South Cerney
Mike Stuart 
mikestuart@southcerney.com
01285 860439

  • THE community composting site is once again open for residents to deliver their green waste. The team has successfully removed the material which could not be shredded to make compost and are now in the process of renewing many of the original posts holding the composting bins in place. Please use this facility in a responsible manner especially by taking only materials that would be accepted by the CDC green waste bin scheme. It is very expensive and time consuming to process large dry material such as major trimmings from trees and hedges. If you have such material to dispose of please either employ a professional firm to deal with it or otherwise take the stuff to the Foss Cross recycling centre. The same applies to none organic garden waste. Too many people leave plastic bags, pots and other rubbish at the site.  
  • THERE will soon be a fresh batch of garden compost available for collection so do watch for notices at the site directing you to which bin to collect from.
  • WITH the arrival of the specially designed and manufactured window units from Sweden the building of the new Fenton’s Youth and Sports centre on the Redrow site is progressing apace. The steering group are well advanced with plans for the management structure and will soon be advertising for someone to take on the routine bookings and management of the facility. 

Siddington
Alison Wagstaff
01285 655838
awsiddington@yahoo.co.uk

  • A HARVEST festival service takes place at St Peter’s church on Sunday, October 2. This will be followed by a ‘bring and share’ lunch. Please note that the service starts one hour later than usual morning services so that the lunch can follow immediately afterwards, all are welcome. 
  • THE flower arranging team is reminded that decoration of the church for the harvest festival service will take place on Saturday, October 1 from 9.30am onwards.
  • This year’s Harvest Supper is taking place on Saturday, October 15 in the Village Hall. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets are £9 per person, which includes supper and entertainment, and are available from Ann (01285 651915) or Jill (01285 654633).
  • FOLLOWING notification from Cotswold District Council that no request has been received to fill the two casual vacancies on the parish council by election, the parish council is now looking to co-opt two new members. Siddington residents interested in joining the parish council are invited to submit a letter of application stating why they feel they would be suitable and what skills they can bring to the role of parish councillor. Applicants will be invited to address the parish council at its next meeting on Tuesday, October 11. For further information or to submit an application, please contact the clerk, Robert Cowley, by email (siddingtonclerk@gmail.com) or by post to Siddington Parish Clerk, 3 Broadway Lane, South Cerney, Cirencester GL7 5UH. Applications must be received no later than 5pm on Thursday, October 6.

Down Ampney 
Melanie Fouracre 
dastandard44@gmail.com

  • THE village appeared on Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages last week, when its proud links to the famous composer Ralph Vaughan-Williams and the courageous WW2 nurses, known as the ‘Flying Nightingales’ were featured. Those who missed the programme can find a link on the Local Information and History page of the village website downampneyvillage.co.uk and more information on the village’s whatsinafield.wordpress.com blog.
  • A BIG thank you to everyone who contributed to the scarecrow trail, by helping with the organisation, baking cakes, sponsoring the prizes, entering scarecrows or by simply turning up, buying a trail map and enjoying the fun. A grand total of £1,620 was raised, which will be divided between the school PTA and All Saints’ Church PCC. Prize winners were:  Sue and Mick Mills for their scarecrow Bonnie and Clyde – which was voted overall favourite and Fiona and Caitlin Jesson for guessing the names of all 38 scarecrows correctly. Visit the Events page of village website to see some photos of the fabulous scarecrows and a full list of scarecrow identities.
  • PARISH communion will be at 10 am at All Saints’ Church on Sunday, October 2 followed by Harvest Evensong at Ampney St Mary.
  • OCTOBER 20 is the date for the Down Ampney WI’s trip to Westonbirt Arboretum. Further details will be available at the next WI meeting on Tuesday, October 4 at 7.30pm in The Dakota Room in the village hall. If there is enough interest it is planned to arrange a mini bus, if not lifts will be arranged as transport.