will through Berkeley Town and Lynch Road. be going up, thereby costing us even more! I was told with a big smile on his face there was no such The person responsible was dealt with by the police, and has form in the Constabulary and offenders/speeders would be apologised. This is just the latest of many criminal damage dealt with. I then asked if motorists that worked toward / in episodes residents have had to endure. What is needed is a the Power Station were exempt, I was assured they were proper CCTV system positioned in and around the town, a more not, I always' have that niggle in the back of my mind. up to date system than is in place at the moment. Hands Up!! I really think change is upon us. PC 2141 King Back in MARCH this year I went out, only for an hour, taking a and her colleagues are making a difference, with, I am sorry to say, exception to above is still rampant. petition to ask for an improved CCTV for Berkeley, and collected (untouchable's?) 42 signatures from residents concerned with anti social behaviour, especially at the weekends, after pub closing time - How long PC King and her colleagues will be permitted to carry on with their exceptional work I don't know. I hope we have suffered damage to property and vehicles, also theft, PC King will not listen to or be influenced by Highway speeding cars and motorbikes, and much more. I am told the Statistics! council is still considering this petition - 4 months later?? It is Further I am looking to comment to PC King and her said that Rome wasn't built in a day, but this is not Rome and colleagues! - - - - Performance! The hyphens = H I G H. how long does it take to say: "YES" or "NO"? So to all those who Keep up the outstanding work KING! PC 2141. kindly signed the petition we obviously are to be ignored. Perhaps we as residents should form a committee and make our P J Woodhams. feelings felt, instead of my lone voice in the darkness! Perhaps in the meantime, for all those residents of Berkeley, who have How lovely the floral displays outside and on the town hall the same concerns, may I ask you please to contact the town have looked and about time too, well done the council. council, so that the town council is fully aware of how seriously However, not "well done the council" for allowing someone WE take these criminal acts, which have been making our lives to remove the two hanging baskets opposite the square, a misery! and also they removed the brackets too! This, to hang a banner advertising the Berkeley Players summer Name and address supplied production. Surely the banner was made after the baskets
were placed in position in late spring and therefore should have been made to fit the space available without having Berkeley Library opening times: to remove anything. Tuesday 9am - 1pm, and 2pm - 5pm The displays were provided for Friday 9am - 1pm, and 2pm - 5pm Berkeley residents and made the town look attractive for visitors, Saturday 10am - 1pm the jubilee celebrations etc. Contact Telephone Number 810520 Name supplied
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12 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
BERKELEY FORUM continued
Oh didn't we have a lovely day at the day The Rounders Tournament came to the Playing Field! Full marks to all involved, in whatever capacity, for putting The copy on an event that really was a Fun Day for all the family. From my six year old granddaughter who bounced herself deadline almost to a standstill to those of us who appreciate all round fun and a glass, or two, of Pimms, we pronounced for the next the day a winner. I don't think that I've ever seen so many cakes in one place, did issue of the they ever all get eaten I wonder? As we live in Canon Park I was apprehensive about how the evening events Flyer is: would affect us, but I needn't have worried. The volume both during the evening Saturday 15th and as people left to go home was never such that we were offended by it. An event that really did do exactly what it said on the tin - well done. September Dawn Turner, Canon Park
Dursley Police Station, 09 August 2012 Dear Sir, Berkeley Police Farce The anonymous writer of the letter in your August edition probably feels safe having a dig at your local police officers from the safety of their comfortable armchair. I am not going to sink to their level by using the derogatory, emotive and insulting language they feel necessary to use. Instead I will seek to address the serious issues they allude to. Firstly I’m puzzled to understand what the “sizeable pensions and countless other perks and subsidies at the tax payers’ expense” are. Yes, I do have a pension which I currently contribute a massive 16.5% of my salary to. Is that wrong? Quite what all the other perks and subsidies are I have failed to discover. Perhaps the writer is referring to the relentless shift work, no social life, constant abuse from those whom we serve and the occasional joy of being spat at and assaulted? The writer wonders why we invest so much time in the younger generation. I won’t bore your readers with details of top-down government targets and neighbourhood policing policies laid down by the Home Office. Instead I will simply say what we are about is repairing the damage of previous generations and trying to build trust and confidence in our communities. It is only by doing this that the next generation will have confidence to come forward with information to solve crime and deal with the really difficult social issues we face. The work we are doing is long term because in Britain we police by consent and that means trust and confidence. We invest a great deal of time and effort consulting with the community and hold regular consultation meetings in which community members decide what our and our partners priorities are to be. We publish these locally and on our force website. If the writer would like to know more about this transparent process he or she should contact me. We have suffered massive cuts across the range of public services and everyone locally will understand the effect this has had in Berkeley and surrounding areas. In particular the Police Authority has had to close our local police offices and this had inevitably had an effect on our ability to police but we are managing that effectively and if you need the police we are there 24hrs a day. Your local Bobbies are doing a fantastic and challenging job in difficult circumstances. It’s not our fault the failing economy has meant severe cut backs and that consecutive governments that you elect impose targets and priorities on us. Give your local police the support they deserve, you might need us some day. Sergeant Neil Gibbs, Dursley & District Community Team
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13 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
Everyone should have received their new recycling bins or bags now but in case you are unsure what goes where here is the guide issued by Stroud Council. The details below tell you what to put in your wheelie bin but if you have a bag rather than a bin the items that can go in it are the same. If you want to see a copy of the bag recycling leaflet you will find it at www.stroud.gov.uk/recycling. If you have any questions or have not received your bin or bag you can call 01453 75424 or email [email protected] Happy recycling!
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14 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
REFUSE AND RECYCLING DATES WHAT’S ON ... Community Bank in Town Hall, Bingo in Sharpness Village Hall The collection day for Berkeley is Tuesdays 9.15am until 11am Thursdays 7.45 pm Thursday. Berkeley Brownies Exercise Classes in Scout Hut The Brownie Hut Black bags will be collected weekly. Wednesdays 10.30 am to Noon Tuesdays , 6.00 -7.30pm Recycling bin, boxes and bags will be Zumba collected every other week. You Berkeley Rainbows Berkeley Primary School should have been provided with a The Brownie Hut Tuesdays 6.30pm -7.30pm calendar of these collection dates Fridays , 4.15 — 5.30pm when you received your new bin / box Citizens Advice Bureau Belly Dance Classes but in case you didn’t get a copy or Town Hall, Berkeley Arms Hotel you have lost it here are the dates; Wednesdays 1pm - 3pm Thursdays 7-8pm Beginners 8.15 - 9.15pm Improvers Berkeley Under 5’s Town Hall Coffee Morning 2012 2013 Wednesdays 9.30am - 11.30am Union Church Schoolroom Thursdays, 10.00 – 11.30am 6 September 10 January Slimming World Town Hall, 20 September 24 January People for You Tuesdays - 6pm Town Hall
4 October 7 February Fridays - 9.30am - 1pm Berkeley Local History Society 18 October 21 February Library Berkeley Players Rehearsals 3rd Tuesday of the month, 7.45pm, Town Hall, 1 November 7 March Thursdays 7.30pm Over 60’s Friendship Group 15 November 21 March Mariners Arms Town Planning & Finance Meetings nd 4th Thursday of the month 2 – 4pm 2 Tuesday of the month 29 November 4 April Pirates & Princesses Karaoke Town Council Meeting rd 13 December 18 April and Disco 3 Monday of the month st 2 May Mariners Arms Saturday 1 September – from 8pm. £25 cash St Mary's Church 16 May Every Sunday: prize for best dressed 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion 30 May Bingo in Mariners Arms 11.00 a.m. All Age Worship
13 June Fridays from 3pm 6.00 pm. Evening Prayer
(Times and venue differ on 5th 27 June Sunday of month)
If you would like to place an regular Roman Catholic Mass entry in the What’s On diary please email Sundays 8.30am 10.30am 5.30pm [email protected] St Dominic RC Church, before 15th of the month Kingshill, Dursley
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15 September 2012 THE BERKELEY FLYER [email protected]
It’s the time of year when our allotments are yielding the fruits (and vegetables) of our labour. Our utter washout of a summer has at least been good for the garden in some respects. I can’t remember the last time I had so many surplus runner beans. Some mornings I’ve opened the front door to find a bag of sliced trimmed runner beans ready to go. Who is this ‘Bean’ Fairy? Another reason I love living in Berkeley. I was asked for a recipe for this ’glut’ of runner beans. After playing around with a recipe for a runner bean and parmesan risotto I took advice from my uncle (who is a connoisseur of homemade chutney and pickles) and opted for a wonderful piccalilli recipe of his. This takes a bit more preparation than you ‘common or garden’ chutney/piccalilli but is well worth it. You’ll have enough for all your family and friends with some left for Christmas. This recipe will make enough for 12 1lb jars. That’s 450g jars in new money.
YOU WILL NEED:
1lb/450g salt. 8 pints/4.5 litres boiling water. 2 medium cauliflowers, break them up into tiny florets. 1lb/450g pickling onions or shallots peeled and cut in half. 1lb/450g RUNNER BEANS, topped, tailed, those stringy sides removed and then cut diagonally into 1” that’s 2.5cm pieces. ½ a large cucumber, halved lengthways, remove the seeds with a teaspoon and cut the cue into small chunks, about 1cm ish. 8oz courgettes cut them the same size as the cucumber. 10oz/275g caster sugar. 2 ¾ pints/1.5 litres distilled malt vinegar. You’ll need a bit more at hand too. 2 cloves of garlic. Crush ‘em up. ¼ whole nutmeg, grated. That’s great, nearly prepped. ½ tsp ground allspice powder. ¾ oz/50g plain flour. 1oz/25g mustard powder. 1oz/25g turmeric powder. ½ oz/15g ground ginger. ½ tsp cayenne pepper. PHEW!!!!! This piccalilli is lots of prep. But the end results will be well worth it.
METHOD:
Mix the salt with boiling water and boil for 2 mins. Leave to cool and divide the solution between two large pans. Put the cauliflower and onions in one bowl and the runner beans, courgettes and cucumber in the other. Cover with a plate or clingfilm keeping the vegetables submerged and leave for 24hrs.
Morning!!
Drain the vegetables and give them a good rinse. Keep them separate!!!!!
Now put the sugar, garlic and 1.5ltrs of vinegar into a large pan.
Bring to the boil. Timing is now essential. Add the cauliflower, onions, allspice and nutmeg into the boiling vinegar and cook for 3 minutes only. Then add the beans, cucumber and courgette and cook for 4 minutes. Our vegetables want to be just cooked or ‘al dente’ in chef jargon. We want those wonderful veggies to have crunch. Lift the veggies out of the vinegar with a sieve or slotted spoon or if you have one in your kitchen, a spider. Set the veg aside.
In a separate pan mix the flour, mustard, turmeric and ginger with about 5tbsp vinegar and enough water to make smooth paste. Add a small amount of the warm vinegar into the paste.
Get the paste on a medium heat and slowly add the vinegar from the pan which we cooked the veg in. Bring to the boil stirring as you go then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
FINALLY. Mix the sauce with the vegetables, gently stirring. Then we spoon the mixture into Recipe courtesy of Dan warm pickling jars. Lid them and store them in cool, dark place. Like a fridge or a larder Ashford if you are lucky enough to have one.
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