Tetbury Advertiser May 2025 by Tetburyadvertiser

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Editorial/Advertising copy to:-

Mary Roberts - Editor

Tel: 07814 850464

email: mary@wilprintdesign.co.uk

Tony Sykes - Accounts Rockside, Fox Hill, Tetbury GL8 8XA. Tel: 07813 091440

email: tony@tonysykes.com

Alan Greenway - Distribution Willowbank, Tetbury, GL8 8BT. Tel: (h) 01666 504715 (m) 07955 088580 email: alang196@gmail.com

Copy date for the June Issue is Thursday 15th May 2025

Delivery - 31st May/1st June 2025

Please ensure that copy is submitted by the deadline. There is NO guarantee that late copy will be published. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage arising from any error, inaccuracies or omission from any copy or advertising in this publication. The Editor reserves the right to omit any item not considered suitable for printing. All reasonable e orts will be made to meet the wishes of our advertisers and contributors.

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CHURCHES

Christ Church, The Chipping 01285 653655

St. Marys’ - C of E - Church St. 01666 500088

St. Michael’s - R.C. - The Green 01666 502367

COMMUNITY CONNEXIONS TRANSPORT

Suite 132, Corinium House, Corinium Avenue, Barnwood Point, Gloucester GL4 3HX

Tel: 0345 680 5029

COTSWOLD CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TEL: 0808 800 0511

DOCTORS

Phoenix Tetbury, Long Street. Tel: 01666

502303 The Tolsey Surgery, High Street, Sherston. Tel: 01666 840270

HOSPITAL

Malmesbury Road. Tel: 01666 502336

OSTEOPATHS Tel: 01666 503599 & 01666 502214

DOLPHINS HALL COMMUNITY CENTRE Bookings can be made at www.dolphinshall.org or email: contact@dolphinshall.org

4th May Greening Tetbury

Host a Dawn Chorus Walk. See article for details.

7th May Tetbury Art Society

Host a talk by Sue Brown on Abstract Art. See article for details.

8th May VE Day

8oth Anniversary Celebrations around the town

12th May Tetbury WI

Host “Meet a member”. See article for details.

12th May Tetbury Town Coincil

Annual Town Meeting. See article for details.

15th May Tetbury Probus

Host a talk on “Going Green””. See article for details.

16th May Tetbury Lions

Host their “Big Quiz””. See advert for details.

19th May Tetbury and District u3a Host “Strong and Steady” talk at The Goods Shed See article for details.

26th May Woolack Races

See advert for details.

Friends of Tetbury Community Transport

May trips: To book 0345 680 5029 Sat 10th CRIBBS CAUSEWAY 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Sat 17th WESTON SUPER MARE 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Sat 24th YATE 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

LIBRARY Close Gardens. Tel: 01666 502258 (Mon 10.00-1.00, Tue 10.00-5.00, Wed 10.00-5.00, Fri 10.00-6.00, Sat 10.00-1.00)

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Tetbury Town Council, Old Courthouse, Long Street. Tel: 01666 504670 (Mon-Fri 9am - 2.30pm) Council Info. Services, in Council O ce. Email: reception@tetbury.gov.uk

Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester. Tel: (01285) 623000

NATIONAL EXPRESS Bookings taken at the Visitor Information Centre. Daily return service from Cirencester to Heathrow. www. visittetbury.co.uk

POLICE STATION The Old Courthouse, Long Street Tel: Emergency - 999, Non-Emergency101 (note new number).

RAILWAY STATION Kemble - 6 miles Enquiries Tel: 0845 748 4950

SCHOOLS - Sir William Romney’s, Low eld Road. Tel: 01666 502378 St. Mary’s Primary, St. Mary’s Road. Tel: 01666 502275.

The Friends of Tetbury Community Transport Roger Bellairs, 07759 142577

The Robin - Bookable Bus Service Tel: 0345 263 8139

TETBURY CARES, www.tetburycares.org Website to signpost local health services

TETBURY LIONS, www.tetburylions.com

Tetbury Town Crier Tony Evans, 24 Box Crescent, Minchinhampton, Nr. Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 9DJ. Tel: 01453 731355 Mob: 07969 302042

Email: tonyevanstowncrier@btinternet.com

VISITOR INFORMATION 33 Church Street. tourism@tetbury.gov.uk Tel: 01666 331222

Cupboard Love

At my age, spring cleaning inevitably includes some decluttering. I haven’t quite embraced the concept of Swedish Death Cleaning yet–where you ditch as much as you can to save your kids the trouble when you are gone–but I’m heading that way.

I’m especially good at getting rid of unwanted books, not only to free shelf space for new acquisitions, but also because I can’t ignore untidy bookshelves as easily as the jumbled contents of a cupboard. Besides, I enjoy playing librarians, a legacy of weekly childhood trips to our local public library. A highlight of lockdown for me was having the leisure to reorganize my books by genre: poetry and biography in the bedroom, science and geography in my husband’s study, ction on the landing, etc. There’s even a section of “books about books” in the dining room.

Cupboards don’t provide the same visual prompts to tidy them up. Solid wooden doors conceal a multitude of muddles. Which is why I’m surprised to spot a new trend to ditch cupboard doors to display what lies inside. An Instagram in uencer posits that ‘open-plan cupboards’ look delectably Swedish. Judging by the insides of my cupboards, her advice (a) is an insult to Swedes and (b) disregards the vast number of IKEA cupboard doors sold every day. A stylist’s blog suggests no doors make a cheap alternative to glass doors, and you don’t even have to clean the glass. While I don’t disagree with her nancial argument, I’d no sooner remove my double-glazing to save washing the windows.

Whatever next? Displaying your dirty laundry from designer airers, rather than concealing it in a discreet laundry hamper? Leaving leftover food and vegetable trimmings in stylish ceramic dishes rather than popping it in the food waste bin between council refuse collections?

Sometimes it’s best to keep the contents of our cupboards a secret. When my dear late sister-in-law, Ada, mentioned her dishwasher had broken beyond repair, my husband o ered to take it to the tip to create more kitchen space. Oh no, she said, she didn’t want rid of it, because she still used it. Whatever for? he asked. She opened the dishwasher door to reveal neatly stacked inside the biggest collection of Tupperware we’d ever seen. Presumably, she’d accumulated it in the days when Tupperware was sold at parties, where hostesses expected guests to buy at least one piece. Ada must have gone to a lot of

Tupperware parties. She never used the stu in the dishwasher - another cupboard above the worktop contained her day-today storage containers - but, as a canny Scot, she was hanging on to the rest of it in case it ever came in handy.

So, next time my dishwasher reached the end of its natural life, I disposed of it straight away, so I wouldn’t be tempted to follow Ada’s example. And now, prompted by that fond memory, I’m o to Swedish Death Clean my Tupperware drawer.

Debbie Young www.authordebbieyoung.com

We do hope you have enjoyed the wonderful weather we have had recently.

The two Saturday mornings that we have spent outside the Post O ce raising money for our charity fund have been fantastic in

two ways, for one we the Lions enjoyed selling ra e tickets to both locals and tourists. Secondly, we raised a few pounds

over £600. We thank Steve manager of the Snooty Fox for both drawing the ra e and allowing us to use the facilities.

You will have read in last month’s Tetbury Advertiser that we gave £500 to the jnr Rugby Club towards their tour to Jersey. They have been on this tour and had a wonderful time as you can see from the photographs in the article on page 61.

We have received a request from Tetbury

We have received a request from Tetbury Hospital for a grant towards a new Xray machine, until our next Community Support meeting we are not able to put the suggested sum of money to the Directors and then a nal decision willbe made at the full meeting.

Sadly, due to ill health Viv Shipman who has been a member of the Lions Club for many many years has decided to retire. We all thank her for all the help and loyalty she has given over the years.

Please can I remind you all that our QUIZ will take place on the 16th of May at Great Tythe Barn. See our advert below. Tables are already being reserved.

Lion Maggie Heaven, Vice President, Tetbury Lions

Announcement of new Rector for Tetbury…

Last month, an interview panel met to nd a new Rector of the Bene ce. This panel also comprised representatives of all the parishes in the Bene ce, together with Robert, Bishop of Tewkesbury, the Archdeacon of Gloucester and the Patrons. There were three good candidates, and I am pleased to say that an o er was made and was accepted. So, I have good news that, subject to the usual HR formalities, there will be a new Rector in place soon, sometime over the summer.

The new Rector will be The Revd Sarah Heywood, who will not be moving very far to join us, as she is currently Curate in the Bene ce of Malmesbury and Upper Avon in the Diocese of Bristol. We are looking forward to welcoming Rev Sarah, her husband Harry and their three young sons when they join us later in the summer.

Bishop Robert will be visiting us again when he returns to St Marys’ on Sunday the 13th of July to preside at a service of Confirmation. This is a special church service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptised.

If you were baptised at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made these promises on your behalf. At a con rmation service, you make these promises for yourself and commit your life to following Christ. Your friends and family, as well as the local church community, will be there to promise to support and pray for you. The bishop will lay their hands on your head and ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you the strength and commitment to live God’s way for the rest of your life.

If you feel that con rmation is something you would like to explore, either for yourself or for your children if they are old enough to make their baptismal vows for themselves (usually over the age of 10), then please do get in touch with us by phoning Nikki in the Parish O ce on 01666 500088. We will be running a short con rmation course during June and early July for both adults and children.

Meanwhile, enjoy the May bank holiday weekends!

Every blessing,

The Revd Pauline Setter eld Associate Priest – St Marys’ Tetbury

Launching Ormond Rewards Thank you to our customers

At The Ormond & Bistro-23, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Ormond Rewards Program, a dedicated initiative created especially for the Tetbury community.

Since launching Tetbury’s newest restaurant, Bistro-23 and refurbishing our bar we have been overwhelmed by local support and wanted to find a way of thanking our regular customers.

This program is our heartfelt way of saying thank you for your continued support and for including us in your social plans.

Designed to reward loyalty with discounts at the bar and in our restaurant, exclusive benefits and enhanced privileges, the Ormond Rewards Programme underlines our commitment to rewarding our customers.

www.Bistro-23.com/loyalty

Earn Points Every Time You Visit

• 50 Points: Just for visiting The Ormond or Bistro-23, whether it’s our bar, restaurant, or hotel.

• 100 Points: When you make a restaurant reservation.

• 500 Points: Awarded for every

hotel stay booked directly with us.

• 250 Points: When you visit us three times in a week.

Bistro 23: Tetbury’s Newest Culinary Gem Opens

This Valentine’s Day

• 500 Points: For booking a special event with more than 10 guests (be it a birthday, anniversary, or business dinner).

• 1000 Points: Earn if you stay with us three times in a calendar year.

Redeem Your Points For Free Food, Drinks or Money Off

Tetbury welcomes its newest dining destination, Bistro 23, set to redefine the local culinary scene with its ethos of “relaxed dining in a friendly atmosphere.” Nestled within the historic Ormond Hotel, Bistro 23 bridges the charm of the Cotswolds with contemporary dining, offering an inviting space for couples, families, and food enthusiasts alike.

• 500 Points: Enjoy a complimentary starter or dessert with any main course.

• 750 Points: Receive a complimentary glass of prosecco.

• 1000 Points: Get 10% off everything for 30 days.

Housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century coaching inn, Bistro 23 reflects a commitment to the Tetbury community, with its construction led by local tradesmen and use of materials that honor the region’s heritage. This harmonious blend of history and modern hospitality promises diners a unique and memorable experience.

Cotswold-Inspired Cuisine

Bistro 23’s “Cotswold kitchen” ethos celebrates the area’s rich agricultural traditions, sourcing ingredients from local suppliers across the Cotswolds. Head Chef Dariusz Krzan, renowned for his innovative flair, has curated a menu that balances gastropub comfort with fine dining sophistication. From hearty seasonal classics to refined, modern dishes, Bistro 23’s offerings showcase the best of local flavors, ensuring every dish tells a story of the surrounding countryside.

Warm Hospitality at Its Core

• 2500 Points: Enjoy a 25% discount on all your spending for 30 days.

• 5000 Points: Treat yourself to a free Sunday lunch for two.

General Manager Matt Dellapia and his dedicated team aim to deliver an exceptional dining experience where warm smiles and attention to detail are at the forefront. Whether it’s an intimate dinner or a celebratory family gathering, Bistro 23 is designed to cater to every occasion with charm and grace.

• 10,000 Points: Earn a free night’s stay (excluding Saturdays).

Signing up is simple, and you’ll receive an immediate bonus of 100 points when you join, setting you on a path to enjoy even more of what you love at The Ormond.

“Our goal with Bistro 23 was to create a space where people can come together, relax, and enjoy the best of what the Cotswolds has to offer,” shares Dellapia. “From the food to the ambiance, been carefully make Bistro worth visiting.” Grand February Launching Bistro explore creativity, exquisite historical innovation, to become Tetbury’s Reserve

Be among Tetbury’s Reservations soon or by phone Whether or a lively 23 is ready Don’t explore to the Cotswolds’ offerings. to discover finest.

Having enjoyed all the colours that the di erent varieties of spring bulbs have

provided since the early part of February,

right through to the end of April, we are now at that time of year when the beds in town will go through an untidy phase. We need to leave all the bulb foliage to die down naturally to give the bulbs the best chance to reabsorb the nutrients from the leaves, which will allow them to ower successfully next year. Rest assured however, that normal standards

will resume come Tuesday the 3rd of June when we start our four-week work schedule to prepare and plant up all the troughs, tubs and some of the beds in town with seasonal bedding, ready for the summer months to come.

In the autumn of 2022, following the long hot dry summer we experienced that year,

we had a severe ‘never again’ moment and felt we de nitely needed to change the planting in several of the beds to include a lot more small shrubs, long- owering perennials and Flower Carpet roses, the latter of which have been a brilliant success in the beds on the London Road roundabout. Our main aim, apart from us having less seasonal bedding to plant each summer, was to enable us to reduce the amount of watering required. That year, by the time the weather eventually broke, it felt as though we’d spent week after week ‘spinning plates’- desperately trying to give all the bedding plants su cient water to just stay alive, never mind getting them to thrive! By reducing the use of bedding and increasing the amount of sustainable planting, it should now take a lot less watering to keep everything reasonably happy (including ourselves!) and still maintain plenty of oral interest and colour throughout the beds in town.

This coming summer will be the third growing season for the plants we added that autumn, so they should all now be well established. We are looking forward and keeping our ngers tightly crossed to see how well our e orts have paid o !

Sue Hirst, Team Leader, Tetbury in Bloom

plumbing and heating

Boiler Servicing, Repairs & System Maintenance

Annual servicing helps to extend the life of your boiler & heating systems so avoiding inconvenient repairs

Ten years ago my sister and I took a short trip to Georgia.

Landing in Atlanta our destination was the Okefenokee swamps in the south of the State not Peachtree Street and Scarlett O’Hara. Once we’d got our ll of alligators and Cottonmouth snakes, we took a di erent route back via peach and pecan trees, through the home of the American School Bus (Fort Valley, Georgia), Jimmy Carter and, in complete contrast, Andersonville, now a national monument, but originally one of the most notorious Civil War prisons.

Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia was equally notorious, but played an important part in the activities of the wealthy Van Lew family, who used visits to the Union o cers imprisoned there to gain information that was then passed to the Union High Command. The speaker at our April meeting, Margaret Jones, referenced the Van Lew family in her talk on Mary Richards – ‘She spied for freedom’ - Mary, who had been one of the family’s slaves, all of whom were freed by them some years prior to the war, had been educated in the north. However, when Virginia seceded and

war was declared, she embarked on her clandestine role as a spy in the Confederate ‘White House’. Pretending to be illiterate and with a photographic memory, she gained a place in the home of Je erson Davis, President of the Confederate States as a servant and relayed the invaluable information gained to the Union through a network of spies.

When the Civil War ended, Mary taught literacy to free men and women but died in obscurity in New York.

The subject matter and Margaret’s talk was clearly enjoyed by a good turn out of members and after a short break, various matters were raised, not least the potential venue for our Christmas dinner. The limit placed on numbers last year have

ELISABETH HANCOCK-ERRINGTON

Five Mile Picture Framing

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To save you the trouble of loading the car, parking and carrying items, I visit people’s homes for a free 30 minute consultation within a ﬁve mile radius of Tetbury, bringing samples from which you can choose, then re-deliver the ﬁnished item.

I have a wide range of frame mouldings at all prices including bare wood which I ﬁnish by hand-painting or gilding to personalise your artwork to your own taste.

Do telephone 07764 302 683 for further information and advice

Alan C. Sanders

Book-keeping & acountancy services

Accounts prepared at very competitive rates. Rental accounts from £130. Small business accounts from £220. Call me to discuss your requirements. Available 9 am until 9 pm.

96 Cirencester Road, Tetbury, Glos GL8 8GJ

Telephone: 01666 505324 email: alanc.sanders1@gmail.com

forced the committee to start looking for a di erent venue that isn’t too far away, but which can accommodate all of our members who want to celebrate together.

The recent good weather meant that the Garden Group had a rewarding visit to

Cerney House Gardens where the display of tulips was spectacular and tea (and the sunshine) was enjoyed in a sheltered corner of the garden.

Our next meeting on the 12th of May will be one of our regular ‘Meet a Member ‘ presentations, although on this occasion it will be ‘Meet a Member’s husband’. Last year we spent an amusing evening asking everybody to tell the meeting something about themselves that people were unlikely to know. Among the revelations was the memory of acting as an extra in a movie and it transpired that our member’s husband had had a long career in lm and tv production – we’re looking forward to hearing his experiences.

The next co ee morning won’t be until late June because our usual date coincides with the late May Bank Holiday. We welcome members from Tetbury and the surrounding villages, it would be good to meet you.

Rowena Palser www.tetbury-wi.org.uk

Your journey

Car Care Tetbury is the area’s leading diagnostic center, renowned for its expertise in vehicle diagnostics, servicing, and repairs. Our team of master technicians is fully qualiﬁed to accurately diagnose and resolve faults on all makes and models, ensuring your car runs at its best. We are now proud to offer dealer-level diagnostics, servicing, and repairs speciﬁcally for Mercedes vehicles, using the latest technology and genuine parts to maintain peak performance. Whether

Genuine parts with warranty protection, competitive pricing and a personal touch.

you need routine maintenance or complex fault-ﬁnding, Car Care Tetbury provides professional, reliable service you can trust.

Car Care Tetbury remains the area’s premier Land Rover service and repair garage, providing expert diagnostics, maintenance, and repairs for all Land Rover models.. Whether it’s routine servicing or complex repairs, you can trust us to deliver the highest standard of care for your Land Rover.

Dealer-level vehicle servicing to all Land Rover models by specialist technicians. Units 1-3, Priory Industrial Estate, London Road, Tetbury, GL8 8HZ

Call: 01666 502496

MUSIC & THEATRE

DEEPER PURPLE FRI 2

7.30PM

£22 - DOOR £26

VE DAY 80TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION THU 8

SAT 10

7.30PM FREE

7.30PM

£24 - DOOR £28

AFTERNOON MUSIC

2PM / £3.50 - DOOR £4

JUNCTION 17, RECORDERS 7

PETER SCHNABL 14

CAROLINE SIMPSON & CLAIRE SMITH 21 RED PRIEST

ADULT DRAWING CLASS WITH ARTIST CLAIRE SANDARS SAT 17 10AM £20

THE HAAR SAT 17

7.30PM

£16 - DOOR £19

AN EVENING WITH AUTHOR ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH FRI 23

7.30PM £10, CONS. £8 - DOOR £12 / £10

JULIE JULY BAND ACOUSTIC SAT 24

7.30PM £14.50 - DOOR £17

WED 28 10AM £5, U1 FREE

PLAYTIME THEATRE FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS & FAMILIES

WED 28 7PM

SHED TALK: A CLOSER LOOK AT ART AND MEDICINE (II)

£8.50, CONS. £6.50 / DOOR £9.50 / £7

JUNE SUN 1 6PM £20 / DOOR £24

VOODOO ROOM - A NIGHT OF HENDRIX, CLAPTON & CREAM

FOR TICKETS & INFO: TETBURYGOODSSHED.CO.UK

BOX OFFICE: 0333 666 4466

BOOKING FEE APPLIES

PIANO CLUB 28

CINEMA £7.50 / DOOR £8.50

THE BRUTALIST (18) FRI 9

GLADIATOR II (15) THU 29

EXHIBITIONS 10-4PM WED TO SUN ROBERT HIDER PLASTISEA UNTIL 14 JUN

AROMATHERAPY CANDLE MAKIING FRI 9 WILD WELLNESS SOUND BATH SUN 11

RESIN JEWELLERY MAKING THU 8 M A Y W H A T ’ S O N

Tetbury Goods Shed

Some of you will recall that with the help of generous sponsors and support we were able to invest in a rather nice piano for the Shed.

On the back of that Will Cook set up a series of afternoon tea concerts that has grown and developed over the years and with some hard work and organisation by long standing volunteer – Jennie Horton – has become a mainstay of our Wednesday afternoons at The Shed with a wide

range of performers delighting a most appreciative audience – who also enjoy Sasha’s wonderful cakes.

The concert the other week by the Tetbury u3a Ukulele Group, known as THE T’UKES, led by Mike Hoskin, have been performing SINGALONG concerts locally for two years,

at a variety of local venues and their bucket collection on behalf of Long eld Hospice raised a wonderful £182.82. Thankyou everyone and do make a note in your diary – they will be back on the 3rd of December for a super festive fun singalong. Before that we will be welcoming a diverse range of musicians and singers including recorders, cello players, singers, string quartet and so much more. Not forgetting of course our monthly Piano Club when a variety of talented pianists perform to their peers and wider audience.

These Wednesday afternoons are a great way to catch up with old friends, make new ones, enjoy something from our Whistlestop Café whilst enjoying some really delightful music. If you haven’t been before – you don’t know what you are missing - we invite you to join us –performances start at 2.00 pm.

The 8th of May recognises the 80th Anniversary of VE Day and this year the Goods Shed will be hosting the lighting of the Beacon at 9.30 pm. Before that there will be music from Nailsworth Band, community singing and prayers, all organised by Tetbury Town Council. The Feo ees have kindly said that people can picnic on the Millenium Green and the Goods Shed will be running a bar.

This is an important day for many as we recognise the sacri ces and loss endured across the World by those who did so much for all of us.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Shed very soon.

Tetbury Goods Shed Team

History of Tetbury Society

For our April talk we had a return visit from Alan Pilbeam who was…

…speaking to us about ‘Old paths of Gloucestershire’. He began by explaining that the best way to discover an area was to walk the footpaths, as had Thomas Hardy before embarking on a novel.

Footpaths are the rst imprint on the countryside between various sites of human use and habitation. Along the Cotswold Way there are many Iron Age hill forts dating back to about 700BC - 400BC, several of them linked by footpaths which would have been there for communities to support each other, it also goes past several Long Barrows along its length. Footpaths also linked Roman villas and Roman roads, again for support and trade.

When villages were listed for the Domesday Book in 1086, paths would lead from settlements to watermills where corn would have been ground for food. In

addition, paths would also have led from settlements to woods used for fuel, which would have been on the edge of the parish. There would also have been paths to larger arable areas on the edge of the parish (usually two in the Cotswolds), for the growing of crops, ours were possibly North and South Fields.

Other paths would have been used for Rogation processions, held before Ascension Day, to either walk around the entire parish or to cardinal points of the boundary, where prayers and blessings for the crops were said, and back. It was important for everyone to know where the boundary lines were as the poor of the parish were cared for, but not anyone outside the parish!

There were also footpaths to minsters, of which there were twenty in the east of the county. These settlements would have had a church or more, plus accommodation and workshops, gardens (enclosed) and the paths would radiate out to the surrounding settlements.

Long distance paths for pilgrimage were also mentioned, four of which were in the county, of course there were longer distance ones, for example, going to Santigo de Compostela, which could have involved walking from the Midlands to Bristol, where a ship would have taken the pilgrims to Spain for the nal stretch.

Other long-distance paths were drovers’ paths to transport animals, some of which would have been driven from west Wales to London for market, and paths to work, which in the Cotswolds were paths to woollen mills, sited in the valleys, the tops being used for grazing, leaving the steep sides for human habitation. Towpaths along the canals were along used between settlements.

We shall be involved in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on the 8th of May with an exhibition in The Market Hall from 10.00 am – 4.00 pm. For further information please see our website: www. tetburyhistory.com or contact Jane on 01666 504196.

History of Tetbury Society

£595,000

£300,000

3 Bedrooms

This Cotswold stone semidetached house which has

Tetbury

Located in a quiet and peaceful lane in Tetbury - this detached bungalow has a private garden and versatile accommodation.

• Beautifully appointed detached bungalow

• Peaceful lane position, with plenty of walks close by

• Upgraded and modernised Well-proportioned bedrooms

• New bathroom

• Garden room overlooking the front

• Kitchen - diner

• Reception room overlooking the garden with versatility

• Driveway parking and single garage

• Enclosed rear garden

Tetbury

3 Bedrooms

This semi-detached house, in a sought after area of Tetbury, has been cared for by the same family for over 50 years.

Tetbury Bowls Club

Sunday the 13th of April was the start of the bowling season for Tetbury Bowls Club…

… and it was the rst time many of the players were able to sport their new Club shirts. Over forty members turned up on the Sunday to play a friendly game of bowls to get the lawn bowls season underway.

After a group photograph the very rst bowl of the season was delivered by long time member Angela Wildsmith which o cially acted as “Opening The Green” for the season. Angela explained to those present that she rst joined the Club in

the 1960’s and has enjoyed many years of friendship and exercise at the Club.

The members then played a game known as a “Spider” which was immediately followed by an eighteen ends game of bowls. The winner of the Spider was Glyn Hall. Members made a donation in playing the “Spider” which will be donated to Tetbury Hospital.

Home games that are coming up in May are

Saturday the 3rd of May against Begbrook Green, Wednesday the 7th of May against Page Park, Thursday the 15th of May against South Cerney, Saturday the 24th of May against Supermarine, and Saturday the 31st of May against Chepstow. All matches start at 2.30 pm.

During May the Ladies start their league games on Monday evenings staring at 6.30 pm whilst the men play their league games on Tuesday evenings, also starting at 6.30 pm, with Sunday morning league games starting on the 25th of May at 10.30 am.

Our Junior section starts on Sunday the 11th of May at 10.00 am and we would welcome any under 18 Juniors who would like to try the game of lawn bowls. We are very pleased to announce that one of our Juniors, Jack Garland, has been selected to represent Gloucestershire Juniors against Oxfordshire Juniors in an away game to be played at Oxford City and County Bowls Club.

Please see our website for details of our open days which are also represented in an advert in this publication along with a banner on the Town Council O ce building. Tetbury Bowls Club Committee. Tetbury Bowls Club.

Tetbury Community

After three months of hard work, we sang Stainer’s Cruci xion…

…in St. Marys’ Church on the evening of Palm Sunday to a gratifyingly large congregation. It has been an unusual piece for us being Church music (but then so are Christmas carols) and requiring us to devote all our rehearsals to learning it over the Easter term. The piece, which is a serious choral work about the last week of Christ’s life on earth, required bass and tenor soloists so we were delighted to welcome the two Peters in those roles, who gave their time to rehearse with us and perform magni cently on the night.

In all modesty, we thought it sounded pretty good, helped, no doubt, by the superb acoustics of our beautiful church. It was a tting reward for the faith that our Music Director, David Kyle, put in us. It re ected his belief that we were capable of doing it and in fact would rise to the challenge as well as the amount of patience and hard work that he and our accompanist, Jonathan Adkins, put into getting us to master the piece over those three months. Every single one of us felt

that we had really achieved something that most of us never dreamt we could do back in the dark cold days of January.

After a short break for Easter, we will be meeting again on the 6th of May in Christ Church on the Chipping. We will be running through the songs that we have been asked to lead at the VE Day celebrations at the Goods Shed on the 8th of May.

After that, we will resume our weekly rehearsals at 7.00 pm every Thursday evening at Christ Church on The Chipping (except a break on the 12th of June) at which we will be rehearsing for Holiday at Home at the end of July and building our repertoire towards a concert on the10th of October at the Goods Shed. The proceeds

of that concert will be split between two worthy local Charities.

As usual, this article will nish with an invitation to join us. As you can see from what we do, we are very community focussed and we like to think of ourselves as a friendly and sociable group. There are no auditions and no requirement to be able to read music. Tenors and basses would be particularly welcome. If you want to come along and try us out, the rst two sessions are free and thereafter it is a modest £5.00 per evening. Last term, no less than twenty two of our members received a two-week discount, either by paying in advance or by attending every rehearsal of the term. We are hoping that even more will do so next term.

Tetbury Community Choir Team

0190723

Try Tetbury Hardware First !!!

Please to try to support your local retailers, you will be surprised at the range of products and services they o er, often at very competitive prices. We at Tetbury Hardware have been your local store for over 12 years. We can deliver items locally subject to value.

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I read in the Law Society’s gazette that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (The SRA) had plans to prevent solicitors from holding clients accounts and create a third-party authority to deal with this. Large rms with millions of pounds in client accounts can make signi cant sums of money on interest earned. There are pretty strict rules anyway about clients and interest and auditors are

quick to pounce if not all is in order. We used to be regulated by the Law Society which was and is a solicitor’s trade union. Likewise, there was the solicitors Indemnity fund that used to provide professional indemnity cover for all solicitor’s rms until they opened up the market to all comers. Time and time again, I have been rung up by insurance brokers saying that they have unique access to insurance companies who can give us a good quote. My father and

grandfather when in practice did not have to worry about such matters.

Since the rst January 2025 I have been working as a nonregulated company while negotiating my company’s entry into Nexa Law which employs several companies and individuals throughout the country. Instead of satisfying the SRA or my auditors, I will have to satisfy Nexa, who themselves will have to satisfy the SRA and the money laundering authorities of compliance issues. Of course, their negotiating power with insurance companies and bank will be considerably greater than me alone. The inconvenience for clients who I have known for many years is that they will have to satisfy Nexa as to their ID. Post will come in to Nexa’s head o ce in Shropshire but that will at least be distributed online.

Apart from that I will be responsible for my own method of charging and can set my own hourly rates for myself and other company employees. Furthermore, there will be other consultants with Nexa who can help with their expertise. There have been some tricky tax issues that we have had to sort out and I have already tapped into the Nexa consultancy base to be put in touch with a tax expert in Northumberland.

Acting as a sole practitioner has on occasions been a lonely existence. The numerous regulations and money laundering requirements have been tiresome and terrifying. The SRA has constantly been publicising its draconian nes for noncompliance as do some of the insurance brokers. Terrifying potential customers may be a good marketing ploy, but we need help in knowing what the regulations are. I am hoping that Nexa will provide that happy balance of looking after compliance and accounts while allowing us as consultants to run our own small businesses for the bene t of our clients and ourselves in a smooth and e cient manner. I don’t think that Nexa will deter the telephone salesmen though but if the SRA do not go through with their threat of closing client accounts, then clients should get better interest on deposits.

Michael Hodge

It is said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so we have opened our bric-a-brac stall for the summer.

Come along on Thursdays, who knows what treasure you will discover as you rummage through the items on sale. In January we received a generous donation of sixty paving slabs from Bradstone which, thanks to Jamie and his team, is now a large patio where we can welcome our friends and showcase our up-cycled products.

Great big green week, June 2025

In support of Greening Tetbury, the Men’s Shed will be hosting an open day on Sunday the 8th of June from 10.00 am. We will be demonstrating how to give items headed for land ll a new lease of life. More details to follow in the June edition of the Tetbury Advertiser.

We have been busy this month working to expand our workshop space to take on larger projects. We have managed to salvage a useful quantity of timber from a demolition site which will be used for part of the structure, but any donation of timber or building materials would be welcome. If you would like to nd out more about our work or support us with a donation, visit www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tetbury

GLC

Looking for a place to talk … or meet and work with a great bunch of people in a

friendly environment … then the Tetbury Men’s Shed is just right for you.

The Shed is open Wednesday mornings and all day on Thursday and we welcome new members.

Shedders come from a variety of professions and have varied life skills - they might even be similar to yours. The shed is located next to the Goods Shed Arts Centre o the Cirencester Road, and the allotment can be found in Herd Lane behind the Royal Oak pub. Co ee tea and biscuits are available and the welcome mat is always out. Find out more, contact us on 07955 088580. More details of our activities and where

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Large Stock of Timber, Steel, Nuts & Bolts, Gate Fittings and Garden Tools

to nd us are on our Tetbury Men’s Shed website www.tetburymensshed.co.uk

Alan Greenway TMS Workshop …..and from the allotment

While popular folklore suggests that frost is very much a concern until the end of May, activity levels on the allotment are nonetheless increasing.

The little rain that we have had has helped make digging over the remaining part of the site much easier. Greenhouse germination has been troublesome this year, but our outdoor preparation continues at pace due to the distribution of good quality manure and a signi cant amount of organic kitchen waste - co ee grounds. These not only contain nutrients that help stimulate growth but are also linked to slug, pest and animal control. The large cage, another addition this year, will shortly be fully stocked. The polytunnel, our most recent project, is now fully functional and awaits kitting out with some yet to be acquired shelving, although several tomato plants have already taken residence. Visit us each Wednesday 10.00 am until 12.00 pm.

Ken White TMS Allotment

Located in Shipton Moyne, we are close to both Tetbury and Malmesbury. We offer the perfect traditional cotswolds pub experience; a foodie restuarant, our Chalet restaurant with cocktail bar and pizzeria and accommodation in one of our boutique rooms.

Our event venue is licensed for up to 50 people.

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None of this is true

by Lisa Jewell

Josie is enjoying a birthday meal with her husband Walter when she realises that one of the other guests in the restaurant is her birthday twin. Alix was born on the same day in the same hospital, but her life seems very di erent. A quick internet search shows Alix surrounded by friends and family, a well-known podcaster who interviews women who have overcome obstacles to turn their lives around. Josie wonders whether she can change too –perhaps Alix can help?

When Josie runs into Alix, accidently on purpose, she suggests that her next podcast should be about an ordinary person trying to turn her life around. In search of a new project, Alix agrees to interview Josie – and learns more than she bargained for. As Josie describes her childhood with a mother who never wanted her, her marriage to the much older Walter and her estrangement from her younger daughter Roxy, Alix is sympathetic but also a little uneasy. She can tell that Josie is trying to get closer to her, however despite her instincts telling her to keep her new friend at arms’ length, the interviews continue.

There is a pervading sense of menace throughout the book and, as we know from the rst couple of pages, two people will be dead by the end. This is a page-turner of a book, and although we think we can guess what will happen, it is hard to tell what the truth is and what is a lie. Recommended –but perhaps not as a bedtime read!

Ghilly Vincenti, Chelworth Bookworms

Greening Tetbury

In

March Fergus, our Chair, and Jo planted ve tree saplings near The Royal

Oak Tetbury.

A Cherry was planted on the green by the pub and four Beeches were planted 250 yds beyond the gate of the Rail Lands path.

Thank you to the Feo ees for letting us plant trees on their land.

Helping pollinators

This month, Fergus will plant some plug plants, including Field Scabious, Ox-eye Daisy, Ladies Bedstraw, and Bird’s-foot Trefoil at Tallboys and Jacob’s Close. Last year’s seed sowing wasn’t as successful as wanted due to the wet Spring, so we hope these will fare better. Flowers are vital for pollinators. The main problem a ecting them is loss of suitable habitat, including foraging and nesting sites.

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Bumblebees and solitary bees have speci c nest site requirements. Other pollinators such as hover ies, butter ies and moths have speci c habitat requirements for their larvae. The good news is that gardens can provide suitable breeding places for many pollinators.

Let’s bring the buzz back

We can all play our part in helping pollinators. The Great British Bee Challenge by the charity, Earthed, is one way to help. Whether you’re sowing wild ower seeds in a small pot or planting herbs in a window box, your actions can directly support bee survival. Earthed’s campaign even has prizes for creating the best ‘pollinator pitstop’. You could win tickets to Stevie Wonder, Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, British Summer Time and more..! Visit earthed.co/courses/bees/ to nd out more.

#NoMowMay

Another way to save pollinators is to join thousands of others and leave grass unmown during May. This will give insects a chance by allowing wild owers to grow in your lawn. It also means that mowers won’t kill insect eggs and emerging larvae in the grass and owers. Visit plantlife.org. uk for more details.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle… and Repair

Did you know there are several places locally where you can take items for repair?

Tetbury Men’s Shed every Wednesday am and Thursday all day at the Goods Shed. This 1980s Le Creuset pot is still going strong, but its handle was damaged. The Men’s Shed turned and tted a new one, all for a donation to Tetbury Lions.

Stroud Repair and Eco Cafe every last Sunday, Trinity Rooms, Stroud.

Cirencester Repair Cafe

Full Facilities: 10.00 am - 1.30 pm. Second Saturday

Micro Cafe: 4.00 pm - 6.30 pm every

other Tuesday (next one 13th of May) at Cirencester Baptist Church GL7 1YE

Cirencester Work Bench: Thursday the 10th of July, 10.30 am - 4.00 pm at New Brewery Arts

Dates for your diary

4th of May 4.45 am Dawn Chorus Walk. Meet in the Goods Shed car park

8th of May Change of time 6.45 pm Greening Tetbury meeting, St Michael’s Hall

7th – 15th of June Great Big Green Week featuring:

8th of June 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Tetbury Men’s Shed Open Day

8th of June 5.30 pm Sustainable Fashion Show and Clothes Swap. Book via Goods Shed

11th of June 7.30 pm Towards Net Zero by 2050, a Shed talk by John Andrews. Book via Goods Shed

14th of June 10.00 am - 1.00 pm, Count for Nature, St Marys’ Churchyard Greening Tetbury Team

Life After SWR – How we prepare our students to life after school?

Futures Day 2

Our inaugural Futures Day took place in November, followed by our equally successful second event earlier this week. Both days have been resounding successes, thanks in no small part to the incredible support we’ve received from our alumni, the parent community, and local and regional businesses. This was acknowledged in our recent Ofsted inspection in which they noted that ‘the school’s personal development programme is designed to help pupils to be well-prepared for the future. The school has designed an ambitious programme about careers.

Year 9 and Year 11 students had the opportunity to attend workshops with fourteen industry professionals from a diverse range of sectors. These included

Law, the Armed Forces, the NHS, Business, Care, Optometry, Communications, Defense, Security, Intelligence, Human Resources, TV, Drug Development, and Construction.

These sessions were complemented by dynamic Panel Discussions, as well as workshops on topics such as “What Does Professionalism Mean?” and “Challenging Gender Stereotypes,” as well as an inspiring presentation by Nathan who traveled from Manchester, who spoke about celebrating Diversity in the Workplace (Microsoft).

Year 10 students also had a valuable day. Most of their time was spent participating in meaningful encounters at local workplaces. They visited a variety of organisations, including The Priory (hospitality and tourism), The Close Hotel and St Mary’s Church (events management), the

Fire Station and Tetbury Town Council (public services), Tesco (retail), Renishaw (engineering), Chavenage House (heritage and diversi cation) and a workshop on graphic novel writing and illustration by Kevin Painter.

Our Year 8 students had a particularly active morning. They took part in a session led by three coaches from Gloucester Rugby, which they described as “excellent.” This was followed by workshops on careers in Sport and Leisure and a visit from the School Beat Team, who explored the important topic of knife crime.

Finally, our Year 7 students had a great time exploring nancial management. They learned about budgeting, taxation, and how to manage their nances once they start earning money—valuable lessons for their future.

After a busy but rewarding day, many students and their families attended the Gloucestershire Careers and Enterprise Hub’s Apprenticeship Roadshow. This event helped students explore apprenticeship opportunities and the bene ts they o er after leaving school, college, or university.

Mrs Lynham ‘would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who contributed to the success of this event. The intent of our Futures Programme is that students will have higher aspirations for their future, with an understanding of the range of pathways to success that they may have never previously encountered or considered, with the con dence of a CEO and an arsenal of transferable skills and excellent quali cations’.

We are already looking forward to our next Futures Day, which will take place on the 1st of July. If you are a local business and would be willing to host a small group of students, please contact Mrs. T Lynham at t.lynham@swr.gloucs.sch.uk.

Sir William Romney’s School Team

This month, we wanted to shine a light on our fundraising e orts as we set our sights on the year ahead.

As a charity run playgroup, we rely heavily on fundraising to allow for the continuation of our “Outstanding” practice. Providing an enriching learning environment for our children is a top priority.

In collaboration with our fundraising team, we’re always trying to come up with fresh, new ideas to raise money alongside our trusted favourites. For example, our annual Christmas Squares Ra e was sold out in 2024 and raised us £750! In February, we held a jumble sale for the rst time, and it was a huge hit. This event raised just over £900, and all left over clothes went to Bags2School, which added another £36 to the pot. Most recently was our Easter Forest School, which is always popular, and if you follow our Facebook page, you’ll be rst to see when the next holiday sessions become available to book.

You’ll see us again at the Woolsack Races on the 26th of May, where we will be holding a tombola stand on The Millenium Green, do come and see us!

Finally, our main event of 2025, St. Mary’s Playgroup’s Summer Party celebrating fty years. Our dedicated fundraising team have already begun planning and we’re con dent it’s going to be a blast. Watch this space for updates as more details are nalised. In the lead up to our party, we are working on a project that, perhaps, you can help us with! We are collecting pictures of our past attendees, in uniform, o cial or informal. If you or your children (or your parents!) have attended St. Mary’s Playgroup and you’d be happy to share a picture or two, please email them to stmarysfundraiser50@outlook.com. The pictures need to be of individuals/siblings only as we cannot ensure permission is granted to use larger group photos.

We are so thankful to our fundraising team for their e orts, but these fundraisers can often be mountainous tasks and so if you would like to share the load and get involved in fundraising, there is always a space for you. Just contact fundraisingstmarysplaygroup@ gmail.com or speak to sta . It’s shaping up to be a busy year for St. Mary’s Playgroup and we hope to see you along the way. As

always, the support we receive from the community is so appreciated.

St Mary’s Playgroup Team

TETBURY HOSPITAL HIKE THE

Registered Charity No: 1008926

The Group held its AGM on the 12th of March in

Estcourt Park, Shipton Moyne

By kind permission of Juddmonte Farms

The meeting was well attended. Phil Woodcock stood down from the committee and his role as Secretary after ve years. We are all grateful for his e orts and Helen Cue will have a tough act to follow on taking up

Spring is sprung! Walking has been easier on drier ground with the sun on our backs (sometimes). The photograph below was taken on the banks of the Severn near the

Coming up in the next few weeks are walks exploring the farmland North of Tetbury, Sapperton Valley, Siccaridge Wood and Oakridge, Hamlets around Bisley, and Uley and Nymps eld. Details are on our website https://www.tetburywalkers.co.uk. New

Start/Finish in the field near the church. Church Lane, Shipton Moyne, GL8 8PW.

Sunday 18th May 2025

Walkers and runners to start between 10am and 11am.

The entry fee includes one hog roast and all accompaniments, or a vegetarian option:

£20.00 per adult

£15.00 per child 16 and under Under 5’s FREE

Well behaved dogs on leads, are welcome too.

• Very rare opportunity to see glorious Estcourt Park by either running or walking through their beautiful private grounds.

• 2 route options available – 5 miles and 7 miles.

• All monies raised will go towards a new X-Ray machine.

• Live entertainment by Route 44.

• Great day out with family and friends.

• Route map and directions.

• Hog Roast served 12pm – 2.30pm.

• Bar open 12pm onwards to purchase wine and beer plus tea/coffee and homemade cakes.

• Free car parking.

Numbers are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

How to enter

Scan me

Tetbury and District Footpath Group

The group held its AGM on the 12th of March in the Market Hall.

Spring is sprung! Walking has been easier on drier ground with the sun on our backs (sometimes).

Tetbury and District Footpath Group

Our next monthly talk will take place on Monday the 19th of May at 10.30 am, at the Tetbury Goods Shed.

This will be provided by the NHS Falls Assessment and Education Service on the subject of “Strong and Steady”. When we reach the age of 45 or 50, balance and muscle strength begins to decline – and most of us don’t even notice it! The team will talk us through steps that can be taken NOW to help prevent future falls and injury. You can download our programme of monthly talks from our website www. tetburyu3a.org.uk/monthly-meetings.

Here are some examples of what we’ve recently been up to. Our Badminton group is enjoying the chance to run about every Monday evening and have some fun.

After a quieter period over midwinter, we have lled three or four courts recently at the sports centre at Sir William Romney’s School and simply enjoyed playing. Every now and again we meet at the Priory for a

QualityAlterations

post game drink and re ect on the lovely people we have got to know .

Our French group continues to build con dence and uency in the language with three meetings a month and the occasional celebration on a French holiday. Our sessions are: Conversation, sharing things we have prepared for a topic; Games, playing card and board games to improve our vocab, grammar and uency and a Monthly Film Matinee, with lms in French with subtitles. It’s all done in a spirit of friendly support and fun.

Our Historic Buildings Group programme for 2025 got o to an unusual start with a visit to Air Salvage International (ASI) based at Kemble Airport. We have all driven by the airport and wondered what happens to the planes you see parked up on the airport –now we know! After a most informative and entertaining presentation by Mark Gregory, CEO, we toured the hangers where planes were being dismantled. The highlight of the visit was seeing the nal demise of an aircraft that had been stripped of anything of value or hazardous. It was being “eaten” by a machine that looked very much like an escaped dinosaur from Jurassic Park. We all stood there mesmerised by its actions and had to be herded back onto the minibus! We raised £200 in donations for the Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance charity – a suitable and very worthwhile cause.

If you would be interested in joining the u3a, take a look at our website www. tetburyu3a.org.uk to nd out more, and details of how to join. Regrettably we have now ceased the Friday morning sessions at the Goods Shed, however do come along to our Open Day on Tuesday the 8th of July, 10.30 to 14.30, at the Tetbury Goods Shed, to meet us and see what we do.

Our u3a can give you the chance to develop your interests, make new friends and enjoy yourself. You can join our u3a if you’re no longer working full time or raising a family.

Tetbury and District u3a Team

Our April meeting was held on the 2nd of April when Mark Stopforth demonstrated ‘Stormy Seas’ in oils.

Mark has been painting for over twenty years and is particularly inspired by stormy seas and the wild landscapes often found in the moors, mountains and estuaries here in the UK. Mark grew up in East Anglia and the vast at landscapes of the Fens have continued to be an inspiration. His work has been and is in uenced by Constable, Turner, Claude and Cottman. Mark’s work has exhibited widely including in London, Cornwall and locally in Gloucestershire. He has frequently been selected to show at the RWA, Bristol

Please Note - Our May meeting will be on Wednesday the 7th of May at St. Michael’s Church Hall when Sue Bown will discuss Abstract Art. In the meantime, members are currently busy preparing for our Spring Exhibition which will be held over the May Bank holiday weekend with a preview evening on Friday the 23rd of May and then open to the public from Saturday the 24th of May to Monday the 26th of May from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to join us. Guests are always welcome at our monthly meetings held on the rst Wednesday of the month from 7.30 pm.

Please see our website for further details of our meetings and exhibitions tetburyartsociety.org.uk and our Facebook page Tetbury Art Society. New 2023 or please email us tetburyart.media@outlook. com if you have any queries.

Tetbury Art Society Team

Tetbury Film Society

Last month Tetbury Film Society concluded another successful season. Thank you to all our members and visitors.

The highlights of the programme for many were the 2022 Danish comedy-drama ‘Rose’ and the 2022 French-Belgium drama ‘Driving Madeleine’.

Rose sensitively tells the moving story of two sisters on a road trip to France, one of whom we discover su ers from schizophrenia. It is directed and written by Danish legend, Niels Arden Oplev, director of the original ‘Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’, and it stars the wonderful So e Gråbøl from the television series ‘The Killing’.

‘Driving Madeleine’ is a moving story about an elderly woman’s farewell tour of Paris. It stars actor and lmmaker Dany Boon as the taxi driver, another face you might recognise. It is written and directed by Christian Carion, and is a lot more than a sentimental journey.

Both are well worth watching if you have the opportunity.

We have been delighted to continue to support the Long eld Hospice charity. By screening the o -beat comedy ‘Thelma’, we raised over £700 for this deserving cause.

The programme for the 2025/26 season is coming together nicely and we are now accepting members for next season. Candidates include the gripping drama ‘September 5’, the Thai drama ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’, and my current favourite the Mexican lm ‘Radical’.

Please contact our membership secretary, Patricia, on 01666 502085 for details of how to join, or visit our website www. tetbury lm.org.uk for an application form.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday the 10th of September.

Liz Farnham, Chair Tetbury Film Society Member of Cinema for All

TETBURY CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

Just some of the symptoms that can be helped by treatment:

• Back pain and associated symptoms such as leg pain or Sciatica

• Mechanical Neck pain and associated headaches arising from the neck (cervicogenic)

• Migraine prevention

• Minor sports injuries and problems associated with shoulder, elbow, hands, knees, feet, ankle

• Elbow pain and tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences

• Joint pains, including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis

• Generalised aches and pains, Muscle spasms, Muscle tension

• Plantar fasciitis (short term management)

• Shoulder complaints, Rotator cuff injuries and disorders of the shoulder

Jwala Gurung Doctor of Chiropractic, Mchiro, CCEP, LRCC.

Telephone 07469 187004 info@tetburychiropractic.co.uk www.tetburychiropractic.co.uk Tetbury Chiropractic Clinic, 2 Silk Mill studios, 2 Charlton road, Tetbury GL8 8DY Call now for a consultation!

ALFRESCO EVENINGS AT JOLLY NICE...

FARMSHOP | DRIVE THROUGH | CAFE & BAR | PLANTS & FL ORISTRY | EVENTS

Championing locally sourced produce, with specialit y coffee & grass fed native breed burgers from the cafe, local brews at the bar, regenerative & free range meat from the butchery, organic & zero dig vegetables from the Farmshop, and seasonal blooms from the flo

& grass dig rist.

Rainbows nished

the

helping theme this term with all the girls gaining at least one badge.

They decorated pots and planted them up to give to their Mums for Mother’s Day. They went for a walk around Tetbury, looking for Easter related items in the shops, to complete a treasure hunt. Our newest three girls all made their Promise during the last meeting of term.

1st Tetbury Brownies have been focusing on the Be Well theme and trying mindfulness and meditation. Knowing how much water to drink was a fun activity involving jugs of water and cups. They thought about what is important in their lives and what makes

them smile. It was a poignant moment when Molly made her Promise as a leader – having previously been a Brownie in the unit some years ago!

2nd Tetbury Brownies have had another busy term working on badges. There have been plenty of games, songs, and crafts for both Mother’s Day and Easter. A highlight included Nia, their Young Leader, receiving the Tetbury Young Person Inspirational Award. At their nal meeting of term eight girls made their Promise after searching for two hundred eggs during a mammoth Easter Egg hunt! I hope they weren’t all chocolate ones!

The Guides joined over one hundred others from across our Division when we took over Stroud Bowl for a bowling evening. The activities this term have involved lots

COX & HALL LTD

PLUMBING AND

Established

Girlguiding Tetbury

of food and ended with making Easter piggies from creme eggs. They held an open evening with teams competing to make a zip wire for teddies and are delighted that three new members have now joined them.

We are pleased to welcome Claire as a new volunteer leader with Brownies – there is room for lots more if you can spare one or two hours a week to help our units.

In the last year, Rangers have had a go at an escape room, done lots of cooking, built camp res and toasted marshmallows, learnt new skills for life, been to London, earned lots of badges, visited the ri e club and tried many other things both indoors and out. The programme is chosen by the girls and there really is something for everyone. Most of our Rangers are o to college and university later this year so it’s time to open up again for a new cohort of 13/14 year olds. Email tetburyrangers@ girlguidingglos.org.uk for a personal invitation to try a couple of meetings later this term, and expect an evening of fun, games and food and a chance to nd out more about what there is on o er.

Sue Doidge Girlguiding Tetbury District Commissioner tetbury@girlguidingglos.org.uk

I left my heart…

When playing Bridge, hopefully no one will su er either a broken heart or, sadly, nd they have left their heart somewhere in the past, but will remember that, in cards, Hearts, together with Spades, are considered a Major suit and therefore well worth bidding if at all possible.

Sometimes a hand has at least four good cards in a suit, preferably a major, but less than twelve points and the player feels he/ she wants to open the bidding and take an opportunity or, at the very least, show partner that you have a good suit.

In this case, you can use the RULE OF 20.

This means adding up your total points and then adding that number to the number of cards in your two longest suits. If that totals at least 20, then you can bid.

The bene t of using this rule is that you do not lose the opportunity of bidding. If all players hold a similar number of

points and everyone passes, there is a danger, in playing competitive bridge and remembering that everyone plays the same hands, that another player may bid and, if they make the bid, gain points,

have 6 tricks in your hand if vulnerable and 7 tricks if not vulnerable

A Pre-emptive bid makes it very di cult for the opposition to over call.

I LEFT MY HEART

If you have a seven-card suit and only 7-9 points, the opening bid is 3 of that suit and is known as a Pre-emptive Bid. You should

Tel: 0785 505 6769

Your partner should respond to a Preemptive bid only if holding su cient tricks in their hand to add to opener’s hand to go to game.

one will suﬀer either a broken heart or, sadly, ﬁnd they the past, but will remember that, in cards, Hearts, considered a Major suit and therefore well worth bidding if at all

Rule of eight

If you have 8 cards in a suit and hold all the tricks (Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 etc.) then an opening bid of 4 if that suit is appropriate.

four good cards in a suit, preferably a major, but less than 12 wants to open the bidding and take an opportunity or, at you have a good suit.

Rule of 13

RULE OF 20.

points and then adding that number to the number of cards totals at least 20, then you can bid.

Please ring, text or leave a message for an appointment to keep you up and running throughout the pandemic. Covid-19 risk assessed and following Government Guidelines.

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that you do not lose the opportunity of bidding. If all points and everyone passes, there is a danger, in playing remembering that everyone plays the same hands, that another player may bid and, if they make the bid, gain points, whereas you will have no points.

Opening Times:

Monday/Wednesday 3.00 - 7.00 pm Thursday/Friday 07.45 - 11.30 am Out of hours appointments are available on request.

Another useful short-cut to help you decide whether you can respond to your partner’s opening bid with 2 of a new suit (usually you need at least 10 points and four cards in the new suit) is to count the number of points in your hand and add them to the number of cards in the suit you want to bid. If this comes to 13, then you can bid 2 in your new suit.

If you have a seven-card suit and only 7-9 points, the opening bid is 3 of that suit and is known as a Pre-emptive Bid. You should have 6 tricks in your hand if vulnerable and 7 tricks if not vulnerable

For Assessment, Treatment with Manual Therapy, Electrotherapy, Acupuncture, Biomechanics and Exercise Prescription.

A Pre-emptive bid makes it very diﬃcult for the opposition to over call.

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Using some or all of these useful counts should, at the least, save you and your partner the heartbreak of losing an opportunity to bid and so losing to the opposition.

Your partner should respond to a Pre-emptive bid only if holding suﬃcient tricks in their hand to add to opener’s hand to go to game

Elaine Kirton MCSP HCPC Chartered Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist

Peter O’Loughlin Ltd

For more hints and to learn or play bridge Contact www.southcotswoldbridgeclub. com OR email: jimedwards811@gmail.com

Anita Stride

All being well we will be opening in early June 2025. We will look forward to showing our existing customers around the new Library and welcoming new customers. Remember, joining the Library is FREE! Adele, Linda, Sophie, Fran and Emma

The Trustees of the Tetbury Malthouse Foundation are pleased to report…

…that this historic building in the centre of Tetbury continues to attract interest and is used by several locally based organisations.

The building itself is owned by the Tetbury Malthouse Foundation (Charity Number 1185077) and is managed by a small group of Trustees. One of our Trustees has recently stepped down and we would like to thank Tom for his support over the years.

We welcome Chris as his replacement as representative for the Scouts.

Our long-standing Treasurer is also looking to retire soon so the Trustees would be pleased to hear from any public-spirited local resident who would like to play a part in assisting such a worthwhile and unique local charity. The role is not onerous and would only require two to three hours per

month to maintain the accounts. Further information may be obtained by e-mailing tetburymalthouse@gmail.com

Fitness, Yoga and Pilates classes are held regularly on the top and middle oors, whilst Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies, Beavers and Rainbows continue to hold their weekly evening meetings in the main hall. The Malthouse have recently installed some new cupboards to help with storage for the groups.

Many local residents will be aware that access to the building is limited by narrow passageways and stairs, so for the time being it is less suitable for persons with impaired mobility or groups of very young people. Improvements to accessibility and facilities are matters that the Trustees wish to address in order to o er this community space to a greater range of users and sources of funding for such work are constantly under review.

In addition to the main hall, a smaller meeting room is available for regular or adhoc use by local organisations and kitchen facilities are also available.

N Wareham, Chairman The Trustees of the Tetbury Malthouse Foundation

Tetbury Police Museum and

Courtroom

Hello hello hello, my name is Matt Davies, the Immersive Guide at Tetbury Police Museum.

Now, I expect a lot of you see me around Tetbury, either outside the Museum, in the Town Centre or at one of the many social events hosted throughout the year and think “I bet he has great fun, dressing up like a Copper…”

Well, I’m here today to share with you just exactly what I get up to when I work at the Police Museum. So, make yourself a nice hot brew, put your feet up and let’s be having you as Tetbury Police Museum and I take you ‘on the beat with Sgt. Davies

10.45 am: I arrive and prepare for duty by getting into uniform and check that the Museum is ready to be opened. I also prepare the log book so that it’s ready for the logging of the visitors. Our log book is split into four hourly slots between eleven and three with two slots for the total for each category and an overall total. If there’s a special event on in the evening, we’ll extend the book.

11.00 am: I open the Museum by putting out the A Frame notice board and switching on the ‘Police’ lamp over the Public entrance.

12.00 pm: The rst hour of the shift is over so I count up the total numbers, rst starting with each independent category and then the total between the hours of eleven and twelve.

12.30 pm: This is what I call ‘The Lunchtime Patrol’; if I’m not already out in town on Museum business, I’ll leave the Museum in full uniform (Legal under the guidelines of Section 90 of the Police Act 1996) and go out on ‘patrol’. A number of people I come across later visit us as a result of their chat with me.

13.00 pm: I return to the Museum and have my lunch in one of the back rooms. I pass the time whilst eating by watching old episodes of BBC’s Crimewatch on my phone.

13.45 pm: I return to duty and log the number of visitors per category and in total that visited between the hours of twelve and one.

14.00 pm: Another hour has passed and I o er to make my colleagues a cup of tea or co ee which are accompanied, today, with slices of locally made lardy cake and apple cake.

15.00 pm: It’s closing time; the A Frame comes in, the lights are switched o and we start doing the paperwork for the day. Paperwork is usually the visitor logbook totals.

In addition to the logbook and closeup, I do a little tidying in the Magistrate’s Chambers and then proceed to type up this daily report that you are currently reading.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and if you think this sounds like the kind of volunteering you’d like to get involved in, come and speak to us at the Museum or email museum@tetbury.gov.uk.

Matt Davies, Police Museum Volunteer

TETBURY

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Why

What a lovely few weeks we’ve had at playgroup,

playing and learning in the garden in the sunshine, as it’s been dry, not having twenty little ones putting on rain suits, wellies, hats and gloves has made getting outdoors a bit quicker! We had a very special visit to playgroup from some lambs which the children (and sta !) were able to cuddle and bottle feed, a really lovely experience. Thank you to Charlotte and Rose for bringing them in.

The nicer weather is lovely but on the ip side the lighter evenings can a ect sleep, including that of young children. Little children are learning and taking in so many new things every day that good quality

away from screens in the run-up to bed, and making sure children aren’t hungry or thirsty before bedtime is important. Diet is also a big factor in e ecting sleep. Sugary or sweetened foods and drink like sweets, biscuits, juices, zzy drinks, even consumed earlier in the day can interrupt sleep. Near to bedtime, calcium-based foods are good choices such as yogurt, milk or porridge. For three to ve years olds the NHS recommends between ten to thirteen hours of sleep including daytime naps, if they have them. There are so many factors e ecting sleep, if you want to nd out more or need support there are a number of websites and apps such as http:// thesleepcharity.org.uk

At the start of the Easter holidays, we had our garden tidy-up day. Thank you to everyone who came out to help, big thanks also to Martin Weaver for providing the materials, constructing and putting in place a lovely new sandpit for the children.

sleep is essential to provide the time for the brain to process it all. Physically they are growing and developing at a very fast rate, and sleep is vital to support that too. In adults if we don’t get enough sleep we might be slower, irritable and have very little energy, however according to The Sleep Charity, sleep deprivation in young children causes increased hyperactivity and other behavioural problems, as well as impacting physical and mental development. A number of things can really make a di erence in supporting children’s sleep, sticking to bedtime routines wherever possible can help, being

Thank you again to the families, sta , local companies and friends of TNP who donated to our Easter ra e, special mention goes to Especially for You, Mayfair & Grace, Co ee & Bee, Aspire SW and Marie Ware. We raised £118 towards playgroup.

If you’re looking for a playgroup space for your child from September, you’re welcome to make an appointment to come in and look around, please email us at tetburynurseryplaygroup@ eygloucestershire.co.uk or give us a call on 01666 504855.

Tetbury Nursery Playgroup Team

Tetbury Probus

Neville

Parton’s Probus talk on the 6th of March

“The Royal Air Force Servicing Commandos” was an enigma…

…for the audience but this puzzle was soon solved by watching excerpts from a lm (originally classi ed secret!) which Neville had discovered in the Imperial War Museum.

The lm graphically showed the disastrous experience of the RAF’s Air Expeditionary Force in 1939-40 where lack of spares and equipment caused more aircraft losses than in actual con ict. This hidden part of the RAF’s history was traced back to failures and complacency following the First World War and the nancial pressures during the 1930s. This failure led to the development of a unit of intensely trained Commandos.

The RAF’s air superiority then enabled unopposed beach landings by highly trained Commandos accompanying the invading troops. The Commandos built landing areas and maintained aircraft under hostile conditions. Detailed knowledge of equipment required skill and ingenuity to e ect repairs. Replenishment of supplies, not only of weapons and munitions but

also of basic requirement such as food and cooking facilities was essential.

The training of the SCU’s was then explained, followed by ‘snapshots’ of operations in North Africa, Europe, and the Far East. Ability and ingenuity of these units, frequently under re and in extreme weather conditions, was remarkable and contributed to the war’s eventual successful outcome.

During her talk, Liz tempted the audience to taste a variety of cheeses which were consumed with relish!! She explained how several new cheese varieties, given exotic names such as “Singing Granny”, “Double Gossip”, “Holy Smoke” were initially tested at local farmers’ markets.

From early days of limited and simple cheese production the farm now produces

Henson and his colleagues.

Tetbury Theatre Group

Peter James, author of the Grace series of crime novels, one day got a phone call…

…from a friend, the former Commander of Brighton and Hove Police. “There’s a guy nicked for passport forgery back in 1996, who is now a big art forger, and he’s invited us to lunch. Fancy going?” The forger was David Henty. James put this real-life character at the centre of ‘Picture Me Dead’, which we enjoyed at Malvern Theatres on the 26th of March.

Young couple Harry and Freya Kipling discover they might have made the deal of a lifetime when the tatty old painting they bought for pennies turns out to be a lost 16th Century masterpiece by Fragonard. As they begin to celebrate their potential windfall, art world criminals are plotting

a heist, even murder, to relieve them of it. The ensuing action is fast and furious and full of twists and turns.

Adrian Linford’s ingenious stage set consists of three locations: the Kiplings’ kitchen, the galleried home of an art dealer and Henty’s studio. This allows the action to rocket from scene to scene without requiring set changes and maintains gathering impetus right to the end.

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James found Henty to be a ‘charismatic and engaging character’. He becomes ‘Hegarty’ in the play and is beautifully portrayed by actor Peter Ash (Casualty, Coronation Street). ‘Roy Grace’ is played by George Rainsford (Casualty, Call the Midwife) and gives an authoritative performance, providing stability in the fast-moving production. We were kept guessing on the edge of our seats until the dramatic climax. ‘Roy Grace’ was apparently named by Her Majesty Queen Camilla to be her favourite literary detective!

Henty is now a reformed character and a legitimate copyist.

Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Helen Mirren and Sir Derek Jacobi have all acted at Malvern Theatres, which provides two theatres, a cinema, bars and bistro/cafés. Before the performance, we had time to enjoy lunch, explore interesting shops and visit ancient Great Malvern Abbey, the latter providing a peaceful, re ective interlude in a great day out.

Coming up

Next two visits. Invitations already sent to members

Wednesday the 21st of May, ‘Spit re Girls’, daytime visit, Malvern Theatre. Matinee starts 2.30 pm. Time for shopping and lunch. Coach at 10.00 am. ‘Spit re Girls’ is inspired by the true stories of the courageous women who dared to y during WWII and the unbreakable bond that tied them together.

Saturday the 14th of June, ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’. Matinée at 2.15 pm, the Mill at Sonning. Coach at 10.00 am. Two-course lunch included in the ticket price. Based on PD James’s sequel to Jane Austin’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Set six years after the events of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, the story follows Elizabeth and Darcy as their life at Pemberley is disrupted by a shocking murder.

If you would like to join the Tetbury Theatre Group, please contact Diana Challis (Membership Secretary) 01666 502768 or Helen Price (Chairperson) 01666 503187, email: retreatcottage17@btinternet.com. Website: www.tetburytheatre group.co.uk

Linda Goodhew, Tetbury Theatre Group

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Stroud and Disctrict Citizens Advice

Are you worried about your debt and rising bills, and want to know what support is available.

Advice on managing bills and what to do if you fall into debt?

With energy, water and broadband bills rising, it’s getting increasingly di cult for many people to cover their expenses. It’s important to know you’re not alone in nding things di cult and that nancial support might be available to help ease the burden.

Checking bene ts eligibility

Many eligible people don’t claim the bene ts that are available to them, so it’s important to understand what you’re entitled to. You may be able to claim bene ts if, for example, you’re working age and on a low income, you’re sick or disabled, are of State Pension age with a low income or no income, or if you’re a carer.

You can check the Citizens Advice website (www.citizensadvice.org.uk) for information on what bene ts you might be eligible for.

Reducing outgoings

If you claim bene ts or are on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction in Council Tax. Discounts can also be given to other people eg. students, those living with a carer, or people who live alone. If you have children, you may qualify for free school meals, transport to school, or support with the uniform costs.

To reduce other expenses, you may be able to switch to a cheaper broadband deal, get a water meter tted, or access discounted travel. You can nd out more about ways to get help, including advice

on saving money on heating, on the Citizens Advice website.

Creating a budget and prioritising bills

If you’re nding it di cult to stay on top of bills, budgeting tools like the one on the MoneyHelper website can help you understand what money you have coming in and going out each month. If you’re behind on bills, you should prioritise paying rent, mortgage payments, Council Tax and energy bills, as these are known as ‘priority’ debts which have the most serious consequences if missed.

Once you’ve got priority debts under control, you should look at credit card or store card debts, missed Buy Now Pay Later payments or payday loans. Whatever debt you’re dealing with, it’s important to speak to the person or company you owe money to as early as you can. You could show them a copy of your budget to let them know what your nancial situation is and see if there are any steps you can take to start dealing with your debt.

Just remember, there’s lots of help out there and you’re not alone. If you need help with debt you could get in touch with us or another organisation like StepChange. Please look at the Citizens Advice website rst if you can. If you need further help please call us on 0808 800 0510 (Monday and Tuesday 10am to 4pm; Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 12.30pm). You can use our local website (www. citizensadvicestroudandcotswold.org.uk) to complete our email form.

Citizens Advice Team

Big News is Preston Park this month

Many of you will know that we have recently completed the circular paving in Preston Park, allowing access to more of our residents and making the walk down the muddy hill much safer.

We would like to thank Geo Turbott for his continuing support and hard work in helping us to make this a reality – his commitment to the charity and to this area in Tetbury is greatly appreciated – thank you Geo !

Finally, I am pleased to advise that the following grant was made this month:

£400 to the Friends of Tetbury Hospital, covering the costs for producing lea ets for their Open Gardens Fundraising Event in June.

Dates for your Diary

Monday the 26th of May – Woolsack Day and Races - where there will be a display on the Feo ees and Thirteen

Saturday the 14th of June at 6.00 pm –Feo ee and Thirteen Community BBQ, this is a free community event

Saturday the 6th of September at 9.30 am – Annual Beating of the Bounds, meet under Bath Bridge and followed by the presentation of the Feo ee accounts in The Market House with co ee and biscuits

Saturday the 13th/Sunday the 14th of September – Heritage Weekend – The Market House will be open with displays

If you think we may be able to help you or if you are a member of a group who could be helped with a grant, please visit our website - www.thefeo eesoftetbury.co.uk – where you can also nd out more about the work we do in our town. Finally, if you would like to volunteer to help us, please get in touch or speak to one of our members.

Lance Vick,

Chairman

Westonbirt Prep School completes extensive nursery refurbishment

Westonbirt Prep School has completed an extensive refurbishment of its nursery, creating a modern and immersive learning environment for its youngest pupils.

Renovations include the purchase of new furniture and play equipment, interior decoration in classrooms and communal spaces, and the complete redesign of outdoor learning and play spaces.

Changes to the learning structure have also been implemented as nursery children now bene t from specialist teachers in subjects such as Swimming, Games, Music, French and Forest School.

Westonbirt Nursery is open to children from ages 2-4 and is hosting an Open Morning on Saturday the 17th of May from 10.00 am-12.00 pm.

The nursery’s refurbishment has utilised biophilic design techniques, which aims to nurture the relationship between people and nature by introducing various natural features into building architecture and interior design.

Using elements such as natural light, space

and shapes, biophilic design is known to support children’s learning by creating a healthier and more productive environment. It is also known to improve mental and physical wellbeing, as well as providing environmental and sustainability bene ts.

Rebecca Mitchell, Westonbirt Prep School Headmistress, said: “We are thrilled to have completed this exciting refurbishment of our nursery, creating some truly inspiring learning settings for our children.

“Utilising biophilic design elements, the renovations will enable children to explore their creative and academic curiosity to the fullest in an inspirational and supportive environment. We’ve already received wonderful feedback from parents who can see a huge di erence in the way their children learn and play.

“Alongside the ongoing development project to create two new prep school buildings, it is truly an exciting time at Westonbirt Prep School.”

The nursery’s former bright decorative colour palate has been replaced with natural tones which are known to enhance positivity and calmness, and all newly purchased furniture and toys are made from natural wood.

Outside, the former grass play area has been split into several zones, including a freshly laid bark area containing new climbing and play equipment to develop the children’s gross motor skills.

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The nursery’s updated decoration theme will be mirrored within all prep school classrooms, including those in the new buildings which are currently under development and due to open in January 2026.

To nd out more about Westonbirt Nursery or to register to attend the Open Morning, visit westonbirt.org/nursery. Alternatively, contact the Admissions Team via admissions@westonbirtschool.uk or 01666 881400 to enquire about applying for a place.

Westonbirt School

Our latest workshop was entitled ‘Mosaics by Sadie’ run by Sadie Rowlands…

…from Victoria Works Studios on London Road, Chalford and it was enjoyed by everyone who attended. Sadie had brought a number of MDF shapes, butter ies, owls, birds, coasters etc for us to use as bases and some broken china. Some of us had brought our own china but Sadie had lots for us to use. After a short introduction we began, choosing our shapes and colour palette and then mastering the Tile Nippers used to cut the china – it was quite an art to prevent the pieces ying around the room! The time ew by and at the end of the session we had covered our shapes and, as we had to wait for the glue to dry, were sent home with various colours of grout to in ll our designs. I think we’ll run it again as we all felt we would like to do more.

Once again our Village Quiz was very successful and we were able to donate a cheque for £200 to Home Start. Thank you

to Shirley Hand and her family who had devised some very interesting rounds of questions, and to our members who had donated some great ra e prizes.

We have signed up again to take part in the Great Water Blitz 2025 Spring and will be testing the water in Avening and at Nailsworth Garden Centre. It will be interesting to see if there is any change in the results when we compare them to Autumn 2024.

The theatre group visited The Barn to see ‘In the Mouth of the Wolf’ by Michael Morpurgo which everyone enjoyed. We have already booked tickets for ‘Haywire’ in September, a comedy to celebrate 75 years of The Archers, as we feel it will be very popular!

Our Cotswold Way walkers have completed another section of the walk and now only have two left to reach Bath. The end is in

sight! It has been very challenging in parts but so worth it. Our next general walk is a guided tour around Cirencester, followed by lunch at The Bear Inn.

We recently ran Avening Community Café and served cake and scones as well as our usual bacon butties. The Café had organised a litter pick around the village on that day and those who took part enjoyed free bacon butties and co ee on their return to the Social Club. We have another date booked in for June.

Finally, another plug for our De- b and CPR Training morning which is open to everyone. It will be held in the Memorial Hall and starts at 10.00 am with a talk by David Owen from the Kingswood and Wotton De b Awareness Group followed

by CPR and De b training. This is something everyone should know how to do as you never know when you may need it and you could save a life.

Liz Knowles, Avening WI

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Tetbury

tour to Jersey

After the game we headed back to the hotel for a swim before our late checkout, and everyone then spent the afternoon on the beach again before heading to the airport and home. One of the most pleasing aspects is how well all the boys interacted with each other and the adults – they intermingled freely and there were no evident groups or factions, which is a testament to them as a team.

hours before dinner, the popular vote was to hit the pool again. At dinner the boys were all sat together as a group and behaved impeccably, but they were clearly tired and everyone had an earlier night.

On behalf of the Tetbury RFC U11s side and parents, we would like to thank the Tetbury Lions for supporting our tour this March to Jersey.

For many years now, it’s been a custom at Tetbury RFC that the U11 side experience an international tour, to give the players (and their parents) a strong bonding experience in anticipation of changes to school and potentially friendship groups the following September.

This year we feel that we’ve managed to deliver that, with your assistance, and we can now give you a avour of how the tour went and what we all got up to.

Our ight out to Jersey on Friday evening was delayed. Despite the extended wait, the players remained positive and behaved well during their time stood on the bus whilst waiting to board.

It did make for a later arrival at our hotel and later bedtime, as the boys were all very excited. They were still excited the next

morning – some were in the hotel pool at just after 07.00 am on Saturday – and after breakfast everyone hit the beach. Some went for a bracing dip in the sea, most took part in a game of parents vs kids football.

In the afternoon, all the players and some parents took part in a high ropes activity, negotiating their way across or around various obstacles, at varying heights. All the players showed courage and resilience in completing the courses and sometimes going around again. They supported each other in completing the obstacles and were respectful of the safety rules on which they’d been briefed.

The nal activity was a power fan drop, where everyone had to jump o a high platform and trust in the process and machinery to get them to the ground safely. Upon the return to the hotel, and with a few

Sunday morning was game day and everyone was up for breakfast and then on the bus for the short journey to Jersey RFC. They were also entertaining another touring side and so we had a triangular tournament. The rst match against Jersey was a tight game, on a narrow pitch, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

After the game we headed back to the hotel for a swim before everyone then spent the afternoon on the beach again before home. One of the most pleasing aspects is how well all the boys other and the adults – they intermingled freely and there were factions, which is a testament to them as a team.

flight out to Jersey on Friday evening was delayed. Despite the extended wait, the players remained positive and behaved well during their time stood on the bus whilst waiting to board.

make for a later arrival at our hotel and later bedtime, as the boys were all very excited. were still excited the next morning – some were in the hotel pool at just after 07:00 on Saturday – and after breakfast everyone hit the beach. Some went for a bracing dip in the sea, took part in a game of parents vs kids football.

Tetbury RFC Team

We then played against Gayhurst Preparatory School, which was a game of two halves, but overall we came out on top.

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Annual Report from Tetbury Town Council 2024 - 2025

Annual Town Meeting will be taking place on Monday 12th May starting at 6.30pm at St Marys Primary School

Please come along and have your say

Mayor’s Report

Here we are once more in the merry month of May. The sunshine was great in the ﬁrst half of April and May looks promising. We could have that great summer we have all been looking forward to.

When we look back over the last year. We have seen some challenges: a new government and changes that have aﬀected us all.

Last year we celebrated D Day, which for me was a very moving experience.

This month we will celebrate VE day which I believe will be a more joyous occasion as it celebrates the end of the War in Europe and the jubilation experienced by our brave forbears, some of whom are still with us. Please join us in the celebrations and the lighting of the Beacon, which this year will take place at the Goods Shed.

During the year we had many other celebrations in our Town.

The “Shop Small Shop Tetbury” event held on the 28th of November was an outstanding success. It brought a noticeable increase in footfall to the town and provided a boost to our cherished independent retailers. This event highlighted the unique charm and variety of shops that Tetbury has to oﬀer.

I would like to extend my thanks to Councillor Alison Figueiredo, who continues to work tirelessly through social media to promote our wonderful shops and shining a spotlight on what makes Tetbury such a special place to live, work and visit.

The Christmas light switch on sticks in my memory as such a fun evening, with a terriﬁc turnout.

We have seen the end of an era with the Visitor Information Centre moving from the top of town to the council oﬃces. This has been a great opportunity to revitalise the town council oﬃces, more people are coming in and bringing more attendance to the Police Museum.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our team in the Council oﬃces: our CEO Tara Niblett, our EO Victoria Bolwell, Wellbeing Co-ordinator Andrea Payne, Receptionist/Administrator Roxie Baker and all the Grounds Team.

All the councillors have worked hard and done a great job; remember we are all volunteers.

We are here for the coming year to work with you all to make Tetbury a better place to live and to work.

For the latest updates on Tetbury Town Council, you can visit our oﬃcial website tetbury.gov.uk or check out our Facebook page Tetbury Town Council. Both platforms provide valuable information about community services, events and council activities.

Peter Coleman, Mayor of Tetbury

Finance and Scrutiny Committee

The Finance and Scrutiny Committee has the responsibility of overseeing the status of the Councils policies and ﬁnances, this includes regular ‘inhouse’ audits to conﬁrm compliance with good practice and legal statute is followed.

Every January a public budget consultation is held, this provides an overview of how the budget is currently being spent and the proposed precept request for the following year.

Precept 2024/25: £437,709.00

Band D Council Tax: £152.38

Percentage increase in Band D Council Tax: 5%

Total Income for 2024/25: £502,223

Expenditure for 2024/25: £516,083

Community Infrastructure Levy

From the 1st of June 2019, Cotswold District Council implemented the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

The CIL is a locally set charge that local authorities in England (known as “charging authorities”) can place on developments such as new homes and extensions to homes.

Tetbury Town Council has to date received £42,094 in Community Infrastructure Levy.

November 2024, the Council resolved to purchase a bleed kit, new signage for the play areas within the town, bat boxes and bug hotels which will be strategically placed in both churchyards and the Cookspool pond area totaling £1,370.

January 2025, the Council resolved to provide the Dolphins Recreation Centre with a CIL payment of £27,418.00 to complete the internal work that is required to open the new building in June 2025.

Monday the 24th of March 2025, the Council resolved to provide Tetbury Rail Lands and Regeneration Trust (TRLRT) with a CIL payment of £5,936.00 to allow TRLRT to refurbish the carriage and install a toilet.

Along with the CIL payments, Tetbury Town Council provides the Dolphins Recreation Centre with strategic funding of £2,500.

Councillor Steve Scott Chair of Finance and Scrutiny Committee

Heritage and Regeneration Committee

What were the key achievements of the Committee in the last year, including beneﬁts this brings to the town of Tetbury

• Inspirational Awards 2024: Celebrated local talent and boosted community morale.

• Shop Small Shop Tetbury: Supported independent shops, boosting the local economy.

• Relocation of the VIC: Enhanced tourist experience and local business support.

• Grant Funding for Riverbed Project: Improved biodiversity and local environment.

• Cookspool Rejuvenation: Enhanced natural beauty and natural environment.

What challenges did the Committee/Working Group face and how have these been overcome?

• The Committee faced signiﬁcant challenges due to a lack of funding for Christmas and project events. To overcome this, they sought grant funding from various sources.

• Identiﬁed potential grant opportunities from government bodies, foundations, and corporate sponsors.

• Executive oﬃcer crafted compelling grant proposals, highlighting the impact and importance of their events and projects

What are the key priorities for the next ﬁnancial year?

• Researching Heritage grant funding to support the fabric of the town.

• Inclusive Playgrounds: Developing playgrounds that cater to all children, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.

• Christmas Events: Organising the annual Switch On, Christmas Tree Festival, and Christmas Day dinners to foster community spirit.

• Health and Wellbeing: Integrating health and wellbeing initiatives with heritage and regeneration projects to enhance community engagement.

Who do you want to thank for their support?

Tetbury Feoﬀees for the wonderful lights on the Market House.

Tetbury Lions for supporting Christmas 2024.

Zowie Baker

Chair of the Heritage and Regeneration Committee

Health, Wellbeing and Youth

What were the key achievements of the Committee/Working Group in the last year, including beneﬁts this brings to the town of Tetbury?

• Tetbury Expo Day was held at the Dolphins Hall on Saturday 14th September 2024 where 20 clubs/ organisations came together to showcase what Tetbury has to oﬀer.

• Tetbury Town Council proudly established the Friendship Café in 2021 and successfully transitioned its running to the Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust, ensuring a smooth and seamless handover.

• With the support of volunteers on Christmas Day, we delivered thirty four Christmas lunches in Tetbury to those who were alone on the day, with the lunches we handed out Warm Bags, which contained lots of goodies that were donated by local companies. We collaborated with Tetbury Tesco’s who had a Giving Tree’ in-store, where they hung tags on the tree for customers to purchase a gift for someone who would not be receiving gifts on the day.

• Obtaining funding from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council for providing two separate sessions of Seated Fitness Classes at the Dolphins Hall.

• The committee remains committed to backing the Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust (TAYCT). Allocating a grant of £29,600.00 for youth provisions and £2,500.00 for holiday provisions to the Tetbury Area Youth Community Trust.

What challenges did the Committee/Working Group face and how have these been overcome?

• Advertising Events

• Foodbank referral process, but found a way to overcome this

What are the key priorities for the next ﬁnancial year?

• Continue working with Tetbury Area and Youth Community Trust and other partners to ensure our community are supported within the town

• Continue Christmas Dinner Incentive

Who do you want to thank for their support

Christmas Day Volunteers

Tesco and Co-op for their support with the Friendship Café, along with the volunteers

Close Hotel and Calcot - Christmas Lunches

To all those who contributed to the Warm Bags given with the Christmas Lunches

Grounds Team at Tetbury Town Council

Councillor Zowie

Baker Chair of Health Wellbeing and Youth

Planning Committee

What were the key achievements of the Committee/Working Group in the last year, including beneﬁts this brings to the town of Tetbury?

The committee reviews Planning and licensing applications as well as tree works on a monthly basis. Not only do the members review the detail of the applications, but they often visit the site to check out the impact a successful application would have on those nearby. Members also need to review any applications in relation to the stipulations of the Tetbury and Tetbury Upton Neighbourhood Plan.

What challenges did the Committee/Working Group face and how have these been overcome?

Cotswold District Council make the ﬁnal decision on all planning applications and we submit any comments we have to their committee. One problem we face is ensuring residents know what they have to obtain planning permission for tree works in a conservation area as well as the erection of sheds and so on in their gardens. This has become more complicated as residents are now bien charged by CDC for any advice given.

What are the key priorities for the next ﬁnancial year?

Our priority for the forthcoming year is to continue responding to planning applications in a timely and informative way, which can include how to make building alterations climate friendly by installing heat pumps, triple glazing and solar panels, where applicable.

Who do you want to thank for their support?

My thanks go to the planning committee for their attention to detail in their review of planning applications.

Councillor Judith Taylor Chair of Planning

New Picket Harper Allotment Association

New Picket Harper Allotment Association – Hampton Street

The Committee continued to meet on site during the spring/summer months and during the year the community orchard was moved, and it has been pleasing to see the number of heritage Gloucestershire varieties, particularly apples.

The Association’s funds have been projected for the next four years and rents have been held at last year’s level. During 2024, ﬁve plots become free and were re-let and nine people remain on the waiting list.

Storms have caused some damage and an electricity pole in the garden of a property in St Mary’s Road, had to be repaired by accessing via the allotment site.

The ﬁnal sheds will be replaced this coming year under the shed replacement programme.

Finally, I would like to thank the entire Committee for their hard work and particularly Charlie and Nigel, whose commitment to the Association makes a real diﬀerence.

Nikki Ind

Representative for Tetbury Town Council

Visitors Information Centre

One of the most notable events of the year was the relocation of the Visitor Information Centre. Due to the sale of our previous premises at 33 Church Street, the centre moved to the Town Council oﬃces at The Old Court House, 63 Long Street, on 31st March 2025. This move has allowed us to enhance our services and maintain our commitment to providing excellent information and support.

Peak Months: July and August were the busiest months.

The majority of visitors were from the UK, with a signiﬁcant number of international tourists from Europe and North America.

Provided detailed information on local attractions, accommodations, dining options, and events.

Supported and promoted local events, including the Tetbury Music Festival and the Christmas Market.

Strengthened ties with local businesses and community groups.

Enhanced our online presence through social media and the oﬃcial website.

Implemented eco-friendly practices, such as reducing paper usage and promoting local sustainable tourism options.

Continue to support local events and initiatives, insuring a vibrant community atmosphere.

Aim to further reduce our environmental footprint and promote sustainable tourism practices.

The Tetbury Visitor Information Centre has had a successful year, marked by growth and positive changes. We are committed to continuing our mission of providing valuable information and support to all visitors, ensuring that Tetbury remains a welcoming and vibrant destination.

Matthew, Sue and Victoria Visitor Information

Grounds Maintenance

One of the responsibilities that are carried out by the Town Councils ground team is maintaining the many grass areas in and around the town. The team works on a 6-week rota to ensure the areas are well-kept and visually appealing for residents and visitors.

The grounds team also assists Gloucestershire Highways and the many housing associations by maintaining their verges.

The grounds team performs seasonal tasks on areas owned by the Town Council. This year we have focused on Cookspool, replacing wooden fence posts near the Goods Shed and various fence repairs.

Colin Woodward, Grounds Foreman

Highways Working Group

What were the key achievements of the Committee/Working Group in the last year, including beneﬁts this brings to the town of Tetbury?

• The Traffic Regulation Order, Waiting / Loading / Stopping was signed off in April 2024 and became effective 9/5/24.

• The TRO was ﬁrst bought up by HWG in 2017 when HWG made its initial recommendations and the public consultation was done in 2018.

• Cllr Z Baker has volunteered to represent the council as Chair

• Cllr R Smith and newly Co-opted Cllr M Baker

What challenges did the Committee/Working Group face and how have these been overcome?

• In June 2024 it was noted that the TRO was still not complete, the NO Stopping Restrictions outside the Fire Station hadn’t been done however since Cllr Colin Pearce stood down from Chair of HWG the TRO has come oﬀ the agenda.

• Although the approval for Speed Indicator Signs in two locations in Tetbury has been given the two signs languish in a warehouse as the posts have not been done. These posts were to have been done by April 2024.

• Lately the HWG has dwindled in numbers and it has been diﬃcult to organise LW and SW with so few. An advert for volunteers was placed on Council Notice Boards, the V.I.C and Tetbury Advertiser however no interest shown.

What are the key priorities for the next ﬁnancial year?

• CCTV and Lorry Signs

• Traﬃc Restriction Orders

• Extend 30 MPH on Bath Bridge/Road to past the Whiteland’s development.

Who do you want to thank for their support?

The continued support of speed watch, lorry watch and highways volunteers.

Zowie Baker

Highways Working Group Councillor

HE OF THE PEACE FLAG

TETBURY TOWN COUNCIL

V E D A Y

PROCLAMAT A ION AT MARKET HOUSE

HISTORY

AT MARKET HOUSE

NAILSWORTH SILVER BAND AT TETBURY GOODS SHED

URY GO

TETBURY VE DAY DISPLAY

BELLS RING OUT IN CELEBRATION

RAISING AT URY TO CLAMA USE ORY OF PLAY ARKET S RING N SWOR

BRATIO RY

CELEBRATION SERVICE AT TETBURY

DS SHE

GOODS SHED

LIGHTING OF THE BEAC A ON AT TETBURY GOODS SHED

DS SHE

TING O TBURY

Ridgeway

Tetbury’s

Full

Pre

Memorial

Available

J O I N O U R R E W A R D S

P R O G R A M M E A N D E N J O Y

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