Kingscote Satellite Broadband Trial – Clarification

To give clarification to those of you who were unable to attend the meeting on 13th October, if you chose to go on the satellite telephony and internet trial, you would not be expected to give up your existing provider’s service but, rather, would run your existing service alongside for the period of the trial service that DICE/Global Invacom will be undertaking.  This would allow you to easily compare the service received.

After the period of the trial you would be able to then decide whether it would be appropriate to use the new service or to remain with your existing provider.

If you wish to sign up to the trial, please use the survey form link below to complete your details by 27th October.
___________________________________________________________________________

Further to the presentation given by Steve Leighton (CEO) and Matthew Appleton (Technology Director) of DICE in the Village Hall on Monday, please below a link to a survey form that residents in the village (and surrounding) can complete to let DICE know of their willingness to participate in the trial.

Survey Form for Participation in Kingscote Internet & Telephony Trial

Please complete the form by Monday 27th October if possible.

Once they receive your information, DICE will respond to each participant individually and discuss the specifics of your need to ensure that they generate the two-way dialogue mentioned at the presentation.

The next stage will be to undertake a site survey and then to determine how many satellite entry points will be needed, where these will be located, how they will be powered, signal distributed, received by participants etc.

Regards.

 

Anaerobic Digester Meeting – Letter of Objection to SDC

Dear All,

Thank you to those who made it to the Anaerobic Digester meeting – what an excellent turnout.  Please do keep up the momentum and email SDC.

If making an objection, remember to give your name and postcode and to quote planning reference: S.14/0673/FUL

Email: planning@stroud.gov.uk

I am attaching a help sheet from Jenny to give you suggestions, including reasons based on Planning issues.

Click here for the HELP SHEET

The summary I made on the night was:

1. Danger to road users due to increased traffic
2. Industrial development in an AONB
3. No benefit to the local community
4. Too many unanswered questions.

Anna Davison
Clerk to Parish Council

Kingscote Satellite Broadband Trial – Survey Form

Further to the presentation given by Steve Leighton (CEO) and Matthew Appleton (Technology Director) of DICE in the Village Hall on Monday, please below a link to a survey form that residents in the village (and surrounding) can complete to let DICE know of their willingness to participate in the trial.

Survey Form for Participation in Kingscote Internet & Telephony Trial

Please complete the form by Monday 27th October if possible.

Once they receive your information, DICE will respond to each participant individually and discuss the specifics of your need to ensure that they generate the two-way dialogue mentioned at the presentation.

The next stage will be to undertake a site survey and then to determine how many satellite entry points will be needed, where these will be located, how they will be powered, signal distributed, received by participants etc.

Regards.

Tipputs Inn – Change of Use Meeting – 13th October 18:30h – Ebley Mill

Petition update
Tipputs Customers just posted an update on the petition you signed, Stroud & District Council: Block any ‘Change Of Use’ application for The Tipputs Inn and keep it as a licensed premises, not a school or café.

Tipputs change of use committee meeting 13-10-2014 at 18:30 – Ebley Mill

Oct 10, 2014 — Final Rallying cry!! As I hope you are all aware the committee meeting for the Tipputs change of use is this Monday, 13th October, at 18:30hrs! As you may have seen the… Read more

Read more

Car Break-In – Calcot House

Hi there neighbours

I just wanted to let you know that on 4th Oct two of our cars on the driveway were broken into.  The windows were smashed and anything inside of value was taken.

The Police say that think it was an “opportunist” and we are presently looking through CCTV footage to see if we can identify the thieves and they are taking finger prints today.

Just thought I’d let everyone know so that they can be on their guard.

Kind regards to everyone.

Debbie & David Patrick
Calcot House

Satellite Broadband in Kingscote – Reminder – Monday 13th Oct at 7.30pm

As a result of a villager recently installing satellite broadband to improve the service he receives, we have been approached by the companies which installed it with a proposition which may benefit the village.  

DICE is a company which initially concentrated on business based VOIP solutions.  In partnership with Global Invacom, however, DICE has co-developed a satellite communications solution which is designed to deliver TV, high-speed broadband, fixed-line telephony and mobile through a single satellite dish to several domiciles – removing the requirement for expensive long-distance cabling infrastructure.  Initially DICE and Global Invacom aimed to target this product at poorly connected and difficult to reach areas outside the UK but has identified a need within the UK to provide a similar service to rural locations.  BT has committed to the provision of fibre optic broadband but is (a) experiencing delays in installation and (b) will not confirm whether or not our village will be included in the rollout, as it may be that the returns from the investment in the provision of cable are too low to warrant our inclusion.  

Steve Leighton, Chairman & CEO of DICE, and Ian Walsh, Business Development Director of Global Invacom, will be coming to talk to the village about an interesting proposition which could benefit us all, giving us much faster broadband, landline and a strong mobile signal.  

When: Monday 13th October
Time: 7:30pm
Where: Kingscote Village Hall


We look forward to seeing you.

Extraordinary General Meeting – Proposed Anaerobic Digester – 14/10/2014

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE TO VILLAGE HALL

Dear All,

There will be an extraordinary meeting of Kingscote Parish Council on Tuesday the 14th at the VILLAGE HALL at 8pm. This is being held to discuss the proposed Anaerobic Digester at Chavenage.

Please come along if you would like to learn more about this application or would like to express your own view.

Clerk to Kingscote Parish Council

 

 

The Forerunner – October 2014

forerunner

Service Calendar for October 2014

Wednesday    1st Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday    5th Nailsworth    9.30 am Harvest Family Communion
Kingscote    9.30 am Morning Prayer BCP
Horsley 11.00 am Family Communion CW
Wednesday    8th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 12th Kingscote    8.00 am Holy Communion BCP
Nailsworth    9.30 am Family Communion
Horsley 11.00 am Harvest Family Service followed by Lunch in Church
Wednesday 15th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 19th Nailsworth    8.00 am Holy Communion BCP
Nailsworth    9.30 am Family Service
Kingscote 11.00 am Family Service
Wednesday 22nd Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 26th Nailsworth    9.30 am Holy Communion
Kingscote 11.00 am Parish Communion CW
Horsley    6.00 pm Evensong BCP
Wednesday 29th Nailsworth 10.00 am Holy Communion

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

 

The next PCC meeting will be on Monday 6 October at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.

 

The Licensing Service on 14 September at Nailsworth for our new vicar was a spectacular event, very well organised and implemented by the Nailsworth PCC members, with representatives from Horsley and Kingscote, and led by Bishop Martyn of Tewkesbury.

    

     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,

Can I first of all thank so many local people for the warm welcome that my wife and I have received.  It is a real joy to be back in the country again in Britain.

For the last four years we have been living in Puerto de la Cruz on the island of Tenerife.  It enjoys a temperate climate all year round.  In fact, there are no real seasons.  Winter simply means daytime temperatures dropping to the low twenties instead of high twenties, and we had Christmas lunch outside every year !

Whilst it has been lovely, we have missed the seasons.  We came back in autumn 2010 and were staggered to see the wonderful colours in the trees and are looking forward to that joy here in Gloucestershire.

The seasons give life in the UK a sense of rhythm.  This season of early autumn is the time when we traditionally celebrate harvest – as we did at the end of September.  But even as we celebrate the bringing in of this year’s harvest, work is already under way for next year.

This constant renewal of life to sustain us is what God also does in our worship each week.  Every time we gather at the beginning of a new week, we thank God for what he gave us to energise us through the last seven days and ask him to fill us with his Spirit to lead us through the next seven days.  That is why, for me at least, regular worship is the rhythm of my life.

With every blessing,

Mike Smith

Flower Rota

Sundays 5 and 12 October

Sundays 19 and 26 October

Sundays 2, 9 and  16 November     REMEMBRANCE

Elin Tattersall

Vivienne Ainsworth

Flower Team

 

             

Weddings:       Saturday  4 October, 2.00 pm Thomas Russell and Kati Luotonen

                     Wednesday 8 October, 2.00 pm Oliver Crump and Elizabeth Donkin

                     Thursday 30 October, 1.00 pm  Michael Porter and Laura Harland          

Lorna Reynolds

Cleaning Team

 

The next church cleaning session is at 2.30 pm on Monday 6 October.  We are always delighted to welcome anyone who would like to join the team.

Teresa Day

Satellite Broadband

 

As the result of a local resident recently installing satellite broadband to improve the service he receives, we have been approached by the companies which installed it with a proposition which may benefit the community.

DICE is a company which initially concentrated on business based VOIP solutions.  In partnership with Global Invacom however DICE has co-developed a satellite communications solution which is designed to deliver TV, high-speed broadband, fixed line telephony and mobile through a single satellite dish to several domiciles – removing the requirement for expensive long-distance cabling infrastructure.

Initially DICE and Global Invacom aimed to target this product at poorly connected and difficult to reach areas outside the UK, but they have identified a need within the UK to provide a similar service to rural locations.

BT has committed to the provision of fibre optic broadband but is (a) experiencing delays in installation and (b) will not confirm whether or not our community will be included in the roll-out, as it may be that the returns from the investment in the provision of cable are too low to warrant our inclusion.

Steve Leighton, Chairman & CEO of DICE, and Ian Walsh, Business Development Director of Global Invacom, will be coming to talk to us about an interesting proposition which could benefit us all, giving us much faster broadband, landline and a strong mobile signal.

 

Presentation: Monday 13 October, 7.30 pm in the Village Hall

 

Alice Cooper, e-mail: webmaster@kingscoteonline.co.uk

Village Hall Programme

 

All are most welcome at our events and it was lovely to see some newcomers at the recent BBQ and Coffee Morning:

 

Film night – Tuesday 14 October, Philomena starring Judy Dench, 7.30 for 8.00 pm.  Admission free, pay bar.

 

Coffee Morning – Tuesday 21 October, 10.30 to 11.30 am.  £1.50 for coffee and cake.

 

A children’s Halloween event is under consideration by Sarah Greig.

Carol Paton

 

Grumbolds Ash Group

 

On Tuesday 7 October we visit Berkeley Castle, GL13 9PJ when there will be harvest themed displays throughout the house.   There is also the Yurt Restaurant.  Afterwards we can visit the Butterfly House, and the neighbouring parish church where Edward Jenner’s father had been minister and where there are some medieval wall paintings.  The charge for visitors to the castle is £10 / £8.50 and – if chosen – for the butterfly house £4.50.  We meet at 10.30 am at the Village Hall to share cars.

Jutta Tubbs

Book Club at 8.00 pm

 

Monday 20 October, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (carried over from last month) at Teresa’s.

November meeting ‘Winter in Madrid’ by C J Sansom, date and details to be confirmed in November magazine.

New members very welcome.

Angela Wooldridge

Kingscote Parish Council

 

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 4 November at 8.00 pm in the Hunters Hall.

 

Planning applications

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

(Stroud District) The Old Dairy, Chavenage – Anaerobic Digester Plant.  Consultations continue on heavy vehicle movements to and from the A46.  Please contact Anna for the latest situation.

 

Planning approvals:

Clements House Bagpath – New extensions & garage, further amendments.

The Old Rectory, Bagpath – Alterations to stable building to form guest accommodation.

4 Boxwood Close, Kingscote – No objection from GCC to removal of Cherry Tree.

 

Anna Davison, Tel. 860 244

Parking in Kingscote

 

A polite notice to users of the Village Hall:  Please note that the lay-by in front of the Boxwood Close properties is for private parking by the residents and their guests only.

Boxwood Close residents

Bridge Class – Monday evenings

 

From 29 September there is a bridge class running in the Village Hall bringing a number of cars which need to park there between 2.30 and 5.30 pm.  We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

 

Pauline McTear, Tel. 861 311

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.

 

Church Care and Maintenance

 

The Church Insurance has been renewed at the beginning of October at £1,231.54 per annum and a number of associated inspections have taken place:

  • The rainwater disposal arrangements are struggling to cope with the very heavy showers which we are now experiencing.  Whilst the drains and soak-aways could eventually take the water, in the short term they overflow.  For our church with the internal floors below the outside ground level, this causes the water to soak into the under-floor spaces.  We recently restored the worst floor area underneath the gallery, but the floor in the nave on the south side is clearly now also collapsing slowly as the beams rot.  Metal theft is a constant concern.
  • The lightning conductor is fine, but it seems that the electrical regulations for public buildings are being tightened all the time so that after 5 years previously satisfactory systems have to be upgraded.
  • The general condition of the building is good, but we are presently making arrangements to replace the rotting outside door leading to the gallery.
  • The next big job is the restoration of the belfry.

We hope that you find your church acceptable and attractive for our community.

The PCC

 

Weekly Recycling – Green food boxes and wheelie bins

All current collection points – from 7.30 am, Fridays.

Fortnightly Recycling – Blackboxes, White Bags and Blue bags

All current collection points – from 7.30 am, Fridays 3, 17 and 31 October.

 

Fortnightly Waste – Grey wheelie bins to landfill

All current collection points – from 7.30 am, Fridays 3, 17 and 31 October.

 

Bus Timetable Enquiries -Ring traveline on  0871 200 2233.

 

Mobile Police Van

 

The Mobile Police Station will visit Kingscote on Saturday 18 October from 7.15 to 8.15 pm.

 

Mobile Library

The next visit will be on Friday 3 October 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 October to

H. Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden,  Tel. 860 194.

The Editor

 

Trevor Huddleston in Kingscote

 

Following the item in the September issue recording the visit of Desmond Tutu, the equally surprising news has emerged from former residents that Trevor Huddleston also visited Lady Windham at Hooks Cottage.  This has also been endorsed by Alan Jackson.  Clearly Sir Ralph Windham must have been very involved in the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa, in which Huddleston and Tutu played leading roles.  Huddleston was brought back to England in 1955 for his own safety.

However there was a factual error in the September item which stated that Huddleston became Archbishop of Cape Town, which is untrue.  Huddleston was based in Johannesburg as the leader of an Anglican Mission.  He subsequently wrote a book  Naught for Your Comfort  which was confused with the book Uncomfortable Words  by Joost de Blank, who was Archbishop of Cape Town, leading to the error.

The Editor

 

I Sometimes Wander

Aelred of Rievaulx   1110 ~ 1167 AD

 

As a young man he served at the King of Scotland’s court.  In 1134 he visited the

newly-founded Cistercian abbey at Rievaulx in N Yorkshire, where the austerities

of monastic life captured his imagination.  He joined immediately, and within

just over a decade, was elected abbot.

 

Lord, I sometimes wander away from you.  But this is not because I am deliberately turning my back on you.  It is because of the inconstancy of my mind.  I weaken in my intention to give my whole soul to you.  I fall back into thinking of myself as my own master.  But when I wander from you, my life becomes a burden, and within me I find nothing but darkness and wretchedness, fear and anxiety.  So I come back to you, and confess that I have sinned against you.  And I know that you will forgive me.

Reverend John Newcombe

 

During September we had a surprise visit from our former vicar John Newcombe, in a car full of his present parishioners out for a joy ride.  He is still part of the very large Winchcombe Team Ministry.   He has not changed at all in the last 13 years, and was his usual calm and peaceful self.  In the Diocesan Directory he is listed with an e-mail address, so perhaps our suggestion of his leaving collection funding a PC bore fruit !  He was delighted to have a copy of our new church history booklet with his name on the list of former incumbents.

The Editor

 

Parish Directory

 

Vicar:                    Reverend Mike Smith, Nailsworth, Tel. 01453 836 536

 

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, 8YB 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.

 

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.

Harvest Festival Lunch

Harvest Festival Lunch – Sunday 28 September 12.30.pm

Everyone is really welcome to come to the Village Hall for the Harvest Festival Lunch. This year it will be Bring and Share Lunch, with free drinks. As tickets are not being sold, there will be a Donation Box (cash not produce) for the Stroud Beresford Group (Women’s Refuge). This will also be an opportunity to meet the new vicar Mike Smith and his wife Sam who will be attending. We look forward to seeing you there.

Georgina Harford, Elin Tattersall

Proposed Anaerobic Digester at Chavenage

[From Paula Pinkney]

Dear Paula and other Kingscote Residents,

Just to fill you in on the proposed plans for an Anaerobic Digestor at The Old Dairy Chavenage.  This will impact on the Kingscote community in that it will generate a large number of HGV lorries and large tractor/trailer traffic travelling to and from the Old Dairy via the A46 and the Calcot crossroads. Gloucestershire Highways themselves have estimated this as an HGV lorry every 6 minutes at peak times.   We have not yet  been told where all the input material will come from and so it may also mean traffic travelling between the plant and Wotton-under-Edge and beyond.

If you share our concerns, please let Stroud Planning know by emailing planning@stroud.gov.uk  Remember to give your own postcode and to make clear which proposal you are referring to.

We feel very strongly that this is the wrong plant in the wrong place for the following reasons.

  • The government give very generous grants (feed in tariffs) for Anaeorbic Digestion (AD) units in order to encourage farmers generating animal waste (poultry, pig or cattle manures and slurries) to use this waste to generate gas and electricity.  However, there are no animals at Chavenage and so this proposal will depend on maize and other crops grown at Chavenage and two other farms at Rodmarton and Tetbury Upton.    Maize requires large amounts of energy to grow it (some studies suggest more energy is required than the energy that can be generated).  It is a very bad plant for biodiversity, wildlife, soil erosion and flooding (it is an RSPB ‘sink crop’).  It also leaves the ground as ugly bear stubble from October to May.  In August and September, the height of the mature crop means walkers will not be able to see over it to enjoy their rural views. This plant alone will convert up to 1,000 acres of Gloucestershire farmland that currently grows a mix of barley, wheat and oilseed rape to maize, dramatically changing the look of the countryside.   This plant will set a precedent.  If it is passed, it will be harder to refuse others.  In Germany, where similar grants were offered, vast areas have been converted to maize production.  Is this what we want for the Cotswolds?
  • Anaerobic Digestion produces a waste product (digestate) which can be spread on agricultural land, but there are strict limits to how much can be spread per acre and what times of year it can be spread.  For every 100 tonnes of material in, approximately 80 tonnes of digestate will be created.  This is fine where the input material is animal slurry as it reduces it in quantity.  However, when the input material is crops, this process which is designed to USE waste, actually GENERATES a waste product.  The Chavenage plant will produce more waste than they can safely and legally dispose of on their own land and it is not at all clear from their proposal how the excess will be transported away from the farm and/or stored before it can be legally and safely spread elsewhere.
  • The traffic generated is inappropriate in terms of both size of vehicle and number of movements for the single lane access road which will link the AD unit to the A46.   The wheelspan of the vehicles is wider than the road in many places and will inevitably lead to further breakdown of the road edges.  The passing places are too narrow to allow large vehicles to pass  side by side.  Even the ‘normal’ farm traffic will increase by between 5 to 7 times as the total tonnage per acre generated by maize is approx 30 – 40 tonnes/acre compared to maybe 5 – 6 tonnes for barley, wheat or oilseed rape, including their straw.   Tractors travelling from maize fields spread far far more mud on the road than other crops because the harvest exposes the soil, because far more loads are required per acre, and because it is harvested in October, one of the wettest months of the year.
  • The crossroads at Calcot and the junction at the A46 are already dangerous and this increase in traffic will make them more so.   PLEASE NOTE ANY EXAMPLES OF ACCIDENTS OR NEAR MISSES AT THESE JUNCTIONS WILL HELP OUR CASE.
  • There is no evidence that there are any benefits from this development, either to the local community or to the production of sustainable energy as it will depend largely (if not entirely) on growing energy hungry crops on good agricultural land.   It does not use unwanted farm waste, no extra jobs will be created and the majority of the economic benefit will leave the county as the plant is run by a large conglomerate of speculative investors.  All energy will go directly into the national network or grid with no provision of cheaper/greener energy for local residents.  Gloucestershire tax payers and road users will be left to pick up the bill for road improvements and the inevitable regular repairs as wide, heavy vehicles travel on a road that is not fit for purpose.   Finally, as less than a third of the input material is generated from Chavenage, there is no reason why this plant should be sited here rather than on a more appropriate brownfield site.

If you would like more information, you can find all the planning documents and the objections online at www.stroud.gov.uk/planning    Reference: S.14/0673/FUL

Best wishes

Jenny Stuart

07974 179364

Jenny.stuart@keystone-group.co.uk