Archive

Cam Woodfield Primary School pupils with one of the murals they painted during their recent Challenge Week.

THE POPULAR Arts Week at Dursley Parish Church, which opened at the weekend, continues this evening with a concert by Marsh Ladies' Choir. The choir, currently celebrating its golden jubilee year, is based in Huddersfield - having heard about the good

A BEDRIDDEN man with multiple sclerosis says he feels upset and abused after new home care arrangements were suddenly imposed without consultation. Barry Dawes, 60, of Lambsdowne, Cam, says that he and other more vulnerable people are being treated by

GIRLS wanting to become this year's bunch of Rosebuds and take part in the Dursley Town Festival carnival on Saturday, July 16, have just one more week in which to send in their photographs. The competition, sponsored by the Gazette, was staged last year

IT was with great sadness last week that I heard of the closure of our local hairdressing shop, Castle Cuts. I know it came as a great shock for the owners and staff who worked so hard to make a success of the salon with their expertise and fair prices

A CRACKDOWN on nuisance drivers in Cam, Dursley and Coaley has been a great success, according to Dursley's top policeman. As part of Operation Springboard - the constabulary's countywide Spring crime prevention initiative - officers have been on the

SAUL Canal Festival is preparing for a sizeable visitor this year to barge in and take over the celebrations. Ermintrude, a 65ft steel motor barge, is making her way to Saul Junction and organisers hope she will arrive in time for the three-day festival

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC captain Chris Taylor has been coming of age recently both on and off the pitch as his second season as skipper begins to heat up. Not only is Taylor making his mark as a captain and leader to his new-look squad, but he is also in a

AN IMPORTANT rural bus route could be lost because the operator has announced he is withdrawing his services. Coach operator Colin Hoskins has told Cam Parish Council that he is winding the business down and will therefore stop operating the Little Green

A DURSLEY man has pleaded not guilty to two counts of failing to keep his dog under control. Richard Henry Cooke, 58, of Long Street, Dursley, also pleaded not guilty to four counts of failing to comply with an order to keep a dog under control, when

BADGERS and hares can be seen coming home to roost later this month at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Slimbridge better known for its birds. In a special evening Land Rover safari on Tuesday, June 21, mammals replace birds as the stars of the

cd?cu4DEN man with multiple sclerosis says he feels upset and abused after new home care arrangements were suddenly imposed without consultation. Barry Dawes, 60, of Lambsdowne, Cam, says that he and other more vulnerable people are being treated by Gloucestershire

NOW that David Drew has scraped back in, courtesy perhaps, of UKIP maybe he will tell us what is happening to Standish Hospital. I gather that is was Labour policy to close it as an NHS hospital and centralise all services in Gloucester. Is Standish now

WOTTON Rovers' end of season presentation night ended with a surprise for long-standing secretary Martyn Excell. At least it was a surprise to him, though it seems many had been keeping it a well-guarded secret, including his very supportive wife Jaqueline

WOTTON Rovers have appointed a new manager in their quest to raise the status of the club, writes Gordon Evans. Former Bristol Rovers star Ian Alexander is the man charged with reviving Rovers' fortunes, and was unveiled as the new first team manager

THE FEE charged by Stroud District Council for its involvement in high hedge disputes could be reduced. At the district council's cabinet meeting last Thursday, cabinet member for community cohesion Cllr David Wride proposed that the full complaints fee

AGE Concern South Gloucestershire is helping to combat isolation and loneliness among older people by taking part in a collection which aims to raise £300,000 nationally in just two years. Volunteers from the area will be taking to Tesco stores on Friday

A MAJOR survey has been launched in response to complaints that the closure of Filton Road during the rush hour has made the traffic problems worse instead of better. Councillors are due to deliver questionnaires to hundreds of homes in Frenchay and Hambrook

TYTHERINGTON Rocks FC have announced the appointment of a new managerial team to take their Hellenic League Division One West side into the forthcoming 2005-06 season. Jamie Burton will be the new first team manager while Barry Granger will be assistant

ALMONDSBURY youngster Thomas Jones enjoyed a real day to remember last week when he met ten members of the British and Irish Lions rugby team. Thomas was among a group of four children who were the lucky winners of a national competition that was run

A YATE youngster and his dog have bounded to victory in one of the biggest dog competitions in the world. Daniel Burton and pet Amy were crowned winners of the junior agility handler competition at the annual Supadogs competition in Kent last week. The

THE first South West Martial Arts Festival for people with disabilities is hoping to attract people from all over the Cotswolds and beyond. The event at Cotswold Leisure Centre, in Cirencester, on Wednesday, June 15 (10am-2pm) is sponsored by Cotswold

WINTERBOURNE could soon become home to the rich and famous if three singing sensations from the village have their way. But Trixie Butler, Michaela Crumpton and Lynn Basset have the daunting task of beating hundreds of thousands of hopefuls all chasing

RUNNERS who are still keen to grab a place in this year's Bristol Half Marathon are being given a chance to compete by the National Osteoporosis Society. The charity, based south of Bristol near Midsomer Norton, has a limited number of spaces available

Blagdon 1sts v Almondsbury 1sts ALMONDSBURY travelled to Blagdon on Saturday with their 100 percent record still intact. Skipper Greg Stephens lost the toss and found his team batting on a track which undoubtedly would be helpful to the bowlers. This

A CHIPPING Sodbury grandmother is using her photographic skills to raise money for charity as part of Down Syndrome Week. Ann Windrum, who owns a photographic studio in Hounds Road, is offering a free sitting and family portrait for a donation to Down

A MASSIVE hoard of Roman coins unearthed by a Thornbury man digging a fish pond in his garden has officially became the property of the state. The 15,000-pus bronze coins - the third largest find ever in the UK - was declared treasure by a coroner and

THE intrepid climbers from Yate Town Football Club each deserve a medal for their dogged determination to scale the highest mountain in the UK on Saturday, May 4. The efforts were very much appreciated by my wife and I, bearing in mind the descent proved

SUNDAY rail services to Cam and Dursley station will be vastly improved from this weekend. The new summer rail timetable, operated by Wessex Trains, starts on Sunday, June 12, and it has been given a resounding welcome by local service monitor Dr Clive

Choristers at St George's Church in Cam have been awarded The Royal School of Church Music Deans Award. Chris Raffle, Alison Marks, 13, and Gemma Lennard, 12, all recieved the award. They are pictured with choir director Elspeth Cann. Chorister Sarah

WILD seas beat against the battered boat, The restless gale, grabbing at its masts, Gangling gannets, gaping, atop and smirk. The rudders riving at the sea and digging, Ship's cargo sinking in the guzzling gust, All hope abandoned for the dawn of day,

THE first South West Martial Arts Festival for people with disabilities is hoping to attract people from all over the Cotswolds and beyond. The event at Cotswold Leisure Centre, in Cirencester, on Wednesday, June 15 (10am-2pm) is sponsored by Cotswold

A COACH driver has spoken out over who should be made responsible for children wearing seat belts on school journeys. Bob Sherman, a Berkeley coach driver with 30 years experience, told the Gazette that drivers could not be made responsible because their

I FEEL I must put pen to paper in reply to the letter from Jean Judd (Gazette, May 27). How touching that she is concerned at the plight of fox cubs, as she thinks cubs will starve to death. What she has omitted to tell people is the practice by landowners

GLOUCESTERSHIRE staged a magnificent fightback in their first Middleton Cup match of the season to beat Worcestershire at Frampton-on-Severn on Saturday. After just five ends the county side lagged ten shots behind and this had doubled to 20 by the midway

FURTHER to your item OAP's fury over bill to cut high hedges (Gazette, May 27), this previously furious OAP is pleased to report that the cost of cutting high hedges has come crashing down. The hedges will, no doubt, follow shortly. Last week I attended

COUNCIL housing tenants are to be asked for their views on the future of Stroud District Council's housing stock. A survey arranged by a tenants advisory group is being sent out today and tomorrow, giving tenants the chance to comment on the housing service

FOREST Green Rovers are set for a sensational return to the Nationwide Conference. Rovers, who were relegated after finishing third from bottom, look certain to be reprieved after Northwich Victoria were kicked out of the division by Conference officials

A MAN who pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend of six and a half years has been given an 18-month conditional discharge. Christopher Kenneth Church, 49, of School Road, Highfields, Dursley, appeared before South Gloucestershire magistrates sitting

A TEAM of university archaeologists has uncovered the remains of an Iron Age settlement in the grounds of the Norman castle at Berkeley. The unexpected discovery was made in the kitchen gardens of Berkeley Castle during a training excavation by a group

I WAS rather shocked to read (Gazette, May 27) that the "victims" rather than the "perpetrator" of the act of growing a hedge, which cut out all light from a neighbour's home and garden, should be the one having to pay the charge for the council to enforce

EQUESTRIAN star Kathy Oliver has proved that she has the X Factor after claiming first prize in a top national talent competition. Quest-X is a brand new contest that was launched by British Riding Clubs last month with the aim of trying to find an eventing

A WALKING Festival takes place throughout Gloucestershire from Sunday until June 19. The festival is aimed at helping people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy becoming more active by walking out-of-doors and in the company of others. Now in its third

I, LIKE Anita Woodleigh (Gazette, June 3), read David Hall's letter, but not with increasing anger, more the fact that someone can write a letter when they clearly know nothing about the subject they are talking about! It's a good job he does not live

THE Local Government Ombudsman has hit back after a Thornbury man condemned the service as ineffectual. Philip Mair claimed that evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee had vindicated his own findings - that the LGO system was "a charade" which did

YATE Town made a gallant attempt on the high altitude skittles record when they set out for Ben Nevis last weekend. A party of 20 set out for the top in good weather conditions, split into three groups, but a knee injury plus anno domini took its toll

BADGERS and hares can be seen coming home to roost later this month at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Slimbridge better known for its birds. In a special evening Land Rover safari on Tuesday, June 21, mammals replace birds as the stars of the

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC captain Chris Taylor has been coming of age recently both on and off the pitch as his second season as skipper begins to heat up. Not only is Taylor making his mark as a captain and leader to his new-look squad, but he is also in a

I AM writing in reply to your article in the Gazette (May 27) Future looks bleak for King Edmund. The article was broadly accurate in its reporting of the decision by the South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet to go ahead with a consultation on the future

A COACH driver has spoken out over who should be made responsible for children wearing seat belts on school journeys. Bob Sherman, a coach driver with 30 years experience, told the Gazette that drivers could not be made responsible because their main

A TRIP to the tip is set to get a lot easier for residents in Thornbury and district with the opening on Monday of a new tip and recyling centre in the town. The new SORT IT centre - located on part of the old Dairy Crest site in Short Way on Thornbury

THANKS for your effort on our missing cat. We got a lot of calls but unfortunately we have had confirmation from a local resident that she found him dead in her garden. She buried him nicely and only found out who he was and where he was from after reading

A FORMER teacher at a special school for maladjusted children, who faces charges of gross indecency and indecent assault on pupils more than 40 years ago, has been declared fit to stand trial. It was believed that Gerald Sweatman, 78, of Firgrove Avenue

IN RESPONSE to Joan Judd's letter (Gazette May 27) regarding the fox hunting ban I feel I must ask if the lady in question is confused? Ms Judd banged the support-for-fox-hunting drum late last year in this paper supporting the killing of foxes in the

CHIPPING Sodbury police have been the unlikely victims of a mindless attack it was revealed this week. The attack on a brand new marked police vehicle caused over £500-worth of damage. The incident happened last month when officers went to the park at

I HAVE just finished reading your front page article on the Clay Shooting scheme (Gazette, May 27), I sympathise with the residents of Littleton-on-Severn as this is a very quiet and picturest village which will be ruined. As a frequent visitor to the

KYLIE Minogue can trace her roots back to Thornbury, according to a new website designed to take the slog out of family tree research. The pint-sized Ozzie pop diva - currently recovering from treatment for breast cancer - has always been thought to be

AS ONE of the originators of TRAP (Thornbury Residents Against Pollution) and therefore a "scaremongering gossip", I write in reply to the two letters supporting Mr Gill's proposed waste composting site at Morton Farm (Gazette, May 27). The letter of

PARK and ride schemes are "eating up" England's rural countryside, it was claimed at a major conference on the giant car parks this week. The Campaign to Protect Rural England said at the London conference yesterday that rather than solving traffic problems

PARISH leaders in Almondsbury remain anxious about plans for major new housing development on the former Hortham Hospital site. Proposals by Barrat Homes and Taylor Woodrow Homes for up to 300 new homes on the 22 acre site were the subject of a public

WE TAKE a lot of things for granted, but one thing which continually amazes me is the deep seated generosity of the Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury and Westerleigh people. This year they contributed a fantastic £7,000 to Christian Aid week during