FAIRFORD NEWS: Palmer Hall reaches fundraising target for refurbishment

THE Fairford Patients Participation Group (PPG) at Hilary Cottage Surgery has lots of useful information to help you.

For example, are you, or do you know, a carer?

The PPG says that The Gloucestershire Carers Hub has lots of useful information and support online: bit.ly/3h5AeXo.

The Summer News Letter is available: bit.ly/2Y6TP2b and also at the bottom of the Events tab What’s on August – is a link to free carer skills training and development and coffee mornings and more, done via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

There are also some that can be dialled into, for those who do not have access to a computer.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Wildlife Trust and Ecosulis are working with Fairford residents to create digital walking routes for people to download and explore the wild side of Fairford.

The maps will have three routes of varying length, taking people round some of the best places to see wildlife in and around the town.

Last autumn, the trust restored the ditch along Lover’s Lane (off Leafield Road) and down Hatherop Lane in order to divert floodwater away from the town more easily.

In addition, there are a variety of bat boxes and an owl box being put up around the town, a wildflower area and sensory garden in the Walnut Tree Field, as well as further improvements along the Coln riverside path where the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group, South West (FWAG) will be installing benches and carrying out habitat works to help wildlife such as water voles and kingfishers.

Bankside coppicing of willows on a tributary of the river will further reinforce this important water vole population through planting and promotion (by virtue of more light reaching the banks) of lush bank-side vegetation.

The final aspect will be the installation of collaboratively planned town centre ‘greening’ to bring further colour and wildlife interest to this beautiful town.

This will be another area where input from Fairford residents would be welcomed, so please send your ideas to: grove.sykes@gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk.

LECHLADE Tennis Club has been awarded £3,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund towards the re-spraying of their courts during the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.

Following the outbreak of the virus and the consequent shutdown of businesses in March, Sport England announced a £195 million package to help the sport and physical activity sector.

The grant has allowed Lechlade Tennis Club to complete the maintenance of their courts, which was started last year.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive said: “The Community Emergency Fund is to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.

"We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Lechlade Tennis Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”

HOUSE-BUILDER, Cotswold Homes Ltd, has donated £500 towards the refurbishment of the kitchen area of the historic 84 year old Palmer Hall in Fairford.

Cotswold Homes are building eight three- and four-bedroom detached homes at Fairford Gardens, a green-field site adjacent to June Lewis Way and have made the generous donation to enable the committee of the Palmer Hall to complete the total renovation of the hall.

The committee has already raised £70,000 to update the toilets, add a disabled toilet, improve the stage area, bar area, main hall and entrance hall.

Chair of the Palmer Hall Committee, Sue Crowley, said: "We are extremely grateful to Cotswold Homes for this generous donation, which will enable us to finalise the upgrade of this much-loved historic hall.”

Chris Roberts, one of a team helping to refurbish the historic community hall, said: “The final phase of the hall refurbishment is a kitchen upgrade to include new cupboard doors,’worktops, splash-backs, sinks and taps.

"Cotswold Homes’ donation is the icing on the cake, which will enable to complete the project.”

Meanwhile, with a marketing suite already welcoming visitors at Fairford Gardens, the house-builder is finalising plans to open a view-home next month.