South Cerney

Mike Stuart

mikestuart.scerney@btinternet.com

01285 860439

  • LAST Sunday afternoon our new rector, Rev Jennifer McKenzie, was inducted in All Hallows church by the Bishop of Gloucester. The church was packed as was the village hall where the reception was held after the service.
  • RECENTLY, Tony Squire retired from the post of Church Warden at All Hallows after more than 24 years dedicated service. At present, no replacement has been appointed.
  • PREPARATIONS for our annual South Cerney Festival are well advanced and bigger crowds are expected than in previous years. There is still a shortage of helpers for many sorts of jobs on the Bank Holiday Monday. Please call Katharine on 07821 090763 if you can help out on the day.
  • THE Annual Parish Meeting was held last Thursday with several members of the public present to hear reports given by many of the organisations in our parish. Police reported that crime figures have remained virtually at the previous year’s level with some 99 reported. Of those 39 were thefts, mostly from vehicles left in the car parks off the Spine Road, four burglaries from houses or businesses and 13 from outbuildings were included in the total.
  • THE recently set up Paws on Patrol scheme has attracted 47 members and is sponsored by the police and parish council. Thanks to Annabel Gibbons who has worked so hard to set up this scheme. Anyone wanting more details of the scheme should contact the clerk to the parish council.
  • THE United Church reported that they are amongst the final three churches in the Bristol Methodist Circuit being considered for a major award for the excellent work they are doing in the local community. Recently TV cameras visited the church to prepare a film showing how the church helps local folk. This film will be used in the awards ceremony. The results of the competition will be announced on June 10. 
  • THE representative of the army at 29 Regt RLC gave his report which included the news that the RAF Gliding School is being relocated from Hullavington to the South Cerney airfield later this year. The school will be operating every weekend throughout the year except when the annual Steam Extravaganza takes place. Concerns were expressed by some present that this could prevent the use of the airfield for parking of vehicles during future Street Fairs. Questions are being raised with the military over this. The gliders will be launched using winches not by being towed by aeroplanes which will reduce any possible noise factor.
  • AT THE meeting, Jazmin Treserden reported that the South Cerney Youth Group R-Way, of which she is one of the leaders, is attracting very good numbers of children mainly from the 8-11 age group. Recently one meeting had 27 present.

Siddington

Alison Wagstaff

01285 655838

awsiddington@yahoo.co.uk 

  • MORNING Praise takes place at St. Peter’s church on Sunday, May 28, starting at 10am.
  • THERE are still a few tickets left for the summer concert being held at St Peter’s on June 3. The show, which starts at 7pm, features MJ UK and will include songs from Les Miserables, as well as from popular composers such as Rogers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Gilbert & Sullivan and others. Tickets from Siddington Stores or Ann Sheppard (01285 651915) at £10 for adults and £5 for children.

Down Ampney

Melanie Fouracre

dastandard44@gmail.com

  • ASCENSION Day (May 25) is being celebrated with Holy Communion at the following Churches: 7am at Bibury, 12pm at Ampney St Mary and 7 pm at Marston Meysey.
  • PARISH Communion will be at 10am on Sunday, May 28 at Poulton. There will also be Meditation and Holy Communion at Poulton on Tuesday, May 30 at 6 pm.
  • OPENING hours for the village shop on Bank Holiday Monday, will be from 10am to 12pm. Please make sure you order any bread or pastries for the Bank Holiday in advance as these will only be baked to order. Alternatively, bread, pastries etc will be available frozen for customers to bake at home.
  • THE shop is always looking for volunteers to help keep it open. If you have a few hours to spare, just ask in the shop for more details about the different roles available.
  • DOWN Ampney Gardening Club’s Summer Social this year is on Thursday, June 15 and is a garden visit to Daglingworth House. The cost is £6 and cars will meet at the village hall at 6pm.