Author: Webmaster

From the Clerk to the Parish Council:

Please find attached the Notice of Election for both District and Parish/Town council elections.

I also attach a list of parishes by District Ward to help you identify our new District.

Notice of Election – District

New polling districts with wards Notice of Election – District Notice of Election – Parish and Town

New polling districts with wards

Winston’s Wish is the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK, helping children and young people rebuild their lives after the death of their mum, dad, brother or sister, and enabling them to face the future with confidence and hope.

Throughout Gloucestershire, Winston’s Wish run a unique bereavement support program called SWITCH. The program is aimed at children aged 8-14 who have suffered a close family bereavement which is having a negative effect on their behaviour. The bereavement may not be recent but may still be having an impact on the child. The SWITCH program offers family work, individual work for children and their carers and group work. We end the program with a celebration day. The aim of SWITCH is to provide children and families with the opportunity to work through their experience with qualified professionals and to help them make sense of their emotions and feelings, meet other people in similar situations and provide them with coping strategy to help them reach their full potential.

We would like to reach as many of these children and families as possible in Gloucestershire. If you or you know a child or family who would benefit from the SWITCH program or would like any further information, please contact Sheila Elliott, Family Program Lead for SWITCH: selliott@winstonswish.org.uk / switch@winstonswish.org.uk / Phone the office on 01242 515157 and ask to speak to myself or a member of the SWITCH team. .

For further information about other services Winston’s Wish can provide for children who have suffered a bereavement, please go to our website www.winstonswish.org.uk

A hutch suitable for up to two guinea pigs or rabbits is available following the recent loss of our own guinea pigs. Ideal for Winter/Summer use. There is also an accompanying run suitable for Summer use, straw for bedding and guinea pig food. All free for collection as a whole.

Please contact Louise on 01453 861027 for further details.

One of our black and white Dutch rabbits escaped on Friday night.  If anyone sees it, please could they contact the Charnley-Heatons on 861179.

Thank you.

Last chance to get a table together for the Bridge Fundraising Evening on Thursday 19th March.  All profits will go to the Village Hall.

When: Thursday 19th March
Time: 7pm start, finishing 10pm
Where: Village Hall
Cost: £10 per person, which includes a delicious cottage pie
Cash Bar
Organiser: Annabella Lucy

Why not make up a table of 4 who you’ll play with all evening – you can even play Canasta if you prefer!  If you want to have a table, or you’re interested but can’t get a whole table together please email Annabella Lucy.

Please see the note below:

“Please be aware that on Sunday 1st. March 2015 the Golden Valley Classic Motorcycle Club intends to hold an event for Solo and Combination motorcycles that will pass through your Parish. This is NOT a speed event, only a portion of a single lap route linking various sections on private land. Your indulgence and co-operation in this matter would be much appreciated.

It is intended that the event will be run in the opposite direction to last year using a virtually identical route.”

Start and finish is from the Hunter’s Hall Inn with the first bike leaving at 0900h.

Service Calendar for March 2015

The Little Angels mothers and toddlers group meets on Fridays at 9.45 am at Nailsworth. Refreshments served afterwards in the Parish Rooms.

The next PCC meeting will be on Wednesday 4 March at 8.00 pm in the Village Hall.

Lent study groups in Nailsworth Continuing as follows:

Tuesdays 7.30 pm at Christchurch, Wednesdays 2.00 pm at St George’s.

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

                                         www.gloucester.anglican.org/news/blog

     Nailsworth Benefice        www.stgeorgesnailsworth.org.uk

     Kingscote Community      www.kingscoteonline.co.uk

The Vicar’s Letter

Dear Friends,

Already the year seems to be galloping away !

But March – often a month when we see things beginning to change as new life comes to our gardens – is also a month which, in the Christian Church, contains three very contrasting Sundays.

Mothering Sunday on 15 March used to be the Sunday on which those in domestic service were allowed home to visit their Mothers with gifts of simnel cake and the like. Today we use it as an opportunity to say thank you for our Mothers – living and departed – which we shall be doing in our churches.

Passion Sunday on 22 March is the Sunday on which we begin to turn our thoughts to the events nearly two thousand years ago, as we see Jesus ‘set his face towards Jerusalem’ and (in the words of Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise) ‘boldly go where no man had gone before’.

Palm Sunday on 29 March is a Sunday of mixed emotions. We join the crowd to celebrate Jesus entering Jerusalem to be hailed as King, but knowing it marked the beginning of the end of his life on earth and heralded the awful events of his arrest, torture and murder. This year the churches of Nailsworth, Horsley and Kingscote will gather together in St George’s Church Nailsworth to celebrate Palm Sunday and prepare for the memorial events of the last week of Jesus’ life.

Perhaps you would like to join us on one of these special days and discover something more about the incredible story of Jesus’ life on earth.

Mike Smith

The Bishop of Tewkesbury, The Rt Revd Martyn Snow

The Bishop of Tewkesbury will be visiting Holy Trinity Church, Cirencester, at 7.30 pm on Thursday 12 March to lead an evening of presentation, discussion and prayer on the theme The Beginner’s guide to praying. Bishop Martyn is a young and impressive church leader who is not to be missed.

NB: Holy Trinity Church is NOT the large Parish Church in the Market Place but lies on Watermoor Road at GL7 1NE, best approached from the fire-station roundabout.

Flower Rota

Lorna Reynolds

Rosemary Sims

We were delighted to hear that our organist Mrs Rosemary Sims has been invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May.

She has been indispensible in one way or another to our church here since the day in 1958 when the Rev Dutton and his wife left Kingscote and gave her the organ keys as a teenager.   Without her lifetime of support to our parish church, in particular as organist, but also as Parochial Church Council member and team worker, it is quite likely that this community of 275 souls would have lost its opportunity for regular Sunday worship here.

She has also over many years, in addition, acted as regular organist for other local churches when the need arose, so her contribution has been appreciated in the district for generations.

Finally, she has provided for our community a brilliant little book ‘Growing up in Kingscote’ recording its history since WW 2. All of the proceeds from the sales of this have been shared equally by the Parish Church and the Village Hall.

Congratulations Rosemary and thank you for all that you do for us.

The PCC

Cleaning Team

The next church cleaning session is at 2.30 pm on Monday 9 March. We are always delighted to welcome anyone who would like to join the team.

Teresa Day

Village Hall Programme

Film night – Tuesday 10 March – The Book Thief starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. It tells the story of a girl who steals books to share during the war in Nazi Germany, 7.30 for 8.00 pm. Admission free, pay bar.

Coffee Morning – Wednesday 18 March, 10.30 to 11.30 am, all welcome £1-50 for coffee and cake.

Bridge Events – contact Bella Lucy for more details on annabella@btinternet.com

Carol Paton

Paul Hodgkinson Meeting on Wednesday 11 March

The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate at the General Election in May will be at the Village Hall on Wednesday 11 March at 7.30 pm for a public meeting explaining his party’s policies locally and nationally. He is a Cotswold District Councillor and could be quizzed on housing, roads etc. This is a rare chance to hear in person from any candidate !

Carol Paton and Georgina Harford

Grumbolds Ash Group

On Wednesday 11 March we will visit the Electric Picture House in Wotton under Edge where tickets have been purchased for seven of us for the ENO: La Traviata at 7.30 pm. We meet at 6.45 pm at the Village Hall to share the driving and parking. Please pay me the £10/£11 on the night.

Jutta Tubbs

Book Club at 8.00 pm 

Wednesday 18 March The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, at Angela’s.

Wednesday 15 April Elephant Moon by John Sweeney, at Nikki Shelton’s.

Wednesday 20 May The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, venue undecided.

New members always very welcome.

Angela Wooldridge

Free-range eggs for sale

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

Kingscote Parish Council

The next meeting will be at 8.00 pm on Tuesday 14 April at Hunters Hall.

Planning approvals

Bagpath Court Cottage, Erection of 2 story side and 1 storey rear extension, and 2 storey rear extension to existing dwelling, insertion of 2 dormer windows and roof-light to the rear.

Calcot House Kingscote, Erection of garage and part change of equestrian land to domestic curtilage.

Local social networking

Streetlife is a social network recently launched across Cirencester which might be of interest in our community. To get involved or to investigate further, sign up at www.streetlife.com with your postcode and e-mail address.

Anna Davison, Tel. 860 244

STILL AVAILABLE

For those who missed it first time round, DVDs of ‘A Year in Kingscote 2012’ which records events of that year in the village, are still available for £6 each.

Proceeds for the Village Hall. Order from Tim Sage, Tel. 860 563.

Weekly Recycling – Green food boxes and wheelie bins

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays.

Fortnightly Recycling – Black boxes, White Bags and Blue bags

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays 6 and 20 March.

Fortnightly Waste – Grey wheelie bins to landfill

All current collection points – from 7.30 am on Fridays 6 and 20 March.

Bus Timetable Enquiries -Ring traveline on 0871 200 2233.

Mobile Police Van

The Mobile Police Station will visit Kingscote on Tuesday 17 March from 3.15 to 4.15 pm.

Mobile Library

The next visit will be on Friday 20 March when the van will park as usual in front of The Walled Garden from 9.30 to 11.30 am.

Magazine

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

The Editor

What is wrong with the Christians ?

Statistics show unequivocally that Christian worship and belief is in decline in Western Europe, and we see a gradual decline in our own parish. Why is this ?

A host of possible contributing causes suggest themselves:

• Material wealth and physical comforts making life easier.

• Entertainment, travel and sophisticated pastimes distracting us from thinking beyond the moment. The    ‘background music’ effect.

• Atheist influences from the media and seductive scientists, denying any spiritual dimension to creation. The ostrich ‘head in the sand’ effect.

• Moral corruption of our society in multiple ways, poisoning the young.

• Pride, arrogance and hypocrisy displayed by active church members.

• Cases of theft, adultery, paedophilia by a tiny number of church officers and clergy, which become headline news in the press.

• Violent conflict between world religions spreading to Europe, leading to fear for the future.

The teaching and example of Jesus Christ was and is adequate to lead us through this confusing situation, but it is not clear that we wish to follow. We seem in some way to be paralysed by a mixture of doubt and apathy. We do not seem able to muster the love and commitment which God as our creator hopes and deserves to have from us.

Harry Tubbs, Churchwarden

What is Lent about ?

 Extracts from an article in the Diocesan Messenger for March by

Revd Canon Robbin Clark, Dean of Women Clergy 

When many of us think of Lent (if indeed we do), we often think of giving up a treat like chocolate or alcohol or cigarettes, or some other thing we enjoy but don’t really think is good for us. It may feel like a burden or even an impossible effort.

But Lent is meant to be a ‘springtime of the soul’, not a punishment. It’s a chance for some interior personal spring cleaning – a time to clear away the cobwebs and spruce up our souls for Easter.

The Church recognises that Advent and Christmas call for serious periods of preparation. Advent focuses on attentiveness and anticipation. We face the ways we have failed to live up to the example set by Jesus and what this says about our gratitude to him for giving his life to save us and bring us back into harmony with God.

Three spiritual disciplines are associated with Lent:

Fasting for the good of our body.

Almsgiving for the good of our neighbour.

Prayer for the good of our soul.

I commend these to you, but I also suggest the more positive practice of ‘taking on’ rather than ‘giving up’ something for Lent, perhaps volunteer work or special spiritual study or a retreat.

The Church Urban Fund – Tackling Poverty Together

The start of Lent generally marks the beginning of a period of fasting or abstinence – a choice most of us make voluntarily. But for hundreds of thousands of adults fasting has become a way of life – a desperate choice between heating their homes and having enough food for themselves and their children.

This is a Church of England charity fund specifically helping urban churches to serve residents in their communities in cases of severe financial hardship due to Benefit delays and very low income.

The most convenient way of donating to this national charity is by the website www.cuf.org.uk/donate Note that the most deprived areas in the country may not be in Gloucestershire, but the Church Urban Fund is competent to allow for this factor and to direct funds to the people most in need.

The Editor

Parish Directory

Vicar:                    Reverend Mike Smith, Nailsworth, Tel. 07840 260 182

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

Reader                  Sue White, Nailsworth, Tel: 01453 835 693

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

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

Hon.Sec.PCC:        Georgina Harford, Ashcroft House, Kingscote, GL8 8YF

                                 Tel: 01453 860 227

Hon.Treas.PCC:    Jane Nichols, Asheldown, 3 Ashel Barn Cottages, Kingscote,

                            GL8 8YB Tel. 01453 860 534

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

Flower and Clean Team: Teresa Day, Vivienne Ainsworth, Angela Wooldridge, Pauline McTear.

Nailsworth MU:     Trissa Jones,   Tel: 832 551

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

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

Church Flowers Rota: Lorna Reynolds, Tel. 860 231

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

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

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

Mowing Team:       Harry Tubbs, Sebastian Cooper, Rick Bond, Roger Lucy, Godfrey Ainsworth, Ken Davies, Brian McTear, John Moore.

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

                            Secretary: Carol Paton, Bagpath, Tel. 860 649

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please come and help us celebrate the many aspects of Chris’s remarkably creative life: artist, teacher, ecologist, clown, writer, intellectual, ursophile, dog lover, bookaholic, sister, daughter, friend, partner, mentor, catalyst, designer…

We will be coming together for two days of exhibitions, installations, food rituals, music, clowning, storytelling, conversation, artful activities, sharing memories, poetry, quiet contemplation, and whatever else we can come up with. Do let me know if you have any ideas or would like to contribute in some way.

We’ve chosen to hold the celebration at Matara (where Chris and I got married) which is just 200 yards from Chris’s home in Kingscote village. It is also where her memorial stone will be placed in a wooded garden. Doors will be open between 11.00 – 20.00 Monday 29 June & 11.00 – 16.00 Tuesday 30 June.

Each day will offer a range of activities and you are welcome to come for one or both of them. There will be a “grazing bar” for tea, coffee and snacks throughout and something a bit more substantial at lunchtimes. Ask me for a list of local B&Bs and hotels if you need overnight accommodation. We are also hoping to have a “Skype Corner” so that folk who cannot come, especially from overseas can connect with us during the event.

The event is by invitation and request. Chris had a huge circle of friends and colleagues and I’m bound to miss some of you by mistake so if you don’t receive an invitation directly from me, know that you too are welcome. Also please feel free to pass the invitation on to anyone else you think might like to come.

Please email me geoff.mead@me.com as soon as possible if you intend coming (or think you might) and let me know on which day(s) so we can plan catering etc.

Love, light and blessings

Geoff

www.cominghometostory.com
geoff.mead@me.com
mobile: +44 (0)7966 840669