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The Bisley News is the magazine for Bisley, Gloucestershire and its surrounding hamlets. It incorporates the Church magazine The Spire. This edition is the Pantomime Special.
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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.
February / March 2016 www.bisleynews.co.uk
Incorporating ‘The Spire’
PANTOMIME SPECIAL
‘Puss in Boots’
The Bisley News Colin Hassall
[email protected] 01452 770335
This magazine is also available at www.bisleynews.co.uk
Copy DEADLINE April / May edition
Tuesday 15th March 2016 Or earlier if all space taken
BISLEY W.I. Admission £3.00
Meetings start at 7.30pm at the Bisley WI Village Hall
Thursday 11th February Storytime with Rosie Rev Rosie Woodall
Thursday 10th March Make your own Easter Flower
Arrangement : Beth Baker Guests Welcome
Printed by MDL Kelex 01453 791 400
Bisley Friendship Club
Wednesday 17th February
Richard Burton Wednesday
16th March T.B.A.
Guests & newcomers very welcome
Susie Bromley 770232
OPEN HOUSE Coffee & biscuits 11am – noon
Thursday, 4th February
Helen Clough, The Old Vicarage Thursday 3rd March
Claire Mobbs, Kirklands, Calfway 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 9th February ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’
starring Carey Mulligan Sun 20th December
‘Mr. Holmes’ with Ian McKellen playing the
retired Sherlock Holmes Everyone Welcome
Cover photo : BATS Pantomime ‘Puss in Boots’
Editor’s Notes
Panto Special The end of January has, for the past years signalled the time for the village Pantomime. This year BATS performed their eleventh production which was magnificently honed by the highly talented Matt Richardson. Peter Thorp not only took to the stage but ‘produced’ a fabulous show and all the technicalities that go with it. We hope that you all enjoyed the show. Funds raised will help the constant needs of our village hall. Grow and Show It’s a quiet time in our gardens right now, and slightly damp underfoot to say the least! Yet there’s still activity at our splendid Composting scheme and allotments, with wassailing at the Community Orchard later in February. If you would like to share your personal observations of our local environment, Lesley Green has suggested that we keep a spot in the Bisley News to share them with each other. So pictures of wildlife, reports of unusual or interesting things that you have seen will be published. Please send them to the Editor. Tips for producing prize-winning roses come from Alyson Macleod to help you prepare for the Bisley Flower Show on Saturday 27th August 2016. Meanwhile if you would like to use your green-fingers and at the same time help those who’ve suffered bereavement, see the opportunity offered by Ronan’s Trust at Bisley Allotments: “Being busy together”. Village Tennis Tournament Philip Howard is once again organising this event on the sunniest
day of the year. Please make a diary note for Sunday 12th June. Folk Month at the Village Hall The Hall Committee, with the professional eye of Roger Smith, is putting on a couple of excellent ‘Folk’ events in March. The Urban Folk Quartet on the 5th and top flight fiddler Phil Beer on the 30th promise to give us two truly enjoyable evenings. Look out for tickets on sale in the George Stores. Two-pub village After yet another concerning time for the Stirrup Cup, when the chances of losing it forever loomed large, it is so good to see it open and vibrant once more. We’ve enjoyed the luxury of two pubs whilst so many other villages have lost theirs over time, so we should think ourselves fortunate to have both our pubs at full steam once again. What a load of bullocks! Consternation and amusement joined forces on the Wednesday morning that the bullocks came to church. The children of Bluecoat School were both amused and concerned about their new playmates next door, whilst the Vicar and her team were at the least confused by this sudden appearance (it’s not exactly an easy place for cattle to get to!). At least the beasts had a good feed on the lush grass before being sent home! New Village Agent We welcome our new Gloucestershire Village Agent, Gill Cannon as she takes over the role of Lou Kemp. Gill is a local “Mum and Grandma” from Eastcombe. If you would like to know more about the work of Village Agents see www.villageagents.org.uk
Bisley Parish Council News
Green Garden Waste Just a reminder that Stroud District Council’s green garden waste collection scheme starts in February 2016 at an annual cost of £36 plus a one off charge of £20 for the compost bin. The alternative is to take your waste to the Bisley Community Composting Scheme which costs £25 per year. Keeping the High Street clear in bad weather As mentioned in the last Bisley News Gloucestershire Highways will no longer carry out gritting on the High Street so we asked for volunteers to help in snow clearing and salt spreading should we get a dose of severe weather this winter. We have already had one public spirited volunteer for the south end of the High Street but it would be a great help if one or more Bisley residents are prepared to volunteer to help clear the road near the village shop and George Street. Just call John Mulligan on 01452 770214 if you would like to help and we will provide you with salt and a spreader. Drainage Clearing and Grit bins Persistent nagging of Gloucestershire Highways seems to have resulted in clearance of the remaining blocked drains on Cheltenham Road and elsewhere in Bisley on 11th January. However, if you know of any highway drains that are still blocked do please let us know. Similarly, let us know if any grit bins in your area have not been filled. Cheaper Utility bills Gloucestershire County Council have reminded us that there is still time to register for the Big Switch Scheme that can save users up to £200 on their annual gas and electricity bills. The closing date for the current auction is 1st February. The council say that putting your name on the list incurs no commitment so why not check out the website for more information at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bigcommunityswitch. Next Parish Council Meeting: 7.30pm Wed 3rd February, WI Village Hall Next Ward meeting: 7.30pm Monday 15th February, WI Village Hall
Contact details for parish councillors: Jane Walker 01452 770713 [email protected] John Mulligan 01452 770214 [email protected] Roger Utley 01452 770614 [email protected] Shelagh Utley 01452 770614 [email protected] The parish council website is www.bisley-with-lypiatt.gov.uk
Fundraising success John Bailey raised another £1164 for Cancer Research at his recent Exhibition "Wonderful Watercolour" before Christmas. This brings the total raised to over £10,000 for this important charity. John would like to thank all those who supported the Exhibition and have contributed through sales and donations. Jolly well done!
Diary Date – Village Tennis Tournament Philip Howard asks that you make a diary note for Sunday June 12th .
Bisley Blue Coat School
You may have seen or heard about our unexpected visitors this term. Staff were greeted first thing in the morning by four Aberdeen Angus cows peering over the school wall from the church yard. After some detective work we manged to find out that the cows had escaped from a farm in Chalford Hill! We were pleased that by the end of the day they had been safely “moooooved” back to their home. All classes have returned to school enthusiastic and ready to learn about their new topics. Class 1 are studying dinosaurs and will be visiting both Bristol Museum and West Midlands Safari Park – not on the same day! Class 2 are learning about the North and South Poles and will be finding out about polar habitats during a visit to Bristol Zoo. Class 3 are studying the “Back Garden” and will be taking part in the RSBP annual bird watch. Our after school clubs this term include chess, cross country, football and country dancing. Our country dancing team are avidly rehearsing the dances for the exciting country dance festival which takes place at Stratford Park in March. During the last week of February the whole school will be taking part in a range of activities for “Arts Week”. This will include making a new piece of art work for our school hall based around our Christian Values. Lisa Austin Executive Headteacher.
Flicks-in-the-Sticks Success
It is good to hear that the ever-popular Village Hall FLICKS-in-the-STICKS was well attended and had an income of almost £2000 last year. This is a very useful contribution to the continuing costs of running and maintaining our Village Hall. A big thanks goes out to all our loyal supporters – please keep coming, and continue to send feedback to Stella Mulligan at [email protected]
Darrell’s tree
Next time you’re visiting Bisley WI Village Hall have a look along the boundary of the lawn where it meets the Bearsfield houses. You will see that a new beech hedge has been planted and that in the centre of the hedge is a silver birch tree which is dedicated to Darrell Richards. Darrell died on the 8th February 2015 having been a long serving member of the Village Hall Trustees and their fundraising committee. He gave tirelessly of his time to support all things ‘village’ related. The tree is dedicated to his memory and was installed with warm appreciation from his wife Mary.
GARDENING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to help RONAN’S TRUST
“BEING BUSY TOGETHER” Ronan’s Trust is a new local charity that supports bereaved families, providing nurture and support through gardening and being creative together. We provide opportunities for bereaved families to work together on the land, on allotments and through seasonal gardening and craft events. Ronan's Trust is for anyone who has suffered a close family bereavement - the loss of a partner, sibling, child or parent. We have a calendar of events on offer throughout the year as well as local allotment groups you can join. We also provide practical support for those who have been immediately bereaved and need help in their gardens - mowing lawns, weeding, hedge cutting. Ronan’s Trust has a number of allotments in Gloucestershire and we have one in Bisley. We provide the seeds, tools and initial support for local bereaved families to work together on the allotment. Each allotment has a team of two or three volunteers who keep an overall eye on the allotment and offer support for those who are new to gardening. We hold “allotment days” throughout the year to give tips and ideas for the garden and what to do next. We are looking for people to volunteer who enjoy gardening and would like to offer practical support to those who have suffered a bereavement. Our volunteers usually (but not always) have had some experience of bereavement themselves. We put you in touch with local people who need support in their gardens following a close bereavement. Our volunteers work in teams of two or three and are invited to follow our charity’s code of conduct. Training sessions are offered throughout the year. If you would be interested in volunteering with us or joining in please get in touch. Emma Tyer [email protected] 07757710616 www.ronanstrust.org
Job Openings As you may have heard rumoured, Peter and Anne Thorp are looking to move away from Bisley in an attempt to really retire!! Therefore there will be a number of opportunities for some readers to pick up where they left off, as it were. However rather than just drive off into the sunset suddenly one day they would like to hear from anyone who would like to get involved in organising a few village events so there can be good handovers ;-
Prescription Rota, Litter Pick, BATS Panto Committee, Big Breakfasts, Bisley Fete (and Quiz Night), Flower Show Committee (Treasurer), Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Snow Warden. In addition All Saints’ Church will be looking for another Churchwarden and a Treasurer.
Contact either Peter or Anne on 770708.
Bisley Community Composting Scheme
Happy Composting in 2016 from BCCS. Residents are getting emails from Stroud District Council about their new green waste collection scheme. Whether you want to join it or not, please could you email them back telling them Bisley already has a scheme that is locally run, returning this recycled resource as compost to local people, and asking where SDC's collected green waste goes..... That would be helpful - SDC seem to have forgotten BCCS exists.......or the hand that helps us at SDC doesn't talk to the hand that does the marketing at SDC!!!
See our website for info : www.bisleycommunitycompostscheme.org.uk Chestergate Allotments, Bisley
Do you want an allotment to 'grow your own'? £12 a plot for the year Call Lesley Greene, Allotment Warden, 01452 770018 Or email - [email protected] Topical tips, activities , recipes and other things: http://bisleyallotments.co.uk
Bisley Community Orchard Watch out for posters for our annual “wassailing” and waking up the trees - usually late February, weather dependent.
Share YOUR observations Lesley Green is keen for us all to share our own observations of the natural environment, and Bisley News will do its best to include them. For instance this year Lesley has noticed that the fieldfares and redwings are only just coming in from Siberia; such is the warmth.
She also knows that the Hedgehog Hospital Brimscombe Tel: 01453 886424 is considering the possibility of adding Bisley to their long term Hedgehog rehabilitation project to join Thrupp and Chalford. They have told her that they are being cautious
as they believe (and she wonders if they’ve taken any soundings) that Bisley needs a bit of 'education' (slug pellets being a prime issue!). A Hedgehog Awareness campaign is one of Lesley’s aims for the allotments in 2016! Send your observations and pictures to the Editor.
Did you spot this beautiful topiary bee, lit with Christmas lights, at Stancombe? Alongside the topiary dragon and various woodcarvings, this bee reminds us of our dependence on real bees for successful propagation.
Puss in Boots Director Matt Richardson’s script followed the classic story – a talking cat helps his impoverished and working class master to win the hand of an equally impoverished princess
by tricking the nasty rich ogre (who has said he will cancel all the king’s debts if he can marry the aforementioned princess) into turning into a mouse, eating him and appropriating his castle and wealth before presenting his penniless master as a wealthy aristocrat. So, we have a whole catalogue of crime: exorbitant interest rates imposed by a loan shark, a decidedly dodgy marriage proposal, followed by deception, murder, illegal disposal of a corpse thereby preventing lawful burial, theft by finding, misrepresentation, asset takeover and probably many other dastardly deeds – all of which are set in a comedy context and celebrated as being the triumph of good over evil. The panto, which had a side line of the King (dryly observed by Charles Price) obsessed with growing a giant marrow in order to win the Darrell Richards Trophy and having to contend with his Queen (Susan Vesey channelling Hyacinth Bucket) disparaging his efforts with his hapless aide (the ever-capable Colin Hassall) caught in the middle, was told with plenty of song and dance (lively choreography by Hatty Davis) and sprinkled with a generous helping of jokes, so the evening moved along in a jolly fashion. Underpinned by Matt’s excellent keyboard playing, his experience as a singing teacher showed in the harmonies used in some of the arrangements.
Where to start with such an enthusiastic and accomplished cast? Perhaps with the younger actors, Hardy Burwell, Verity Trinder, Daisy Roberts and Emily Bradley, who seemed to be in most scenes playing a variety of roles with just the right combination of cuteness, determination and, from the girls, the ability to emit ear-piercing screams. Amber Nash as the gentle Princess Lucinda was paired against Reverend Rosie as the feisty Charlie and both did extremely well. There were other equally excellent duos: Peter Thorp and first-timer Luke Martin as the Baddies were in cracking form: mother and son Diana and Luke Chapman showed talent and style; Lucie Mitchell and Tracy Brown were like a mesmeric feline yin and yang battling for the soul of their eponymous son, played by capable singer Mel Sapsed. (Continued next page)
Puss in Boots (continued) The yokels, Nigel Rogers and Chris Roberts, gave us groan-inducing routines in the style of the Two Ronnies, and the hilarious cameo by Rob Eaton and Claire Mobbs as rapping orcs was all too brief. Iain Neighbour entertained as Dame Marzipan (and must have been glad to get out of that bikini). Ryan Brown completed the line-up as the menacing Voice of the Ogre. Bisley panto is more than those on stage and producer Peter Thorp once again showed his skill and dedication at bringing it all together. Painting the decorative scenery was the responsibility of Ollie Miles, Jilly Cobbe, Maggie James and Jane Neighbour; stitching the costumes fell to Christine Bulcock and a special mention must go to Sue Bryant for her inventiveness in the props department. The chaperone team included Kim & Stephen Trinder, Lisa Roberts, Ceri Nash, Tamsin Burwell, Anne Thorp and Sue Bryant. Sam, Issie and Ellie Collins helped out as dressers. The cast were backed up by the large group of men who erected the stage and the technical team of Allan Sapsed (sound), Paul Bryant, (lighting supremo) and Keith Dickenson (Stage Manager). Peggy Gegg organised the raffle. Many others from our community helped front of house, shifting scenery, cleaning the hall between the shows, storing scenery, selling tickets and other supporting activities. Everyone who participated, mentioned here or not, deserves to share in the applause that accompanied each show’s finale. Panto 2016 was an enjoyable romp and thanks to everyone involved for helping to raise funds for our village hall. Maeve Willis
March is Folk Month at the Bisley Village Hall… We have 2 very special acts appearing:
Saturday 5th March Urban Folk Quartet Four highly accomplished musicians, instruments and voices merge to craft a globally influenced, electrifying acoustic show that’s been taking the international folk scene by storm. Since forming in 2009, The UFQ’s genre-defying, all-embracing approach to folk music has captivated audiences in high-energy performances across the world. Galician Paloma Trigas has shared stages and recorded with with the likes of The Chieftains, Sharon Shannon and Altan. Joe Broughton (Albion Band,) long established as the fieriest English fiddler and showman of his generation. Also an exceptional guitarist and mandolin player, in The UFQ Joe deftly shares multi-instrumentalist duties (often mid-song) with Dan Walsh. Touted as one of the finest banjo players in the country as well as a gifted singer and guitarist, Dan (Seth Lakeman Band, The Levellers, Walsh & Pound) joined UFQ in 2014. The lineup is completed by Tom Chapman, widely considered to be the most accomplished and innovative cajonero the UK has to offer.
Wednesday 30th March
Phil Beer Phil is one of the most popular ambassadors for acoustic roots music. A dazzling multi-instrumentalist, in addition to being one of the founding members of Show of Hands, he is also known as a top flight fiddler and plays in the all-star line-up, Feast of Fiddles. But his skills don’t stop there, he also plays slide, Spanish and tenor guitar, mandocello, viola, mandolin and South American cuatro, not to mention his rich vocals. Phil’s impressive track record also includes touring with Mike Oldfield and being a member of the feted Albion Band for 7 years. Show of Hands became a full-time partnership in the early 90s, a band that has gone on to sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times and who were voted Best Live Act, by the public, at the 2004 Folk Awards. This appearance at Bisley Village Hall is part of his 2016 solo tour and we are very pleased that he has agreed to play here!
Tickets are available from George Stores for both these acts. Urban Folk Quartet - £10.00 and Phil Beer - £14.00
Angela Mobile Hairdresser
All aspects of
Ladies, Gents and Children’s Hairdressing at your home
Fully Qualified & Insured.
Tel:01452 722249 Mob:07709 646891
When he’s not (falling down) on the piste his fences are quite
straight!
Eddie Kearney’s Bisley Fencing Tel: 01452 770546 Mobile: 07774 694646
All Types of Fencing Agricultural, Industrial and Domestic. Dry Stone Walling Specialist
The Stirrup Cup rejuvenates
Charlie and Lucy John are the bright new young publicans who took over in December. After a very rapid re-decoration the ‘Stirry’ was open to customers in time for the run-up to Christmas. The young couple are in business with Charlie’s parents Neil & Susan, who run the Falcon Hotel, Painswick. It was here that Charlie learnt his trade, and when Lucy came along as the new barmaid he found himself a wife! The couple were married last July in Painswick Church, opposite to The Falcon, and are now busily creating their new home and their new business in The Stirrup Cup. Lucy also has a background in catering having helped her mother bake cakes for the Café in their own business – The Rococo Gardens, Painswick (yes, it was Lucy’s parents who made the remarkable renovations and transformations at Rococo over the past decades). Lucy’s baking skills will now be used to prepare the puddings at the Stirrup Cup, whilst the main cooking will be done by their long-time friend Katie Freebury (who also worked at the Falcon). They provide a tasty and straightforward menu of delicious meals, with food locally sourced where possible.
The pub decoration is slowly changing as they seek to make it a more comfortable and relaxing venue, with some softer furnishings. They would like to encourage people to join them for ‘Morning Coffee’ as well as the more traditional drinks and lunch or evening meals. Their plans are to keep
the pub vibrant, with a nice mix of good beers and good food, and they have young local staff to support them. The pub is ‘dog-friendly’ and they hope to have a young dog of their own fairly soon.
WeW We give them a hearty Bisley welcome and wish them well for the future.
Bullocks find sanctuary
Four bullocks were found happily grazing in Bisley All Saints Church yard on 6th January. They were quite at home eating the lush grass, and the gravestone moss seemed to be to their lick-liking. The 18 month-old Aberdeen Angus Cross bullocks belong to Val Thomas, Chalford
and she discovered that they had gone missing from Abnash,
Chalford during the night. How they made their way to Bisley Church yard is a bit of a mystery, but
thankfully they seem to have avoided any mishap on route. They were collected and returned home by Val; but this time by motor transport!
Open the Book During each school term the “Open the Book” team visit Bisley Blue Coat School for around 45 minutes to act out a story from the Bible. This happens (normally) every other week on a Monday morning. You do not need to be a church-goer and you simply read your part from the Storybooks that are provided. We often dress up a bit to add more realism to the story which normally lasts no more than
10 minutes.
We may be losing some of our current team in the coming months so we are asking for new members to join us. It really is fun and as you know the children at the Blue Coat School are great and really enjoy the team going in to tell the stories and often we ask some of the pupils to join in. We try to have more team members than we need for each story so that no-one is expected to be taking part in each session. If you feel you could help please contact Peter (770708) for a chat about what is involved. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Spire - All Saints’ Church
For the first time I can remember, I am writing my Lent and Easter
magazine article while the Christmas decorations are still up, which feels a bit surreal! But perhaps it’s not such a bad thing to be reminded they are inextricably linked. Christmas may recall the birth of a baby who has reached full adulthood by the time the events of Easter take place, but there are signs of one in the other. We might say that the end is foreshadowed in the beginning. In both, the issue is Jesus’ status as king of the Jews. In both, Jesus’ death is planned in secret. At Christmas, a light in the night sky proclaims the birth of the Messiah; while on Good Friday darkness during the day announces his death. At Christmas, Jesus is worshipped; on Good Friday, he is mocked. At Christmas, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh are given; on Good Friday gifts of a purple robe, a crown of thorns and myrrh again, though this time mixed with wine to take away the pain. At his birth there is much rejoicing; at his death, mourning and grief. The first people to call Jesus the king of the Jews are the three wise men, the next are Pontius Pilate and the soldiers at the foot of the cross. Just as we can't have Easter without Christmas and vice versa, so we can't have Easter without Lent and Holy Week - the forty days of reflection, discipline and self-examination preparing ourselves for what is to come, and then the journey through Jesus' last days, beginning with his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. For us, Good Friday is always followed by Easter Day - but perhaps this year, try to enter more fully into the story to try and experience what it must have been like for Jesus' friends on that first Good Friday when their dreams and hopes were shattered. Come and live it with the characters of the story through our Lent groups perhaps. Then Easter Day will be even more full of joy!
Revd Rosie Woodall
Bellringing News
Autumn - Christmas 2015
On Monday 5th October we
rang a 5152 Lincolnshire
Surprise Major to remember
Lance Corporal Levison
Thomas Ridler Randall, First
Battalion Grenadier Guards
who died of wounds suffered at
the Battle of Loos this day in
1915, aged 30. He was a pupil
at Bisley Bluecoat School, a
member of the Sunday school,
the village football and cricket
teams and a ringer here at All
Saints Bisley.
As a Golden Wedding
Anniversary compliment to
Mr & Mrs Richard Smith of
Bisley, we rang a 1260
Grandsire Triples on Friday 9th
October.
On Remembrance Sunday 8th
November 2015 we rang half-
muffled a composition by Julian
O Howes in memory of The
Fallen.
Six of our us, including two new
recruits Lindsay Heaven and
Rebekah Simpkins, rang
handbells during the Bisley
Carol Service. We rang all
eight of our Bisley
bells for the Carol
Service and on
Christmas morning.
On Christmas Eve ten of us
visited Edgeworth to ring for
their Carol Service – they have
five bells (cast in 1716) but no
bell ringers.
After Christmas you may have
heard the bells being rung
half-muffled on the evening of
Monday 28th - Holy Innocents
Day. On the Wednesday we
rang a 1/4 Peal to
commemorate the death of
Private Arthur D Hook, 7th
Battalion Gloucester Regiment,
killed in action on 30th
December 1915 at Gallipoli.
Arthur Hook was born in Bisley
in 1883, married Edith in 1908,
and lived at Nashend with their
three children Winifred, Daisy
and William.
On New Years Day we enjoyed
an outing, including lunch at a
pub on Cleeve Hill, to
Woolstone, Bishop's Cleeve,
Prestbury and Badgeworth. Our
party comprised 26 ringers and
friends.
Ian Bucknell
Church Treasurer –
Urgently Required
For two years now one of the
Churchwardens has had
temporary responsibility as
Church Treasurer. We are
now looking to appoint
someone else as Treasurer on
a permanent basis. The post-
holder does not need to be a
church-goer as long as you
are a book-keeper or able to
keep accounts. We could
also divide a number of the
tasks, such as banking, to suit
circumstances if required. There is no need to attend meetings as long as
reports can be provided to the Church Council. We may be able to provide
some financial remuneration to the successful applicant. For further details,
please contact Rosie (771084) or Peter (770708)
“People of the Passion"
This year's Lent discussion groups will meet
for six sessions, looking at "The People of the
Passion" - the characters we hear about in the
story of Jesus' last days, seen through the lens
of scripture, art, tradition and literature. More
details, including times and dates of meetings
(one in each parish), will be found in church.
You are welcome to join a group in any parish
- whatever is most convenient for you.
Big Breakfast
- Thank You!
Thank you to everyone
who made the
December Big
Breakfast such a
success. A record
amount of £912 was
raised for your church
and I think it is fair to
say that everyone
enjoyed the morning.
Change to service pattern
From 1 January 2016, we have changed the pattern of services at All Saints Church to the following:
first, third Sunday of the month: 11am Holy Communion
second Sunday of the month: 11am Holy Communion with Sunday School
fourth Sunday of the month: 11am Sunday Praise (all-age); 6pm Holy Communion (said)
fifth Sunday of the month: 9.30am or 11am Benefice Eucharist, moving round the benefice
Services (all at All Saints Bisley unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday 31 January
9.30am
Benefice Eucharist for Candlemas, France
Lynch
Wednesday 10 February
Ash Wednesday
7.30pm
Holy Communion with ashing
Sunday 6 March
Mothering Sunday
11am
Family Communion
(with tea/coffee before the
service)
Sunday 20 March
Palm Sunday
10.40am
Procession from St Mary and All Angels RC
Chapel in Wells Lane, followed by service in
All Saints Bisley with dramatized reading of
the passion gospel
Tuesday 22 March
7.30pm
Taize Service
Wednesday 23 March
7pm
Agape meal, Christ Church Chalford
Thursday 24 March
Maundy Thursday
11am Chrism mass with blessing of the oils,
Gloucester Cathedral
7.30pm Eucharist with foot-washing, France
Lynch
Friday 25 March
Good Friday
10am Walk of Witness - from St Mary and
All Angels RC Chapel in Wells Road,
stopping for stations of reading and prayer
at various points around the village.
Finishing at All Saints Bisley for coffee.
2pm Hour before the Cross - we gather to
recall the final hour of Jesus' life with
silence, readings and prayer
Sunday 27 March
Easter Day
11am
Family Communion – come
and celebrate the joy of the
resurrection!
Bisley Pre-School Playgroup
• A small community-based playgroup • Where parents are listened to, and children are nurtured • Where laughter is shared, environments explored, and friendships are built.
Bisley Pre-School Playgroup has been unaffected by the damp weather we’ve seen these past few months. Each morning the children have donned our all-in-one waterproofs and have enjoyed the wonderful space of Bisley School Playground, no matter the weather. The children run, hop, skip, and even roll outside. They build ‘bonfires’ with sticks and play a variety of games, one of the favourites currently being to re-enact the tales of Peter Rabbit! This term we have been exploring our local environment. The children have shown an increasing interest in mark-making, so we have been making maps of our surrounding area; the Playgroup, school, churchyard, and the village. We have also enjoyed learning about the local wildlife in this beautiful area, and had a very informative visit from the Help a Hedgehog Hospital. Hedgehogs need a little extra help this winter finding food as they have been waking up from hibernation in the milder temperatures. We are looking forward to celebrating the festivals that take place in Spring. We will be making and sharing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, and enjoying Mothers Day and Easter Egg crafts and activities. We also look forward to hosting a Car Boot Sale on Saturday April 2nd. Please come along and support us, and sell or buy some bargains! If you are interested in joining our Playgroup, we accept children from 2 years 9 months. Spaces permitting, we accept children at any time during the term. Our hours are 9am-12.45pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. If you would like to arrange a visit, or would like to secure your child’s place, please call Emily Luckham,Playleader, 07908 488509 E:[email protected].
Beautiful Bisley: a bird’s eye view
Michael Whitestone Photography www.michaelwhitestone.co.uk This excellent panoramic photograph of Bisley was taken recently by Michael. You can see more of his wonderful and diverse collection on his website (see above)
Bisley MUMMERS The Tour was met with early rain which slightly dampened the performance outside George Stores. We were invited indoors at The Stirrup Cup and enjoyed performing in the warm to a lively crowd. The sun shone on us at the Butchers Arms Oakridge and the grand finale back home at The Bear Inn. Well done to our new (& to our less new) players on fine deliveries!
The players enjoyed a hearty lunch at The Bear, courtesy of David and Amanda. Thank you to all who contributed to the bucket, which raised over £140 towards BATS panto funds.
Bisley Flower Show : Alyson’s Prize-winning Roses Alyson MacLeod, First Prize winner in the Bisley Flower Show has a few words of experience to share with you, “I have had no formal gardening training whatsoever but am a keen amateur who simply loves roses, particularly scented ones. My favourite rose - McCartney - which is a deep pink tea rose has moved gardens four times before we finally settled in Bisley, so had got used to several different soil
types! My tip is to ensure that the rose bush is pruned back hard at the end of the season and all minor/spindly shoots are removed so the main shoots/branches get the best chance of producing strong healthy flowers. In the Spring I feed the roots with a standard rose feed and when the rose bush is flowering it is important to deadhead regularly to ensure growth continues throughout the season.” It’s time to think about YOUR entries on Saturday August 27th!
Frith Youth Centre
Brownshill Road, Bussage, opposite the skate ramp
Monday After School Drop in 11 to 17 year old's 3.30 - 5pm Monday Junior Club 9 to 14's 6.30 - 8pm Wednesday Community Cafe All welcome 10.15 -12noon Thursday After School Drop in 11 to 17 year old's 3.30 - 5pm Thursday Drop in 13 to 18 year old's 7- 9pm
We are looking for a volunteer Treasurer so if you could help keep track of grants & budgets you would be very welcome to join the management team.
Contact Teresa at [email protected] or 01453 887204 for information about activities for young people, to hire the Centre or to volunteer
See our website - www.frithyouthcentre.org.uk/
HOLBRO K GARAGE
CALL US on 01452 770272 or call in to reception
MOT, Service and RepairsAll makes and models, courtesy cars and sales
We can collect and drop off your car FREE Broken down? We can recover you too
Drop in to our
Murco Petrol Station and Shop on the Cheltenham road out of Bisley.
Local produce, organic meats and more Autogas and Calor gas, fire and stove fuels
News from your Village Agent
Gill Cannon 07776 245767 I would like to introduce myself as your new village agent. I would also, at this point, like to mark the wonderful work done by Lou Kemp over the last 10 years since the village agent scheme was piloted in Gloucestershire. Since that time the scope of the scheme has extended from the original 96 parishes to well over 200 parishes and the model of working with communities has been taken up from the original kernel, started here in Gloucestershire, to a nationwide service bringing together all kinds of organisations to provide a complete solution directly to people in the their own homes. We aim to help people to remain in the their own homes, living independent lives, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions whilst working hard to eradicate rural isolation forging strong supportive communities for those over 50 in need of support. It is this group of people that I am privileged to join and I am looking forward to working with communities and directly with individuals to make living in our wonderful countryside pleasant whatever age or capability. I live in Eastcombe in the parish of Bisley-with-Lypiatt. I am married and a Mum and Grandma. After a lengthy career in the law and then in senior management in the charity sector I am keen to use my knowledge and skills to continue to bring people and organisations together. I would reiterate that village and community agents bridge the gap between local communities and statutory and voluntary organisations able to offer support. The amount of help available is incredible but I know from my experiences with my own father difficult to negotiate or to find. If you are a local group who can provide support to a vulnerable person – shopping, company etc I would like to hear from you too. It is important that we link those in need with those that are ready & willing to assist. I am here to help. Just a thought as the weather turns colder and we light fires and candles to lighten the dark nights. Are you happy that your fire prevention is as good as it should be? If you have any concerns the Fire Service is happy to advise and we have an excellent relationship with our local fire crews. The Village Agent scheme is county wide, helping over 50’s with information and support. Please call me to arrange a home visit or email me and I will be in touch [email protected]. 07776 245767
Editor: We echo Gill’s sentiments by sending a big ‘Thank You’ to Lou Kemp
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
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Ladies OAP Dry Cut £15.00 £12.00 Wet Cut £18.00 £15.00 Cut and Blow Dry £28.00 £25.00 Blow Dry £14.00 £12.00 Cut, Shampoo + Set £25.00 £20.00 Shampoo + Set £14.00 £12.00 Hair Up from £20.00 - Perms (includes cut + blow dry or cut shampoo set) £50.00 £45.00 Full Head Foils £65.00 £60.00 Half Head Foils £55.00 £50.00 Cap Hi-Lights £50.00 £45.00 Regrowth Tint £48.00 £43.00 Full Head Tint £53.00 £48.00 Semi Colour £48.00 £45.00 Tint & Foils £65.00 £60.00 Gents Wet Cut £12.00 £10.00 Dry Cut £10.00 £8.00 Children Under 7 yrs Dry Trims £6.00 7 - 14 yrs Dry Cuts Boys £8.00 Dry Cuts Girls £10.00 Wet Cut Boys £10.00 Wet Cut Girls £12.00
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News from our District Councillor LED street lighting update, Gloucestershire County Council Although this may not affect our rural ward for around18 months, I feel it is important to share the changes to street that is going to be happening in the county over the next 2 years. So here are some of the facts: The new street lighting LED replacement and Maintenance contract was awarded to Skanska in August 2015. Contract mobilisation is now complete, with respect to the LED replacement. The maintenance part of the contract starts 1st April 2016. 55,000 street lights will be converted to LED LED’s will reduce energy use by 50% as well as significantly reduce the maintenance costs. t will save Gloucestershire over £2 million a year. The core investment program over the three-year period started in Nov 15. The general principle for completion of the LED replacement is for the two main urban centres, Cheltenham and Gloucester, to be completed in the first 18 months. This will then be followed by main market towns, rural parishes. A more comprehensive forward program identifying, when in the core investment individual market towns and rural parishes will be completed, is currently being prepared and will be finalise by the end of January 16. This information will then be published on the GCC website and in the appropriate local media. A draft communication plan for the core investment program has been prepared and is due to be finalised by the end of Dec 2015. While a formal consultation process will not be undertaken, there will be a public information exercise undertake in each area, town or parish prior to LED replacement being carried out. Each resident will have an opportunity to attend a community event prior to work being carried out and each household affected by the work will receive a hand written letter. This will outline the extent of the work and the benefits of LED lighting. It will also include contact details for the service provider who are responsible for community engagement, a set of frequently asked questions relating to LED lighting and a link to the customer satisfaction survey. Heading this project is Scott Tompkins, highways authority, 01452 328 525 Name Plates As many of you may remember we were looking to get a number of street sign/ nameplates replaced. I have been working with Parish Councillor Rachel Wright to swap the signs in Eastcombe. Stroud District Council have assured me that they are going to be ordered in the next few weeks. As I have said before, if you feel that any other signage in our ward needs changing, please send me a location with description- a photo is option but would also help to supply a photo. Rural watch update As I previously mentioned, the rural watch is a great way to stay vigilant in the area and be notified of any suspicious behaviour. The latest report from Bob Lloyd identified a number of incidents in Hardwicke. Whilst this is not within our
ward, it would be naive to assume its exclusive to that side of the District so please ensure precautions are taken to safeguard against crime. Neighbourhood planning decision making process. As councillors, we were asked to consider assigning authority to the Environmental Committee in order to stream-line the Neighbourhood Planning acceptance process. It would seek to develop some of the key steps in processing the neighbourhood plans.It is important to highlight this will not take away the overall decision from full council - just speed up some of the processes getting to that decision. This was approved. Planning applications I receive correspondence from members of our ward on a weekly basis that require representation and help with planning related matters. These can be either supporting or opposing planning applications. In particular cases these are then put to the DCC (Development Control Committee) at my request. In order to best defend the area against unwanted developments I would urge people to get in touch with me as soon as they know of the application. In recent cases things have been received after decisions have been made which regrettably means there is little that can be done to reverse the decision without court proceedings. So please get in touch with me and I would be more than happy to discuss an application with you should you feel you need district representation. Cllr. Timothy E.R Williams [email protected] 07920754700
Madagascar Talk and Appeal Very many thanks to those of you who turned up for the above mentioned talk at the WI Village Hall on 6th January and very many thanks for your most generous contributions to the appeal for funds for a village water supply in that country. I am delighted to say that, as at 12th January, donations towards this worthwhile cause totalled £858. Well done Bisley. I am sure that the villagers of Ambatomalaza in Madgascar will be extremely grateful as these funds will help them to install a reliable supply of clean potable water. If anybody who did not attend the talk would like to donate or just follow the progress of this project do please get in touch with me by telephone or email: John Mulligan 01452 770214 email [email protected] and I will put your name on the list to receive updated information on the progress of the project.
Smart Meters – Cautionary Update In the last edition Michael Flint informed us of the problems he had experienced with Smart Meters which Suppliers claim will transmit automatically your Gas and Electricity readings to your supplier. The latest update is that they still cannot transmit the information. A meter reader has now attended to read the meters in the old-fashioned manual way, and will do so every six months in future. The conclusion of the supplier is that the transmition signal is too difficult to put right in a remote location like Bisley! Michael urges that if you are considering such a meter for your home that you to check fully that a signal can be transmitted BEFORE they rip out your old meters.
