COMMUNITY NEWS: South Cerney/Siddington/Down Ampney

• SOUTH Cerney Parish Council has approved its budget for 2017-18 with the precept set at £96,010. It was noted that due to a 33 per cent reduction in the local council support grant from CDC and a reduction in the parish council’s tax base compared with 2016-17, this would mean a reduction in income of 2.26 per cent. However, the precept to be paid to the parish council on a B and D dwelling will remain unchanged at £58.68 for the next year.
• THE recent live music event at Cotswold Hoburne, organised jointly by the South Cerney Football and Cricket Clubs, resulted in a donation of £300 to the charity Cotswold Home Start.
• SOUTH Cerney Players spring production, the comedy Curtain Call, takes place in the village hall starting Wednesday, March 29 and running until Saturday, April 1. Tickets on sale at the post office or online at ticketsource.co.uk/southcerneyplayers
• THE parish council is considering installing some new play equipment for toddlers at the Upper Up recreation field and is seeking ideas as to the type of items they should provide. Contact Robert Cowley 07983 202015 or clerk@southcerney.org with your suggestions.
• R-WAY Youth Group re-commences on Tuesday, March 7 at the new Fenton’s Centre in Teal Way. Sessions run from 5-6.30pm and are for children aged between 8-14 years. If sufficient numbers of older youngsters are interested then senior sessions up to 8pm may be considered. The sessions are being run by Young Gloucestershire and a fee of only £1 per child per session is made.
• ALTHOUGH Rhian Gardiner is responsible for the bookings of Fenton’s, I am still looking after bookings for the village hall until the new computer booking system is fully operational. Then Rhian will be taking over.
• THE parish council wishes to thank everyone who returned the completed questionnaires regarding the South Cerney Neighbourhood Plan. There will be an Open Day at Fenton’s from 10.30am-4pm on Saturday, March 25, where everyone will be able to see the initial results and to make additional comments.
• TONIGHT, Thursday, March 2, South Cerney Gardening Club meets in the village hall. This month’s speaker will be Lorna Grey on Cotswold Bound. New members and visitors always welcomed. For details call Maureen Osborne 861215.
• SOUTH Cerney art group are enjoying an interesting season at the village hall on Monday evenings starting at 7pm. Besides being able to do their own work, members are having a series of tutorials and demonstrations which they are finding to be very enjoyable. Anyone can join this long-established group, either just turn up on the evening or contact Janet 01285 860579 or Margaret 86136.
• A SUPER soup lunch is to be held in the village hall on Thursday, March 16 from noon-2pm. Come and share a soup and raise money for Christian Aid. No need for a ticket and no charge at the door but donations gratefully accepted.
• AS EXPECTED, there is to be an appeal against CDC’s decision to refuse planning approval for the 92 dwellings behind Berkeley Close. Details may be seen on the CDC planning website as can the details for all other applications in the district.

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

• A WOMEN’S World Day of Prayer service is taking place at All Saints Church, Preston at 2pm tomorrowon Friday, March 3, with the support of women from Siddington. This is one of more than 5,000 Women’s World Day of Prayer services being held throughout the British Isles on Friday. The service has been written by the women of the Philippines and explores the theme ‘Am I Being Unfair to You?’. Everyone is welcome to attend (male and female). 
• A FAMILY Service takes place at St. Peter’s Church on Sunday, March 5, starting at 10am.

Down Ampney
Melanie Fouracre
dastandard44@gmail.com

• DOWN Ampney Women’s Institute have been successful in their bid to adopt the village’s one and only red telephone box. The Shop Committee also submitted a bid, so the WI and the Shop Committee have met to discuss how the two organisations can work together with the village community on the upkeep of the box. The plan is to use the box as a village noticeboard and to involve the school to see if the children would like to take part in seasonal creative projects and display their work for the village to see. Karen Bussy, on behalf of the WI, would like to thank all the villagers who supported their application.
• DOWN Ampney WI meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the Dakota Room at the village hall. This month’s event is on March 7 and the speaker is Anthony Poulton-Smith who will give a talk on the origins of place names, ‘What’s in a name?’ New members and visitors are always welcome. £4.50 for visitors. A list of events planned to date is published in the Down Ampney News.
• PARISH Communion for the first Sunday of Lent will be held at All Saints’ Church at 10am on Sunday, March 5. During Lent the Vicar will be holding a series of discussions about Baptism and Confirmation. All who would like to join this group are very welcome. For more information, contact Rev John Swanton on 01285 851309.
• DAFFERS have added a new social event to their calendar to celebrate St George’s Day, to be held on Friday, April 21 in the village hall, more details to follow. They have also been asked to put on a summer event for younger villagers. This is in the early planning stages and David Job/Gareth Cope would be pleased to hear ideas about the type of event and timing. For a revised schedule of social events and for contact details see the March Down Ampney News.
• THE Village Spring Clean is on Sunday, March 19. Gloves, litter pickers and refuse sacks provided. Volunteers meet in the village hall car park at 11am. If you can spare an hour or two to take part is this worthwhile annual event, please contact Julia Job (contact details in the March Down Ampney News).