The Painswick Beacon Vol. 27 No.11 February 2005 Young Painswickians... 'Young' and 'Painswick' have sometimes been considered contradictions in terms. But despite an image of being a village made for retirement, albeit active retirement, evidence is emerging of a rising interest in activities geared towards youth and a rising generation of younger Painswickians keen to get involved with the community. In December, we reported on the successful re-launch of the Guides and now we can report on no fewer than four more new groups starting up which are aimed at younger Painswickians... beavering away... Painswick Scout Group is to restart the Beaver Colony for six and seven year olds to complement the existing Cub Pack. Following a successful open meeting in November, the plan is to start soon after Easter at the Croft School. Precise dates and times will be determined by the leadership team that David Bishop, the man behind the scheme, is seeking to recruit. David, who recently moved to Painswick from Glasgow, commented, "Whilst we have some volunteer parents who can help at some meet- ings, we still need others. For safety reasons, we will need three or four adults at each meeting. You do not have to be parent or of any particular age. Just young at heart and able to spare a couple of hours a week." To find out more, see the full story on page nine. getting dramatic... Following an enthusiastic meeting attended by more than twenty youngsters, Painswick Players is bringing forward its plans to launch a youth drama group- tentatively called the 'YiPPies' - for Painswick. "What a fantastic response!", commented Lesley Wolowiec, who is leading the project, "It's great to see so many interested young people – and their parents." Instead of launching in September, the plan is now to invite YiPPies to come along to some rehearsals of the Players latest production, The Odd Couple, to meet the cast, director and technical crew, and to see how the whole production is put together. After Easter and during the summer holidays it is hoped to arrange workshops, at which youngsters PY P will be able to act, improvise and pick up backstage skills. To find out more, turn to page four for the full report. ... and ecumenical ! A direct spin-off from the Painswick Festival has been the launching of a youth choir drawn from all the churches around Painswick. The vicar, Revd John Longuet-Higgins, revealed that £2,000 from the funds raised by the Festival has been committed towards the choir and that the first meeting had attracted more than twenty children. The plan is for the choir to meet at the church each Friday under Christopher Swayne with a view to singing during Sunday services once a month at one of the Painswick churches. In a parallel move, Churches Together Around Painswick has anounced that it is to form a Youth Group. A first meeting at Christ Church on Friday 21st January arranged by Steve Bullock, Docesan Youth Officer, drew thirty youngsters. The snowdrops adorning the Rococo Garden were Meanwhile, Painswick Guides go from strength to strength. Reporting awaiting us when we visited a fortnight ago... on a very active term, Julia Mundell said that they wanted to support a and you too can marvel at the carpet of blooms, as local charity and chose the Sue Ryder Hospice. The guides made a poster others are doing from all over the world! to help advertise the Coffee Morning held at the Town Hall recently and also raised £160 selling Christmas cards for the hospice. "We felt it important that the girls were able to reflect on people who relied on local charities and to help support their cause. They all worked really hard and produced amazing results." It was not all too serious, however. "We had a great day out ‘@ Bristol’ followed Painswick by a trip to the IMAX cinema. The girls even had time to paddle in the freezing Guides cold water for a few minutes - Oh, to be young again!!!!!" The next project is to raise funds for the Tsunami appeal. On Saturday 5th February, there will be a fete at The Painswick Centre in the after- noon, 2.00 - 4.00pm, with lots of books, toys, homemade cakes and tea for sale. Elsewhere in this issue - architecs, centre loos, avian news, a critical review, missing skylarks, camp make-over, a crocus walk, Irish tour, towering news, Village Quiz details, web site extension, those annual events listed, HGV restrictions, direction signs, child-line benefits, next generation players, a Ball in May, wheels to London, spotlight on John and picture of Tasmin Little. 1 PARISH COUNCIL NEWS - by Leslie Brotherton Reports upon meetings of the Parish Council gard to Pullens Road was contemplated. all its documentation available for inspec- cannot help but be selective, if only because of Direction signs tion by the public during normal office space constraints. We try to draw attention to those of wider interest, but remind readers that Site meetings had been held with repre- hours. the full minutes of Council meetings are avail- sentatives of the Society of Friends and Gloucester Street/Pullens Road able at the Council office on Wednesday and of Painswick Hotel to consider their sepa- The loss of electricity supply to signs and Friday mornings, as well as Painswick Library. rate proposals for signage within the such as the telephone kiosk at this loca- PLANNING COMMITTEE village to assist visitors seeking each lo- tion had been reported on a number of Care Centre – site lighting cation. Photographs and other occasions to no avail. At the request of Witton Associates had written to reassure information were tabled. Ann Daniels, not least on grounds of the Parish Council that down lighting was - Quaker Meeting House safety, it was agreed to make strong rep- intended wherever possible throughout The Council noted the antiquity of these resentations to the County Council for the site and, where this was less practica- premises and their distance from the vil- correction of the situation. ble, steps to minimise spillage off-site were lage centre. The proposal for a direction War Memorial – upkeep and cleaning intended to be taken. sign at the top of Vicarage Street on the The Clerk reminded the Council that the Care Centre – liaison wall of Red Lion House was supported by maintenance of the memorial was its re- Arising from the suggestion made at the a majority of the Council; the sign to be in sponsibility. Further, to aid consideration last meeting Terry Parker reported having Council colours of white on green. of the implications and technical issues spoken with Keith Cockell of Richmond - Painswick Hotel involved with cleaning of monuments, and a representative of the original local Four signs had been proposed, two on Roy Balgobin had researched and pre- foursome who had been involved with the the A46 and others at the lower end of pared a reference dossier which conception of this scheme and agreed that Bisley Street and outside the Bath House councillors could study prior to making a an exploratory meeting be held on 27th in St.Mary’s Street. Members noted that decision upon whether to proceed in the January. This would consider how the lo- the hotel did not include mapped direc- matter. cal liaison mechanism envisaged as tions for prospective or booked users on The subject will be on the agenda of a integral to the project might be created. its web site, and were very reluctant to future meeting. The avoidance of conflicts of services create a precedent or proliferation of in- Parish Council web site was regarded as of importance and the village commercial signs of this nature. It (see separate report opposite) need for the early creation of the liaison was agreed, on a vote (7/4), to support Information technology mechanism had been highlighted by the the erection of the signs on the A46 in the The Council set up a small Working Party intention of Richmond to introduce its in- green/white colours and to give consid- to consider issues such as Broadband and tended mini-bus service for prospective eration to incorporating further directions other technologies which might be residents from February, this coincident to the hotel within the existing signs at adopted in the future. with the inter-villages mini-bus scheme. the lower end of Bisley Street and outside St.Mary’s Home walling Shutway Quarry the Bath House. Upon a question by Peter Rowe it was Barbara Tait, District Councillor, updated Telephone exchange – parking noted that no response had been received the committee upon the latest actions of Proposals to British Telecom for permis- from the developers of this site regarding the District Council concerning the extent sion for public parking at the rear of the the ‘mixed’ walling alongside Stroud to which planning decisions relating to exchange in Stroud Road had been turned Road, this even though a professional re- use of this quarry had been disregarded. down for security reasons. port and quotation had been forwarded Mrs Tait reported that SDC had author- Allowances for Councillors to them at their request by the Council. ised the issuing of an injunction. (see also report in January issue p.2) The The matter will be followed up. Planning procedures Council decided to seek the approval of A46 status for HGV The Chairman, David Hudson, urged his the District Council to permit Parish Coun- It was noted that the County Council had colleagues to circulate copies of plans re- cillors to draw allowances because the invited the Parish Council and others to ceived much faster than at present as there present rules did not allow claims to be consider its proposal to re-designate HGV were difficulties in meeting datelines for made for expenses.