Fairford news by Chris Roberts

THIS week there are more events not going ahead because of the lockdown.

These include the VE Day Picnic in the Park; the Fairford & District Choral Society Requiem concert; Messy Church and Fairford Gardeners’ Club monthly meeting.

OPENING times for services in Fairford: Fairford Post Office 9am-12 noon on Monday-Thursday; Fairford Chemist 10.30am-5.30pm Monday-Friday with a break for lunch between 1pm-2pm and open from 9am-1pm on Saturdays; Londis is open every day from 8am-8pm and the Co-Op is open every day from 7am-9pm all this week and every day from 7am-10pm next week.

A LOCAL resident has written about her experience of Covid-19.

She says that approximately four weeks ago, she started to feel unwell with flu-like symptoms.

The symptoms got worse and so she self-isolated.

She was constantly tired, slightly confused and her throat became drier and direr.

A couple of phone calls to the GP surgery helped with her anxiety and their advice was to rest, drink lots of fluids and take Paracetamol every four hours.

The GP was also happy to discuss any changes in her symptoms especially if her breathing became even more labored and increased to over 24 breaths per minute.

Luckily, over the following weeks, her breathing improved, sleeping was better with a pillow under her tummy and lying on her front.

She tried to breathe slowly and deeply and kept up the fluid intake. She is now left feeling tired, but much happier.

COTSWOLDS MP, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, will be live at The Barn Theatre at 3pm every Friday.

Sir Geoffrey will answer your submitted questions plus tackle the latest issues surrounding government policy.

On Friday, Sir Geoffrey will be specifically focusing on education.

To find out more about sending in your questions for Sir Geoffrey to answer, contact The Barn Theatre: 01285 648242 or info@barntheatre.org.uk.

THE popular free community magazine Ripples looks unlikely to be delivered to your homes before September.

Before production, the team at Ripples needs to have confidence that there will be enough distribution people available to get 6,000 copies into readers’ hands after getting the magazine back from the printer.

The usual deadline for the June edition would be May 8 and this is not now possible.

The July/August edition is doubtful because of the lockdown, so Ripples will review the situation for a September edition when things become clearer.

FAIRFORD’S celebrity award-winning author, Paul Cornell, is thrilled to be a judge for the new educational initiative, The Cotswold Challenge, for 16-19 year olds who have missed their exams this year.

Paul, who has written novels, comics, short fiction and non-fiction as well as being a TV screen writer for Doctor Who, Casualty, Coronation Street and more, said: “I think it’s important to let young people know that a creative career is possible, but that it’s also a challenge, not an easy choice.

"This contest combines both messages.

"Also, I think the current generation surpasses their predecessors in so many ways, so I’m looking forward to being challenged myself.”

Find out more about The Cotswold Challenge at www.thecotswoldchallenge.com. Closing date is 9pm on June 1.

JENNERS Barn in Kempsford near Fairford has undergone a complete re-brand, which will be officially launched in September.

The Macintosh family, who have owned Great Farm together with its Cotswold stone barn for many years, are now looking forward to encouraging couples and families to choose the barn for their wedding event.

The re-brand created by Allison Murray Design of Eastleach was influenced by the beautiful water meadows surrounding the barn, combined with the feel of confetti and fireworks and cow parsley!

LECHLADE-BASED Vintage Singer, Delores, invites you to join her for a live musical tribute to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Singing a nostalgic selection of songs from the era to include: The Andrews Sisters, Vera Lynn, Edith Piaf, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and more, the online event will be live-streamed from Delores’ garden (weather permitting) on Friday May 8 at 12 noon.

To attend, simple click the invitation on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Deloresx/.