Big Community Switch – Save on Energy Bills

Hello,

I am working on the Big Community Switch scheme at Gloucestershire County Council. Supported by Gloucestershire County Council, the scheme could help you to save money on your gas and electricity bills and is available to residents on dual and single tariffs and those with pre-payment meters. I am emailing to let you know the next auction is open for households to register their interest.

Residents in Gloucestershire are being invited to take part in the latest Big Community Switch auction, which can help households save money on bills, including those with pre-payment meters. The current auction ends on 16th May.

The scheme helps households potentially save money on their energy bills by using a reverse auction and a principle of bulk buying energy. Residents can register for the scheme online or over the phone, the more people who register the cheaper the quote will be as the scheme offers the big energy companies the opportunity to compete for the customers. This often results in cheaper energy quotes, and residents will receive a quote once the auction has ended. There is no obligation to accept the quote or switch energy provider.

If you have any questions about the scheme do not hesitate to give me a call.

Lorna Fizor
Communications Officer

CommunicationsTeam

Gloucestershire County Council

Block 4 Floor 4, Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TG
Tel: 01452 328099      Email: lorna.fizor@gloucestershire.gov.uk

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk

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Film Night – “Strictly Ballroom” – TOMORROW – Tuesday 12th April – 7:30pm

Don’t forget tomorrow night, or is it now tonight? You have? Well this is to remind you that there is one last chance this season to watch a film in comfort and good company with friends and neighbours and with the option of a glass of cheer at your elbow. We have enjoyed this winter’s programme so much that we have added one last offering before the summer break.

As it feels like Autumn and the TV is just as bad, why not join us for one of the funniest films to come out of Australia, Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom. It doesn’t matter if you have no time whatsoever for dancing – in fact, that might be an advantage, as this film is Australians sending themselves up in a massively entertaining way, with the convention-bound ballroom dance scene caught in the fierce crossfire.

It may not be Mamma Mia, but the feelgood factor is tops and some serious laughing is assured.

Do try and make it.

Admission free. Pay bar available.

Tuesday 12th April. 7.30 for 8.00pm in the Village Hall.

Queen’s Birthday Tree Preparation

Dear All,
We need to make progress on preparing the location for the Queen’s Birthday Tree in the churchyard.  Graham and Philip Nichols have kindly pulled out the stumps and roots of previous trees at the location using JCB digger, so that the task is off to a flying start.  The following approach is suggested:
  1. It is not practical for more than 2 to work at once without getting in each other’s way.
  2. The work is hard physically so, it is suggested that short shifts are done to avoid back strains etc.
  3. We need to lift out the ground over a patch over 1 metre square, down to 1 metre deep and then later fill it with a mixture of imported lime free soil, manure and the selected best of the existing soil.
  4. I will lay out a sheet of plastic onto which the excavated material can be laid out and sorted, together with some plastic buckets into which stones and rocks can be placed for transport to the tip.  Vegetable material which can later be burned on a bonfire should be taken and dumped near the mower shed.  There will be a wheel barrow there for the latter.
  5. Any potentially significant artefacts found should be placed to one side.
If you can assist in any way along these lines it would be greatly appreciated.  Better ideas will be welcome.
Regards,  Harry Tubbs.

Plate looking for a home!

IMG_6524The plate in the attached photo has been living in the Village Hall but, after a tidy up at the hall, now needs to find its owner.  Please contact Annabella on 860617 if it belongs to you!  Thank you.

 

Police and Crime Commissioner Election – Notice of Election

I attach the notice of election and notice of election address for the Police and Crime Commissioner election on 5 May.

The notices are published by the Police Area Returning Officer, David Hagg of Stroud District Council.

Please post the notices in your area no earlier than 30 March and distribute to any email lists you may hold for local councillors/residents.

Poll cards for this election will be issued to Royal Mail on 30 March so should start arriving over the weekend of 2 April.

Any queries on registration and voting should be made to our Customer Services team on 01285 623002 or visit our website at www.cotswold.gov.uk

I will email again with details of the candidates after the close of nominations on 7 April.

Notice of Election Address – Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire

Notice of Election – Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire

Sarah Dalby, AEA (Cert)

Electoral Services Manager

Direct Dial:  01285 623002

Web: www.cotswold.gov.uk

Twitter:  @CDCElections

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CotswoldDCElections

Horses along Kingscote Churchyard Footpath

Sometime in the afternoon of Wednesday 30 March horses have been taken through the churchyard on the Public Right of Way footpath, naturally turning it into a muddy mess.
Parishioners should be aware that we have been through all this some 10 years ago and confirmed with the Gloucestershire County Council that this is NOT a Bridleway.
H.Tubbs, Churchwarden.

The Forerunner – April 2016

forerunner

Service Calendar for April 2016

Sunday

 

   3rd Kingscote

Nailsworth

Nailsworth

Horsley

9.30 am

8.00 am

11.00 am

11.00 am

Morning Prayer

Holy Communion BCP

Family Service

Holy Communion

Wednesday    6th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 10th Kingscote

Nailsworth

Horsley

   9.30 am

11.00 am

11.00 am

Holy Communion BCP

Holy Communion

Family Service

Wednesday 13th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday

 

17th  

Kingscote

Nailsworth

Nailsworth

 

   9.30 am

11.00 am

6.00 pm

Family Service

Family Communion & AGM

One Voice at Christ Church

Wednesday 20th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 24th Kingscote

Nailsworth

Horsley

   9.30 am

11.00 am

6.00 pm

Holy Communion CW

Holy Communion

Evensong

Wednesday 27th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Thursday 28th Horsley 3.15 pm Messy Church

The Little Angels mothers and toddlers group meets at 10.00 am on Fridays at Nailsworth Church. Refreshments served afterwards in the Parish Rooms.

The next PCC meeting and the Annual Parochial Council Meeting will take place on Tuesday 5 April at 8.00 pm in the Village Hall. We welcome visitors to take part in these meetings. We are looking to appoint a new PCC Secretary to succeed Georgina Harford who will be leaving the parish later this year. 

     Diocesan News                 www.gloucester.anglican.org/news/publications

                                          www.gloucester.anglican.org/news/blog

    

     Nailsworth Benefice        www.stgeorgesnailsworth.org.uk

     Kingscote Community      www.kingscoteonline.co.uk

The Vicar’s Letter

 

Dear Friends,

This is a very special year for a member of the Royal Family as the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday. She is already the oldest serving British Monarch and also the longest serving. The nation will celebrate in earnest in June of this year, but her actual birthday falls this month on 21 April.

Some years ago, in my youth I almost lost a job when I questioned whether we should retain the Monarchy ! Fast forward and now, not only am I an ardent admirer of her majesty, but I also work for her.

She impresses me for her serenity, her wisdom and her absolute dedication to the role to which she feels called. Her own personal life has been dogged by tragedy and controversy, yet she remains unwavering.

How is this possible ?

In a new book being published to mark her 90th birthday entitled ‘The Servant Queen And The King She Serves’ she writes in the foreword, “I have been – and remain – very grateful to you for your prayers and to God for his steadfast love. I have indeed seen his faithfulness.”

Her Majesty attributes her ability to serve to the one she serves first and foremost – God himself. It is refreshing to me to hear someone like her standing up for her own faith.

Let me end this letter, not with my words, but with words from her 2015 Christmas Broadcast.

“Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short life, Christ’s unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence but simply that we should love one another. Although it is not an easy message to follow, we shouldn’t be discouraged; rather, it inspires us to try harder: to be thankful for the people who bring love and happiness into our own lives, and to look for ways of spreading that love to others, whenever and wherever we can.”

May God continue to bless you Your Majesty.

Rev. Mike Smith

 

Flower Rota

10th and 17th April

24th April and 1st May

Sheila Grey

Zoe Nichols

  

                   Weddings: Saturday 16 April, 3.00 pm, Keith Riley and Anne Riley.

                                    Friday 29 April, 2.00 pm Matthew Ainsworth and Kate Ledigo.

Lorna Reynolds

Cleaning Team 

The next Vestry Silver and Brass cleaning session is at 2.30 pm on Monday 11 April. The PCC is working to arrange for commercial cleaning assistance in the church for all other aspects.

Teresa Day

 

Village Hall Programme

 

Film Night – Tuesday 12 April, Strictly Ballroom director Baz Lehrman … a comedy about an Australian ballroom dancing competition, 7.30 for 8.00 pm, admission free – Pay Bar

Coffee morning – Wednesday 13 April, 10.30 to 11.30 am, join us for a display of old local maps by Ben Harford and a sociable chat over coffee and cake £2. See how the village has changed over the years.

The Queen’s Birthday Celebration – Saturday 23 April, 3.00 to 6.00 pm, bring food to share at the Village Hall. Entertainment and children’s talent show – see the leaflet enclosed and for up to date details follow the subject on the community web-site.

Carol Paton

 

The Queen’s Birthday Tree Planting and Beacon Bonfire

One of the proposals made for the celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday is to plant a specimen tree at a conspicuous place in the parish. The Parish Council has offered to make a contribution to the cost of this from the Parish Precept, which is a small fraction of the Council Tax available for local use.

There is considerable enthusiasm for this in the community, and various suggestions have been made for the location and species of tree (or trees) to plant. The PC is canvassing opinion to make these decisions, so if you wish to influence this contact Graham Nichols or Anna Davison. We need to make these decisions as quickly as possible to allow time for the ground work required to ensure that the tree chosen has a long and healthy life.

Interestingly, the Lychgate at the entrance to the churchyard was put up early in the 20th C to celebrate the long reign of Queen Victoria.

Consideration is also being given to having a bonfire beacon on the evening of 21 April on land behind the Hunters Hall. Details will become available on the community web-site nearer the time.

The Editor

 

Grumbolds Ash Group

On Wednesday 6 April we visit Cleveden Court (NT), an outstanding 14th C manor house and 18th C terraced garden. Both the house and the garden have many steps and slopes.

They are open from 2.00 to 5.00 pm so we will have lunch near the historic Pier at Cleveden. Meet at the VH at 11.00 am to share the drive BS21 6QU – M5 exit 20.

Jutta Tubbs Tel. 860 194

Thank you to the Grumbolds

I would like to say a big thank you to the Grumbolds Ash Ladies who gave me such a wonderful treat for my birthday – a beautiful meal, gorgeous flowers and jams from Jane. The day was most enjoyable and I count myself lucky having so many lovely friends.

Vida

 

Free-range eggs for sale

Mrs Pat Cooksley of 2 The Windmill normally has some free-range eggs for sale at £1 for six. Best call afternoons.

  

Book Club at 8.00 pm

Wednesday 13 April, Do no Harm by Henry Marsh at Jane’s.

Tuesday 17 May, The Porcelain Thief by Huan Hsu at Sheila’s.

Tuesday 7 June, The Janissery Tree by Jason Goodwin at Teresa’s

Angela Wooldridge

 

Kingscote Parish Council 

The date of the next meeting of the Parish Council is Tuesday 19 April at 8.00 pm in the Hunters Hall. Unapproved minutes of the last meeting are available on the community website.

The AGM for the Parish Council and the Village Hall Committee will be on 18 May – time to be advised.

 

Rescheduled First Aid course

A first aid course will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 11 April and/or Tuesday 12 April at 9.30 am. The date will depend on the numbers applying.

 

Planning Applications

15/04974/FUL Jandacott, Scrubbetts Lane, Bagpath, erection of two storey rear extension.

19 Kingscote, conifer – fell because of excessive shading and low amenity value.

Anna Davison, Tel. 860 244

 

Churchyard Paths

From time to time criticism is received of the condition of the churchyard paths.

  • The path to the main north door which has been surfaced with tar-macadam in the past is deteriorating due to the breakdown of the surface and could cause unaccompanied elderly pedestrians to trip. However it is well cambered and drained so that little dirt is brought into the church.
  • The Public Right of Way Footpath to the south, via Jo’s Gate is heavily used by dog walkers and hikers, and gets muddy in wet weather as it has no camber or natural drainage.  This makes it unpleasant for brides-to-be and their attendants entering the building through the west door.

We are considering a major re-work of the public footpath which would involve re-laying the electrical cable to the floodlight near the Lychgate (due to inadequate insulation) and laying two empty conduits which could in the future provide the capability to replace the overhead main electrical supply cables and perhaps even carry a mains water supply.

The PCC

 

Weekly Recycling – Green food boxes and wheelie bins

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays.

 

Fortnightly Recycling – Black boxes, White Bags and Blue bags

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays 1, 15 and 29 April.

 

Fortnightly Waste – Grey wheelie bins to landfill

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays 1, 15 and 29 April.

 

Bus Timetable Enquiries – Ring traveline on 0871 200 2233.

 

Mobile Library

The next visit will be on Friday 15 April when the van will park in front of The Walled Garden from 10.00 am to 12 noon.

 

Magazine

Any material which may be of interest for the next issue of the Forerunner should be sent by 20 April to H. Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden, Tel. 860 194

 

Meals on Wheels

March saw the end of (W)RVS involvement in the Tetbury District Meals on Wheels distribution by local (W)RVS volunteers, which is now being placed with a commercial organisation. Kingscote involvement began over 20 years ago when Jutta Tubbs was recruited by a friend in Tetbury, and in due course Jo Spash and Irene Sage joined in. They have given and received considerable satisfaction and happiness in taking part in this service.

Jutta began in Derbyshire many years ago in the rural area between Derby and Ashbourne. This was quite a big operation, with a circuit of over 40 miles and around 20 customers. The food was collected from a works canteen at Hulland in a big metal box having burning charcoal in the bottom, which was put in the boot over the petrol tank. (We are unaware of any report of a WRVS operative being incinerated in the line of duty since the end of WW2). Once the snow was so deep it was necessary to hail a passing tractor driver to deliver a meal.

The Editor

 

Celebrating our Church Weddings

 

Destiny

When first we met I had a sense

Of meaningful coincidence.

Our guardian angels had combined

To make quite sure our lives entwined.

If not, then how can we explain

A meeting which would set in train

Such closeness, just as if we knew

A previous bond would continue

With shared adventure, laughter, fun,

A web of love and trust fine spun

To keep us linked in harmony,

Companions by destiny.

Evelyn Westwood

 

Good and Bad Religion, by Peter Vardy

(Published by scm press in 2010)

This is a scholarly theological study from the Vice-Principal of Heythrop College, London University, which is a splendid contribution to clarifying the confusion and concerns which we are all experiencing in the rivalry between world faiths and the struggle with atheism and apathy. We have been given permission to serialise the 6 broad conclusions which he draws from the study in subsequent issues of the Forerunner. The Editor.

  

  1. Good religion is not afraid of science but will be committed to the view that religion and science are both seeking truth. A resistance to scientific discoveries and insights is a feature of bad religion – which is not to say that religion should not challenge and question science on the adequacy of its understanding and the possible incompleteness of its picture of reality. However, to deny clear empirical evidence from science in the interests of preserving tradition, authority or sacred scripture masks a closed mindedness that is hostile to good religion.

 

The scm press can be contacted at: www.scm-canterburypress.co.uk

  

Parish Directory

 

Vicar:                    Reverend Mike Smith, 3 Vicarage Gardens, Nailsworth,   GL6 0QS, Tel. 07840 260 182

 

Curate:                  Reverend Sue Sobczak, Horsley, Tel. 01453 833 526

 

Reader                  Sue White, Nailsworth, Tel: 01453 835 693

 

Churchwardens:   Harry Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden, Kingscote, GL8 8YP. Tel: 860 194

                            Godfrey Ainsworth, Kingscote House, Kingscote, GL8 8XY Tel: 861 683

 

Hon.Sec.PCC:        Georgina Harford, Ashcroft House, Kingscote, GL8 8YF Tel: 01453 860 227

 

Hon.Treas.PCC:    Jane Nichols, Asheldown, 3 Ashel Barn Cottages, Kingscote, GL8 8YB Tel. 01453 860 534

 

Members of PCC:   The Churchwardens, The Hon. Secretary, The Hon. Treasurer, Elin Tattersall, Zoe Nichols, Chris Alford.

 

Vestry Silver and Brass Team:    Teresa Day, Angela Wooldridge, Pauline McTear.

 

Nailsworth MU:     Trissa Jones,   Tel: 832 551

 

 

Editor of Forerunner: Harry Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden, Kingscote, GL8 8YP Tel: 860 194

 

Gift Aid and Envelopes:   Jane Nichols, 3 Ashel Barn Cottages, Kingscote Tel. 860 534.

 

Church Flowers Rota: Lorna Reynolds, Tel. 860 231

 

Organist:               Rosemary Sims, 15 Badger’s Way, Forest Green, Nailsworth, GL6 0HE Tel: 832 446

 

Sidespersons:         Harry Tubbs, Rod Tibbert, Elin Tattersall, Godfrey Ainsworth, Jane Nichols.

 

Electoral Roll:        Elin Tattersall, 3 Boxwood Close, Tel.01453 860 182

 

Mowing Team:       Harry Tubbs, Sebastian Cooper, Rick Bond, Roger Lucy, Godfrey Ainsworth, Ken Davies,

                            Brian McTear, John Moore, Tony Wooldridge.

 

Village Hall:          Bookings: Pauline McTear, Kingscote, Tel. 861 311

                            Secretary: Carol Paton, Bagpath, Tel. 860 649

 

Parish Council Chairman: Graham Nichols, Asheldown, 3 Ashel Barn Cottages, Kingscote Tel: 01453 860 534

 

Parish Council Clerk: Anna Davison, Bagpath Court, GL8 8YG, Tel. 860 244

 

Village Agent:        Aileen Bendall, Tel. 07810 630 156 or 01452 426 868

 

Printer of Forerunner: Godfrey Ainsworth, Kingscote House, Tel. 861 683                                                  

 

 

The Forerunner is published by the P.C.C. who are usually most willing to

accept copy from village groups and individuals. However, please note that the opinions and views expressed by the contributors within the Forerunner are not necessarily those of the Church, P.C.C. or Editor.