South Cerney

Mike Stuart
mikestuart.scerney@btinternet.com
01285 860439

  • THIS year’s summer Flower Show is being held in the Village Hall this weekend with the public being able to inspect the numerous exhibits on Saturday, August 5 from 2-5pm and again on Sunday 6 between 11.30am and 4.30pm. Refreshments available. Exhibitors can bring their entries to the hall from 7-9pm on Friday and from 8-10am on Saturday but as judging starts sharp at 10am it is advisable to be no later than 9.45am. Although entries should have been registered by yesterday, if you have an exhibit it may be possible for it to be included if there is space. Please bring it along, preferably on Friday evening, and the Show Secretary will decide if it can be accepted. Come along and enjoy this very traditional piece of village culture.
  • THE Steam Extravaganza takes place on the Cerney Airfield tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday and will doubtlessly see several of its marvellous steamers and other vintage vehicles descend on the village centre on Friday and Saturday evenings. Each year there are concerns expressed that the bridges over the River Churn and the Mill Stream will not carry the weight of these vehicles.  Please be assured that the Highways Authority has confirmed that there is absolutely no risk to those structures which are well able to carry such loads. Try to treat this as a carnival weekend and enjoy the spectacle. 
  • LAST Saturday a team of 12 bowlers from the South Cerney club visited Filkins in West Oxfordshire to compete for a trophy. Filkins was the very first club with which Cerney competed when the club was founded some 25 years ago and a strong bond has been established between the two clubs. Despite the threat of heavy rain, the match was completed with Filkins winning by a few points and thus retaining the trophy. There are two more away matches for Cerney to compete in this season, Tetbury and Porter, another West Oxfordshire club. There are several competitions running for club members to take part in before the season ends in mid-September. Anyone interested in trying their hand at this excellent sport should come along and meet the club members. Tuesday and Friday evenings are club nights and unless there is an away game, players are usually at the green, just off Bow Wow on Saturday afternoons.

Siddington

Alison Wagstaff
01285 655838
awsiddington@yahoo.co.uk 

  • A FAMILY Service takes place at St Peter’s on Sunday, August 6, starting at 10am. Refreshments will be served after the service.
  • SIDDINGTON Evergreen Club meets on Tuesday, August 8 at 2.30pm in the Elizabeth Way Community Room. The speaker this month is Bill Irving, a popular Evergreen guest. His talk will be full of ‘Surprises.’ There will be a fun raffle and refreshments. New members are welcome. 
  • THE Parish Council doesn’t meet in August. Residents wishing to raise any concerns may still do so by contacting the clerk, Robert Cowley, by emailing siddingtonclerk@gmail.com

Down Ampney

Melanie Fouracre
dastandard44@gmail.com

  • NEWS from Down Ampney Church of England Primary School.  Deputy head, Adam Clark will return to the school after the summer break as Acting Head for the next academic year. Other developments at the school, including Closer working ties with a number of small schools locally, mean that the partnership with Cirencester Primary School has come to an end. Mr Clark thanked Cirencester Primary School, particularly Wendy Foster, executive headteacher and Julie White, business manager for their tireless hard work to raise standards, the results of which will be felt for years to come. Find out more about what is happening at our village school at the first Welcome Wednesday on October 4.  It is hoped that this will become a regular feature on the first Wednesday of every month. More details to follow.
  • PARISH Communion will be at All Saints’ Church on Sunday, August 6 at 10am followed by a baptism at noon. Evensong will be held at Ampney St Mary at 6pm.
  • MOTORISTS have again been monitored by the Speed Watch Group as they drive through the village. Several have been reported to the police, one of whom was found to be doing 42 mph past the village school. All will receive communications from the police as appropriate.
  • THE Parish Council has reminded villagers not to park on the footpath on the main Down Ampney road. A recent incident led to one villager, who is blind, being distressed when they walked into a car and then had to negotiate their way around the car by walking in the road.
  • COUNCILLOR Parsons of Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has secured some funding to make repairs to some of the worst parts of paths in the village. The Parish Council (PC) awaits the outcome of this work and will keep the village informed of progress. The PC, GCC and Gloucestershire Highways all agree that the roads and paths in and around Down Ampney are not all they should be. As financial constraints have been placed on GCC by central government, funds are in short supply. However, after pressure from the PC a number of site investigations have been approved that will look at road conditions and drainage.