bisley news august september 2015
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The Bisley News with all that's happening in Bisley, Gloucestershire. August / September 2015TRANSCRIPT
The Bisley News
Please recycle our village magazine by returning it to:
The George Stores, Holbrook Garage or Stancombe Beech Farm Shop so that someone else may read it. Thank you.
August / September 2015 www.bisleynews.co.uk
Incorporating ‘The Spire’
Selwyn Mills Selwyn Mills Selwyn Mills to opento opento open
Flower Show & Fete Flower Show & Fete Flower Show & Fete
Show Schedule insideShow Schedule insideShow Schedule inside
The Bisley News Colin Hassall
[email protected] 01452 770335
This magazine is also available at www.bisleynews.co.uk
Copy DEADLINE October / November edition
Tues 15th September 2015 Or earlier if all space taken
BISLEY W.I. Admission £3.00
Meetings start at 7.30pm at the Bisley WI Village Hall
August is the Members Outing
Thursday 10th September Tally Giampa ‐
How Local communities can help those vulnerable, be safe from fire
Guests Welcome
Printed by MDL Kelex 01453 791 400
Bisley Friendship Club
Bisley WI Village Hall 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Wednesday 19th August A trip to the
Lavender Bakehouse Wednesday 16th September
Entertainment T.B.A.
Delicious Homemade Teas Guests & newcomers very welcome
Enquiries to Susie Bromley 770232
OPEN HOUSE Coffee & biscuits 11am – noon
Thursday, 6th August, 2015
Pat Chapman, 12, Bearsfield Thursday 2nd September
To be arranged
If you’d like to host a meeting please contact Mo 770298
Open house is a good way to meet your neighbours & catch up with village activities
Everyone Welcome
Flicks In The Sticks Bisley WI Village Hall
7.30 for 8pm
Tues 8th September The Theory of Everything
the extraordinary life of Professor
Stephen Hawking Starring Eddie Redmayne
Everyone Welcome
Roses cover photos courtesy of Jeannie Hassall
Editor’s Notes
Fibre Optic Broadband It seems that we have been living with false illusions of the new, fast fibre optic broadband arriving in our village. The BT rollout across the country is well under way and projections suggest it will reach our area later this year – BUT, and it’s a big but, it now transpires that it does not include areas supplied through a local ‘Exchange’. The big building in Manor Street, on the way up to the Village Hall, is a BT Exchange that supplies the village. So right now we have no indication when Fibre Optic Broadband will come to Bisley! Flower Show & Fete The Flower Show and Fete committees are working flat out for the big day on the Saturday 29th August. Good to see that Selwyn Mills has been invited back from Chichester to open the Fete. As I write I can hear Peter Thorp busily working away on a variety of fun activities for the show ground. Anne Thorp would like to encourage sponsorship of display tables in the Marquee – can you help? (Page 7) The Schedule is in the centre of this edition – so get your entries organised early, and fingers crossed for good weather! The marquee will then be used for splendid events as follows:
1. Joliet Blues Band (See back cover for details) Promises to be a rip-roaring evening of entertainment and dancing – come
and join us. Licenced Bar. This is a fund raiser for the Flower Show Marquee.
2. Songs of Praise Will again be held in the Flower Show Marquee at 11am Sunday 30th August (day after the Flower Show) Everyone welcome.
3. Inter Village Quiz Get your team organised and represent your village. Last year was a great success, with a marquee full of quizzers who all had a splendid supper: but Bisley lost out. Time for revenge!! John Taylor Foundation Pat Bashford is now taking applications for the annual grants towards books, tools or equipment for young people going to college, university or doing an apprenticeship. Apply in writing, see Page 21. BATS Matt Richardson who has entertained us so well already has agreed to direct the 2016 BATS Panto. Watch out for a September date to hear all about it and join in. Bisley Ladies Cricket Team 1939 Who is the ‘Mystery lady’? (Page 42) Stroud Five Valleys Walk After my recent walk around the Anglesey Coastline I’m planning to do the Five Valleys on Sun 27th September, which raises funds for Meningitis NOW. Would you like to join me for 21 miles, or a part of it? Walking as a group is good fun! Let me know – [email protected]
Self-employed Handy Man or Woman
Wanted
to carry out light maintenance tasks for the Parish Council (grass cutting, strimming, fence/gate repairs etc.)
Contact Roger Utley 07970 871196 Or email [email protected]
Bisley Parish Council News
More on the mobile phone mast(s)… In addition to the mobile phone mast at Bisley that we told you about in April, it is proposed to build a second mast at Lypiatt Farm, Miserden in order to provide mobile coverage in and around the Miserden/Lypiatt area. Between them, the two masts will provide better mobile coverage over most of the Parish, regardless of which network you may be using. There are currently technical discussions taking place with the mobile network operators about the microwave links that will be needed to connect the Bisley mast to the networks. We have been warned that such issues typically take a long time to resolve, so it’s not yet possible to say when “our” mast is likely to be installed. …and more on fibre-optic broadband: Work has now started on installing fibre-optic cables across the Stroud District. It is likely that the installation teams will reach Bisley in late October or November this year. Windyridge Play Area. Vandalism is again a problem in the Windyridge play area. The catch on the gate has been broken three times in as many months and there’s no doubt that it’s being done deliberately. Frankly, we’re getting fed up with the constant need for repairs. Make no mistake, if we find out who is causing the damage, they or their parents WILL get a bill. Dogs. Dog fouling on footpaths around the village is on the increase again. Just a reminder to all dog owners that allowing their dogs to foul a footpath is an offence punishable by a fine of up to £1000. If things don’t improve we will ask Stroud District Council’s Dog Wardens to drop by and issue some Fixed Penalty Notices. Lorries. We’re still trying to persuade the Highways authority to take the problem of articulated lorries getting stuck in Bisley village seriously. If you come across an articulated lorry in the village (whether or not it’s stuck!) please note down the registration number, together with the date and time you saw it, and let us have the details. We need to build up a file of evidence to show how bad the problem is. Dates for the diary: The Mobile Library will be at Windyridge on Thurs 6 Aug & 3 Sep between 09:30 – 10:30. Bisley Ward Committee Meetings will be held in the Bisley WI Village Hall on Mon 10 Aug and Mon 21 Sep at 19:30. Full Parish Council Meetings will be held in the Bisley WI Village Hall on Wed 5 Aug and Wed 2 Sep at 19:30. You are welcome to attend any or all of these meetings and raise any issues of concern. Contacting your Councillors: John Mulligan (Highways) 01452 770214 [email protected] Roger Utley (Planning, Finance) 01452 770614 [email protected] Shelagh Utley (Play Areas) 01452 770614 [email protected] Jane Walker (Ward Chair, Footpaths) 01452 770713 [email protected] Online www.bisley-with-lypiatt.gov.uk Facebookwww.facebook.com/bwlpc
BT Fibre Optic? NOT for Bisley this time!!
It appears that Bisley has been led up the garden path all the way to the Exchange when it comes to the BT Fibre Optic rollout to increase broadband capacity. Nick Warner, Computency, whose business is directly affected by the poor broadband connection in Bisley, made a direct enquiry to BT to ask when it was likely that Fibre Optics would reach Bisley. He received an unexpected response indicating Bisley is not included in the current rollout. Here’s an extract from the letter from the BT Fibre Enquiries Team;
“You are connected to BISLEY Exchange. I am really sorry, but having investigated our network data, we are not currently able to supply you with a fibre broadband service from our existing network. I appreciate this is disappointing news. Unfortunately your property is not currently included in the network roll-out because as you may know, we normally provide fibre via a green cabinet that you see by the road side. Unfortunately you fall into a small proportion of homes and businesses that are served directly by your local exchange, by what we call an ‘exchange only line’. This means that our normal way of connecting you won’t work, however we are busy working on solutions to make this viable in the future. These solutions are in the early stages of planning at the moment.”
Nick Warner immediately sent a copy of this letter to our MP, Neil Carmichael, and received the following reply from his constituency office;
“Neil is a member of an All Party Group that has been set up specifically to look at Rural Broadband issues. He has also raised this issue on behalf of his constituents in the house. We will also send your email on to our own contact at the highest levels with BT and await their response, which we will send to you when we receive a reply. Finally I am copying you a statement that Neil has issued earlier today to local media; Neil is doing everything that he can to address this issue faced by you and others in rural areas. I appreciate that this does not resolve your problem but I hope that it demonstrates Neil's commitment to taking what action he can”. “I completely share my constituents' frustration with BT. There seems to be a complete lack of clarity from them as to when, or even if, they will provide the further rollout needed to deliver superfast broadband that residents so desperately need. It is not acceptable that this is now impacting on businesses at the very time that we see economic growth, and the opportunity for them to expand, returning to the County. I have previously raised this in Parliament and MPs are now joining together in an All Party Group to put pressure on BT and Government, and to look for alternative network providers that are willing to take these new opportunities on.”
Nick promises to share with us any response he has from ‘the highest levels’ of BT. He has also sent this information to the Parish Council. Watch this space!!
Bisley Flower Show & Fete 29th August
FUN, frolics and feasting return to Evans’ Field on Saturday August 29 when Bisley’s annual flower show and fete takes place. The annual event has been one of our village’s annual highlights for as long as anybody can remember and remains a day when the community comes together and old friends pay a visit. One very special person who will be returning from his new home on the south coast is Selwyn Mills (cover photo), a familiar face in Bisley for many years. Selwyn’s selfless and dedicated work in maintaining the area around the village war memorial and helping to care for centenarian Mary Millin truly encapsulated what it means to be a good neighbour and it is for this reason that he has been chosen to open this year’s event and crown the flower queen Christy Stevens. The fete promises a variety of stalls, including cakes, plants, produce, bric-a-brac, books and nearly new, along with a pet show and a number of games. The popular fruit machine game has been fine-tuned, and for the first time there will be a bar selling real ale alongside the usual Pimms. Avening Silver Band will be returning to ensure the event goes with a swing. Meanwhile the raffle promises a selection of great prizes, including lunch for two at the Michelin Star restaurant Arbutus in London with £100 travel expenses donated by Mo and Will Smith. The flower show marquee is set to be filled with a variety of vegetables, fruit, blooms, cakes, preserves and artwork. Look out for the new recipe for the men’s chocolate cake and a trophy donated by the Royal British Legion and dedicated to flower show stalwart Darrell Richards, whose sudden death earlier this year came as a shock to everybody. The new Darrell Richards trophy will be awarded for tomatoes. The fete and flower show takes place between 2pm and 4pm. In the evening the marquee will host the Joliet Blues Band, while the inter-village quiz will take place on the Sunday evening. Details of both can be found on the last page of the flower show schedule included in this edition of the Bisley News, and the back cover. The fete raises money for the upkeep of Bisley’s All Saints’ Church, a building that many of us have cause to visit during the course of the year even if we are not regular worshippers. Donations for any of the stalls, and offers of help, are now being gratefully received by the fete committee. Call 01452 770708 or 770337 for more information or look out for notices that will be appearing around the village shortly. Sue Bradley
Could you ‘Sponsor a Table’ to help the Flower Show?
Bisley Flower Show Committee needs to raise around £2,000 for the hire of the Marquee for the Show. If anyone would like to sponsor a table this year, would they kindly send or give their donation to Anne Thorp at 6 Bearsfield (please make any cheques payable to Bisley Flower Show). Your names will be exhibited on a table and also on a list within the Marquee.
‘CASQUE MARQUE’ quality at the Bear Inn
The team behind the revamped Bear Inn at Bisley are raising a glass to their pumps, celebrating scooping a prestigious award for the quality of their beer. Backed by 45 of the country’s leading brewers and pub companies, Cask Marque accreditation is only awarded to licensees whose ale passes a series of rigorous independent beer quality audits. Since its foundation in 1997, Cask Marque has inspected around 135,000 pints of beer and accredited over 6,000 of the country’s 36,500 pubs estimated to serve one or more cask conditioned ales. The Bear, situated in the heart of the village of Bisley, has been awarded Cask Marque accreditation for serving the perfect pint of cask conditioned ale. Landlord David Terry is pleased that the pub is now also being recognised for its ales and not just their growing gastronomic reputation. “This award is a great endorsement for us, we have only been here six months and wanted to get the whole package of the pub right. “A lot of our regulars and customers visit the pub especially for the cask ale. The Bear has always been a real ale pub and we don’t want to change that.”
Stroud & District CAB Needs Volunteers
Stroud & District Citizens Advice Bureau is calling for new recruits to join their volunteers and make a difference in the local community. Last year, Stroud & District CAB relied on volunteers to campaign for change and to help people solve 9000 problems. The most common enquiries are about money, benefits, housing, relationship breakdown and employment. The CAB is looking for people who can spare 8 hours a week to join their adviser training course on the 23 September. The training is very comprehensive and travel expenses are paid. If you would like more information about volunteering for the CAB, contact Sandi Sorell on 01453 758 252 ext 202 or email Sandi on [email protected]. If you need advice and or want more information about the Stroud District CAB you can check www.stroudcab.org.uk or ring 0808 800 0510.
Second-hand Biscuits - recipe from Meals in 'Mo'ments
As with so many of my recipes this one was created following my Mother's motto "waste not, want not". I often look in my biscuit tin only to find a quantity of bits and pieces, an assortment of left-over biscuits which are no longer in a state to present but they must have a use. I can't throw them away and so, put together as in the following recipe they are often better than the original purchase. Do try it, it will empty your tin and you, and your family and friends, will long for another tin of 'broken bits'.
175g/6oz chocolate - white, milk, dark or a mixture 110g/4oz broken or leftover assorted biscuits from the tin several pinches of mixed spice 50g/2oz (or a handful) of mixed dried fruit
Melt the chocolate in a large basin. Process the assortment of biscuits from the tin and add, with the spice and dried fruit, to the melted chocolate and stir well. Put dessertspoons of the mixture on to foil and press down with a fork. Leave to become cold and set hard before storing in a tin. Keep in a fridge or cold larder, serve straight from the tin and return any remaining back to the fridge or cold larder - there may not be any!
Bisley Lock-Up The village prison, known locally as the ‘Lock-up’ which had originally been located in the Church yard, was replaced in 1824 by a two-cell lock-up where drunks were kept overnight, and petty criminals were detained before appearing before the Magistrate. This was often followed by a spell in the stocks or pillory. The very last criminal in the Lock-Up was
Shaun the Sheep, but if it’s the pillory you’re interested in – you may see Peter Thorp, or even the Vicar, locked in one at Bisley Fete, for you to throw wet sponges at. Summary justice at its best!
Pop Banyard 1930 - 2015
Bisley has bid a fond farewell to Pop Banyard, who died in May aged 85. Pop grew up in the village with his brothers Harold, Alan and Mike and sister Joy and attended Bisley Bluecoat School before completing his education at Manor School. He went on to work at Copsegrove Farm, starting off in the milking parlour and then carrying out general tasks on the land. Throughout his working life he lived in a cottage along Copsegrove Lane before moving to his bungalow in Windyridge 21 years ago. Pop met his wife, Evie, when she moved to Bisley from her native Aberdeenshire to work at The Chantry and together they had five children: Geoffrey, Norman, Andrew, Caroline and Richard. In his spare time he loved gardening and shared an allotment with Mike for several years. While known as ‘Pop’, his real name was Mervyn, but it’s said that the nickname came from a man who used to live down by the British Legion hall. “One day he said, ‘we always see you Banyard with a bottle of pop in your hand so we will call you Pop’,” said Evie. Pop will be remembered as a true countryman, whose views on the weather were always highly prized. “We received an amazing amount of flowers and cards when he died, for which we were very grateful” said Evie.
Bisley Village Hall presents: Saturday September 12th
An evening with the humour of Bob Newhart & Tom Lehrer
Peter Gill and Andy Meller perform some of the best sketches and songs from the catalogue of two of America’s greatest satirists of the 50s and 60s. ‘The Driving Instructor’, ‘Introducing Tobacco to Civilisation’ and ‘USS Codfish’ from Bob Newhart’s back catalogue and ‘The Masochism Tango’, ‘National Brotherhood Week’ and ‘Poisoning Pigeons in the Park’ from Tom Lehrer’s are just some of the classics that will have you rolling about in laughter.
Tickets (£12.00) will be available from George Stores in August.
News from Bisley Blue Coat School
Moving on For twelve of our pupils in Class 3 this is a very special time – their last week at Bisley School. We wish them all the very best as they move on to Secondary Schools at Thomas Keble, Stroud High, Marling and Deer Park. They will be participating in the Leavers’ Service in Church followed by a picnic at school with their parents, a day both exciting and emotional for all. Years 5 and 6 from Bisley and Oakridge enjoyed a week’s residential visit in glorious weather at Manor Adventure in Wales. A special thank you to Miss Austin, Mrs Mitchell, Mrs Glanfield and parent Mr Chappell who all gave up their valuable time to accompany them. Families and friends enjoyed Class 3’s end of year production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at the Cotswold Playhouse. The PTA treated Class 3 to a trip to Cattle Country near Berkeley as Year 6’s last outing together. Exciting activities Class 2 learned about the Vikings by having a Viking Day, dressing up as Vikings, bringing packed lunches without modern processed food and as near as they could to the simple food the Vikings would have eaten. They learned about runes and made Viking helmets. All three classes have continued to have the opportunity to experience Forest Schools at Copsegrove Farm. Here even the youngest build shelters and dens, explore the woods and learn about the natural environment and the creatures that inhabit our neighbourhood. They learn about fires and different woods, and how to use hand tools such as bow saws, knives and potato peelers safely. Sports Mrs Batten once again has organised a fantastic range of sporting activities and opportunities. A Mini-Olympics took place at Thomas Keble School with Class 3 taking part in football, basketball, quicksticks hockey and running relays, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club have provided cricket coaching followed by a cricket tournament, and ten children represented the school in a Small Schools Swimming Gala. Police Choir Concert A large audience enjoyed an evening of wonderful music at the recent concert featuring the Gloucestershire Police Male Voice Choir. Class 3 Choir led by Matt Richardson and sixteen year former pupil Georgina Arquati were their guests. Their beautiful young voices thrilled the audience. Thanks to all who helped on the evening or came to enjoy the evening which raised over £700, shared between the Church and the School. Vera Clouston
Angela Mobile Hairdresser
All aspects of
Ladies, Gents and Children’s Hairdressing at your home
Fully Qualified & Insured.
Tel:01452 722249 Mob:07709 646891
Eddie Kearney’s
Bisley Fencing With Murphy
Man & Dog in perfect unison (So long as Eddie gets his bone!)
Tel: 01452 770546 Mobile: 07774 694646
All Types of Fencing Agricultural, Industrial & Domestic
Dry Stone Walling Specialists
John Taylor Foundation
This is a charity that issues grants towards the costs of books, tools or equipment to young people who may be undertaking an apprenticeship, going to university or attending a training course at college. If you are under 25 years, haven’t previously applied and live in the ancient Parish of Bisley, and are interested in applying for a grant… Please apply in writing stating your Name, Age, College/University/Employer and the course you are taking, by the 2nd September 2015, to;
Mrs Pat Bashford, Eskdale, Van der Breen Street, Bisley, GL6 7BN
Thank You Alyson! Alyson MacLeod opened her lovely garden for Summer Drinks in aid of the Flower Show on a perfect July evening. The weather was warm, the lawn picture perfect and the flowers abundant. Wine and canapés sustained over 45 villagers who came to enjoy the garden and support The Show. Thanks to Alyson for her hard work in the garden, Claire in The George Stores who promoted the event with her usual enthusiasm, to all those who helped on the night and all the villagers who came. Caroline Stephen, Chair, Flower Show Committee
BATS Panto 2016
After “1,001 Nights” yes, we are truly back!! 2016 offers another great traditional Panto to knock the socks off the Bisley “panto-goers”.
This year we have secured the services of Matt Richardson, as our Director. Many of you may know him from his one-man “Night at the Musicals” show in the village hall and perhaps, more recently conducting the Blue Coat School Choir when the Police Choir performed in All Saint’s Church at the end of June.
We cannot yet announce which Panto we are going to do as we have a number of scripts to go through but, we promise, it will be another great event. We will be holding our “Who’s interested ?” evening in September where you can tell us what you would like to do for the Panto, and remember, everything does not happen “on stage”, there are plenty of other parts to play to make it a wonderful experience.
BATS Committee Watch this space:
The Spire – All Saints’ Church
We are pleased to announce that, after a long period of discernment, we
have (subject to due process) appointed Revd Mike Clark to the post of house for duty priest within the Bisley benefice. Mike will be working primarily in Bussage with Eastcombe, but will also be involved in the life of the wider benefice. He is a very experienced priest, having worked most recently as Team Rector of Edgware in north London, but also earlier in his ministry in South America. He and his wife Lois (and their cat Mimi) will be moving into the Bussage Vicarage in mid-August and there will be a welcome service to begin his ministry amongst us on the evening of Tuesday 15th September at St Michael and All Angels, Bussage Hill. We are hugely looking forward to his arrival and working with him.
Revd Rosie Woodall Mike writes…. “Lois and I are really looking forward to our move to Bussage and to making many new friends. I clearly remember the day when, at the age of 18 I took a day’s hike from Slad up into the hills towards Bisley. I was shortly to leave for Austria to do voluntary work for the World Council of Churches, and it was my way of saying “goodbye” to the five valleys of Stroud where I’d been brought up. Since then I came to a personal faith, got married and ordained, lived in South America and raised five lovely children. And now with my move to Bussage I’m finally coming home!
What struck Lois and myself is what a stunningly beautiful part of the world you all live in. I’ve been describing it to my friends as rather like the French Alps. What attractive surroundings to come back to and learn to slow down in this house-for-duty post.
Please be patient with us. We have a lot to learn in Bussage and we may get a few things wrong at the start. But with the help and guidance of Rev. Rosie, Archdeacon Jackie (not to mention your new Bishop-to-be Rachel, whom I know and greatly admire), I’m sure we will both settle in very quickly. We are looking forward to meeting you!”
‘House-for-Duty’ is
an arrangement
whereby a priest can
live in a vicarage in
exchange for offering
priestly ministry to a
benefice, but
without receiving a
stipend.
Mike will be working
two days a week plus
Sundays.
Gloucestershire Police
Choir Concert
On Friday 26th June, a wonderful
evening of entertainment was
enjoyed by a large audience when
the Gloucestershire Police Male
Voice Choir came to Bisley for a
programme of well-known and
toe-tapping tunes, drawn from a
mixed repertoire of classical, pop
and musical theatre. The sun
shone as refreshments were
enjoyed in the playground,
provided by the PTA. A grand total
of £739.46 profit was made, to be
split equally between All Saints
Church and the Blue Coat School.
Many thanks to all those involved
in the organisation, and to all who
came to support this event.
Pulse Games - 25 June
A morning of exciting competition
took place at the King George V
Playing Field on Van der Breen
Street. Chalford, Oakridge & Bisley
schools made up 6 teams
representing Argentina, England,
Japan, New Zealand, Scotland &
Tonga.
The theme of the morning was
HONOUR. The games and
discussions reminded us all about
being honourable in the way we
act and lead our lives.
Once the scores from the games were added up, Tonga were the winners. ___________________________
"SONGS OF
PRAISE"
Bisley fête and flower show marquee
Sunday 30 August 2015,
11am
Send suggestions of your favourite hymns
to Rosie by 23rd August email [email protected] or tel
01452 771084 or sign up on the list in church
Please include whether you are happy to
introduce your choice on the day
Bellringing News
Ian Bucknell
The Stroud Branch
Striking Competition was held
at Haresfield on Saturday 20th
June with 8 teams entering
and a record number of
participants. It was a
wonderful evening with the
competition being followed by
a barbecue supper. Our judges
were Elizabeth Evans (Ringing
Master of Bristol Branch) and
Kathryn Carter (Team
Manager of the Bristol 12 Bell
Striking Competition Team).
We felt very fortunate to have
such Striking Competition
experts judging our branch
Competition. In a closely
fought contest the bronze
position was awarded to
Minchinhampton, silver to
Leonard Stanley and 1st place
to Bisley. In this photo,
receiving the trophy (the Tom
Price Compliment) from the
judges is Oliver Bradley (aged
13) who rang the treble for
the winning team.
On Thursday 2nd July the
children from Years 5 &
6 from Bisley Bluecoat visited
the ringing chamber for an
explanation of the world of
bellringing and a
demonstration of how, with
the correct technique, good
ringing can be achieved with
minimal physical effort. Some
of the children had a go at
ringing the treble and the
whole class participated
enthusiastically in the event
with some brilliant questions
being asked. The children
were a credit to their school.
We hope that one or two
might be tempted to learn to
ring - with the enthusiasm
they demonstrated on the
day, we would be both
surprised and disappointed if
this does not happen. Thank
you to Class Teacher, Lucie
Mitchell, and her colleagues
for making this event happen.
Visit to Norrbo, Sweden Stephen Jarvis
In May twelve people from
across the benefice travelled to
Sweden for a weekend with our link
Benefice of Norrbo. From the
moment we arrived at the airport
we received a warm welcome and
enjoyed first class hospitality.
A full programme of events included
visiting the three old churches in the
benefice, having supper with all the
hosts followed by beautiful singing,
visiting the city of Vasteras, and
hearing a choir sing at the welcome
to the new priest.
We also attended a farewell service
for the retiring Bishop Thomas. He
led a discussion on the challenges
facing the Church in Sweden, which
are similar to those facing the
Church of England.
We had a memorable few days with
our friends and we look forward to
being together again soon.
New Bishop We welcome Bishop
Rachel to the diocese in
a service at 4.30pm on
Saturday 19th
September at Gloucester Cathedral.
All welcome.
From the registers In memoriam
Pop Banyard Sally Bird Anna Cookson Gwen Millin
Baptisms
Kit and Atticus Massey Angus Morris Francesca Smith
Sheep Trail
By the time you read this edition
of the Bisley News, this year’s
Sheep Trail will be in full swing.
This year we are running the
Trail from 18 July throughout the
school holidays until Flower
Show & Fete Day on 29 August.
We are doing 2 Trails this year;
a short one where there will be a
trophy for the winner and a
longer one where the prize will be
our traditional £50.
Maps are on sale from 19 July
onwards in the George Stores.
Bisley Community Composting Scheme has composted our green waste for ten years. In International Year of Global Soils we celebrate our decade with a wonderful display at the Bisley Fete on 29 August! www.bisleycommunitycompostingscheme.org.uk "YOGAR" 15 gardeners celebrated International Yoga Day 21st June with the first of six free yoga outdoor workouts at the Community Orchard. Initiated by BEST, plot holder and yoga teacher Amy Hughes is helping gardeners work through those aches and pains.
"Fantastic" said Jilly Cobbe!
CHESTERGATE ALLOTMENTS: The youngest and oldest family growers get a national accolade, in the magazine and on the website of the National Allotment Society, helping the Society's National Allotments Week (10th-16th August) message that allotments are for all ages and that we need to preserve our plots for future generations to enjoy http://www.nsalg.org.uk/news-events- campaigns/national-allotments-week/
See www.bisleyallotments.co.uk for 'Parties on the Plot' and other good stuff ! GROW WILD: Bisley Bluecoat schoolchildren have sown wild flower seed in our beautiful Community Orchard as part of Kew Gardens "Grow Wild” initiative. Lesley Greene, Allotment Warden,01452 770018 [email protected]
ISABELLE HARRIS our youngest grower
BISLEY AND DISTRICT THEATRE CLUB
The Theatre Club is looking for new members
We were formed over 25 years ago and everyone on the Committee is a volunteer. Notices are sent out every month with details of our trips. We usually offer two trips a month and the price paid includes a discounted ticket, coach fare and a tip to the driver.
Each year we offer a variety of plays, operas, concerts, musicals and ballets - both matinee and evening performances. Visits may include the Theatre Royal in Bath, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, RSC and the Swan Theatre in Stratford upon Avon, the Watermill in Newbury, the Play House and New Theatre in Oxford, Festival Theatre in Malvern, The Millennium in Cardiff, the Everyman in Cheltenham, the Hippodromes both in Bristol and Birmingham, The Globe and other theatres in London.
The coach picks up at Eastcombe and Bisley. Bring a picnic to eat on the coach!
There is no subscription charge if you receive your notices by e-mail.
You do not have to live in Bisley to join!
If you are interested in joining please contact Tessa Allen on 01452 770073
News from our District Councillor
We have now moved into the new democratic calendar. Thursday 21st May 2015 was the first meeting of the year whereby all members were assigned to different committees. I have a full list of all members should anyone want that information. I have been reassigned to the environmental committee for this coming year but will continue to represent you in all matters across the spectrum of SDC. Eastcombe Bus issue The latest update for the Eastcombe bus issue is that after speaking with stagecoach I am now in contact with the county council regarding the new tendered bus service. This is going to be placed as a more permanent measure to the interim service provided at the moment. I have also been talking with parish councillors in Eastcombe about moving some of the bus stops closer to try and reduce the long distance members of our ward have to walk. By attempting to resolve this issues from both sides we are hoping to reduce the impact it has created. Stagecoach have informed that they will not be re introducing that bus service and as such we must look forward to the future and how we are going to address the issue in the future. Verge cutting It has reached that time of year again where all the verges and hedges start to get out of control. I have noticed since the end of May, people have been cutting particular verges that are obstructing junctions, which has helped immensely. So -Thank you very much. If there are any verges that you feel need looking at either contact highways, our County Councillor or myself. Parking I have receive lots of comments of the past few months and felt it was about time to recognise the problem. The matter relates to individuals who are continuously parking on the side of the road, as well as near junctions and causing severe traffic restrictions. It is sad that, as we don’t want our ward ruined with double yellow lines, people feel the need to abuse that. It obstructs junctions and creates such an unnecessary issue. A little bit of thought for others would go a long way. It is even more poignant at this time of year when farmers are hauling straw and corn through the area. The small roads are tight enough without further obstructions. Council owned housing I have been receiving complaints that the council have not been cutting certain hedges of which they are responsible for. After the first complaint was brought to
my attention I have been talking with members of SDC to ask why. This is unacceptable and seems relates to the more vulnerable members of our ward. I am looking into this case and will be able to provide more information to those concerned in due course. I wanted to highlight it through out the ward so that if it is happening in other council owned properties where in previous years, the council have cut the hedges, you will know to get in contact with me. Police and criminal update For any residences that have an email account- I would advise signing up to our local PCSO report. If any thefts occur in the area you are notified only a short time after the event. For most of us our pets are an extension of our family and we couldn’t bear if anything was to happen to them. With the spate of dog crime at the moment I would advise all pet owners to seek advice on adequate prevention measures. Full Council Meeting The next full meeting for the council is Thursday 16th July 2015. I will be able to bring you all up to date with the details from that meeting in the next addition. Cllr. Timothy E.R Williams [email protected] 07920754700
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor I lived in France, in Germany, Italy and North Wales. Never ever have I been confronted with a power cut. Not even during the hard Winter of 92/93 when I was living in one of the remotest areas of north Wales did the lights go out once. This is the 21st Century. The Germans have been able to put a probe onto a comet; shooting with lightning speed through the universe. This was done with the precision of a surgical knife. The English however are not even able to prevent a power cut in the midst of summer, as we all had the pleasure to experience on the 8th of July. I don't even mention the predictable fall outs happening every single winter since Kate and I moved here in 2003. Why are power cuts so frequent in England and basically non-existent in the rest of the developed world?! Because England is ruled by a lobbyist government of ruthless right-wing crooks, who cater for all the crooks ruling the big power companies, railways and Banks. Diverting the profits of the horrendous charges they impose on their customers into their own pockets instead of improving neglected infrastructures and non-functioning customer service. So simple is that. But of course it is all the fault of the foreigners. I think it is about time for the English to sweep around their own front door. Don't you think?! Reinhold Maria Binder
Bisley – not as yellow as it used to be
Ah Bisley. Its timeless appearance scarcely changed in over a hundred years. Right? Wrong! Today, as we walk through the village, all we see is a swathe of exposed Cotswold stone but look a little closer, find a bit of wall that hasn't been repointed, and you'll almost certainly discover surviving patches of layer after layer of limewash paint. Some layers may be various shades of creamy whitewash but mostly they will be different tones of yellow - bright ochre yellow. Bisley has definitely changed. Bisley was not the only yellow village in the area. Cotswold vernacular buildings, like most of the cottages in Bisley, were built using locally dug limestone; some quarries, such as those at Minchinhampton, were famed for their good quality stone but most, including the quarries around Bisley, yielded more fragile stone, prone to attack from the weather. It
was discovered that the stone needed an additional outer layer to keep it from damage by rain and frost. Lime render was often used to protect and disguise the poor quality stone on grander houses, but it was expensive, so most of the inhabitants of less important buildings made do with limewash. The process of re-limewashing was often an annual or bi-annual affair, hence the multiple layers of paint you'll find. Why yellow? The range of colours used was generally dictated by local geology; in our limestone area, lighter yellow ochres and umbers are thrown out, whereas in The Forest of Dean, for example, darker shades of iron oxide are common. Corsham High Street (photo left) shows what
Bisley would have looked like. Imagine this interspersed with white limewashed properties and a range of darker shades of yellow This photo of The Bear Inn (circa 1900) shows how it looked when it was rendered and limewashed. The practice of limewashing appears to have died out just after the First World War, probably due to labour constraints. The passion for exposing stone took hold in the 60s and 70s, and we now think that this
is how villages should look. Our stone is undeniably beautiful but maybe we have lost something and made our buildings more vulnerable to decay than they once were. Imagine how Bisley must have glowed on summer evenings, and how it must have looked sunny even on the rainiest days. It would have been extremely beautiful, if you like yellow. Nick Miles
News from your Village Agent - Lou Kemp 07776245767
I have written this month’s article following an inspiring and thought provoking conference I attended recently called “Big boys Don’t Cry” . …Men and Mental Health, put together by SOBs (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide), and the 2gether trust (the specialist mental health and learning disability service in Gloucestershire. I wonder if you know what the biggest killer of men under 35 is in this country. Is it heart disease, lung disease, or cancer,? No, it’s SUICIDE. The male suicide rate is the highest since 2001. The suicide rate among men aged 45-59, 25.1 per 100,000, is the highest for this group since 1981. Factors that could lead to these deaths include: traumatic experiences, lifestyle choices such as drug or alcohol misuse, job insecurity and relationship problems. How shocking is that? British men are three times more likely to die by suicide than British women. We can’t address the reasons behind these figures in a short article like this, but a strong message that came throughout the day was that as a society we must work to change our perception of what we consider masculinity to be. If you went to work tomorrow and one of your colleagues was crying at their desk, what would you think and how would you react depending whether they were male or female? If you don’t work, imagine a similar scenario in a social situation? Possibly (and given that this is a generalisation) the woman would be given comfort and encouraged to cry it out and talk about what was upsetting her. After that, little might be thought about the event. However, a man found crying, can be embarrassing for the onlooker and the person, might suggest a “really serious” situation, carry great shame, and be talked about afterwards. We know that historically men often find it difficult to identify mental ill health in themselves, are reluctant to seek help. Ironically the charity SOBS themselves find that meetings are traditionally attended by more women than men and a new programme is being set up to support men who have been bereaved by suicide. The ‘Engaging Men’ programme is being provided by the Gloucester branch of Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS).Branch member Steve Carter, whose son died through suicide in 2011, has devised, researched and developed the programme. "It seemed to me that men were reluctant to talk about their feelings in the typical group setting, but more like to open up in activities with other men in a similar situation to themselves. Participants of the “Engaging Men” programme will take part in activities which may include sport, music, and hands on skills such as gardening and photography. Depression is something that affects all of us, regardless of age, gender, race or social class. One way to help reduce and avoid depression is through interaction with others. Some initiatives going on in Gloucestershire at the moment which are aimed specifically towards men, are the In –Touch “Remembering Sport at Kingsholm” . this is a social group for 50+ to meet to talk about, watching/playing/supporting sport with other men from around the county. Next one is Thursday 10th September at Roots Café in Alvin St, Gloucester. Men in Sheds meet every Wednesday at the Furniture Recycling Project (FRP) premises in Gloucester Docks. The workshops are fully equipped with a range of large woodworking machinery and hand tools and safety equipment is provided. You can go along as a “Shedder” and get involved in restoring, reusing and repairing. It’s an opportunity to meet others and to pass on your skills so it’s a “win win” for everyone involved. Continued over page…
Bisley Ladies Cricket Team, August 1939
Pat Bashford has unearthed these pre-war pictures of the Bisley Ladies Cricket Team. She’s managed to identify all but the lady on the left of the back row…do you know who she is? Back Row: Mystery Lady, Evelyn Plant, Hilda Ruther, Elizabeth Hunt, Mary Millen Middle Row: Doreen Kearney, Phyllis Smith, Melita Brunsden, Doreen Ireland Front Row: Gwen Cox, Agnes Ruck, Muriel Hunt At the crease is Gwen Cox with Agnes Ruck keeping wicket and Muriel Hunt.
What’s my name?
News from your Village Agent – continued…
“Friends for You” is the new county wide be-friending scheme managed by GRCC. You might benefit either as a volunteer befriender or as someone who sees a befriender on a regular basis. Age UK have a national telephone service to provide weekly friendship calls and “Good Day “ reassurance calls (60+).The Silver Line is a free helpline for older people providing information , friendship and advice 24 hours a day Please take that step to get help if you think you are suffering from depression. Talk to your GP, try to make contact with people, try to be more active, get counselling (“Let’s Talk” is the NHS service) or you may be able to access counselling through local charities, or you can go privately. There are lots of ways to treat depression; Please call me on 07776 245767 to find local services. Samaritans- 01452 316333, 08457 90 90 90 [email protected] 2gether Lets Talk (NHS talking therapies) 0800 073 2200, www.talk2gether.nhs.uk. Cotswold Counselling Services (Charity providing counselling services) 01285 885830 Gloucestershire Counselling Service (Charity providing counselling services) 01453 766310 Listening Post (Charity counselling services) 01453 750123, 01452 383820, 01242 256060 Friends For You, Sue Black-07810 630167 / 01452 528491 or [email protected]. The Silver Line 0800 4 70 80 90
SATURDAY 29TH AUgUST After the Flower Show
7.30pm Till lATe licenceD BAR
TickeT £10 FRom geoRge SToReS
oR on THe DooR come & enjoY THe SHow
oR SimplY DAnce THe nigHT AwAY!
With their fabulous eleven-piece show-band