Hardwicke
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1 April 2020
COVID -19 Update from the County Council
(forwarded by Hardwicke Parish Council)
People shouldn't be referred to adult social care without their knowledge/consent. It is important the normal process for referrals is followed - details are available on the county council's website<https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care-information-advice-and-support/adult-social-care-helpdesk-enquiry-eform/ or by calling the adult helpdesk number 01452 426868 Mon to Friday. 8.30 to 5pm
* If you need help or someone you know does please visit the Community Help Hub. People can now register to the county's community help hub by calling 01452 583519 Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5pm, as well as online ahttps://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershires-community-help-hub/
IMPORTANT: People should only register if they need help now, not if they may need help in the future.
* Please follow the national advice rearing staying at home unless its absolutely necessary to go out for reason set out in the guidance - this will help manage the spread of Covid-19 and support the NHS and care sector to cope
* If you are a business and need advice and support, please go to the Government's dedicated web
* Please take time to look after your mental health - make sure you are keeping your mind and body active
* Remember to keep up the good handwashing and to catch sneezes and coughs in a tissue.
* A dedicated phone line and email address has been set up to help parents with all school related enquiries, including questions relating to Free School Meals. Tel: 01452 426015. Email
COVIDSchoolenquiries@gloucestershire.gov.uk<mailto:COVIDSchoolenquiries@gloucestershire.gov.uk
31 March 2020
Gloucestershire County Council latest news update
Gloucestershire councils have pulled together to get support to those who are most in need. Residents, charities and businesses have come forward in incredible numbers with over 2,000 already signed up to support.
31 March 2020
Could you be one of the crucial key workers helping to keep vulnerable people safe?
As Covid-19 prompts more workers to self isolate, the council is launching a fast track recruitment programme to recruit care workers who are crucial in keeping our county’s most vulnerable people safe.
Gloucestershire County Council, as part of its Proud to Care offering has developed a fast track recruitment programme to help care providers fill a number of flexible, temporary and permanent paid roles, which means successful applicants could be making a difference to someone’s life in a matter of days.
The adult social care sector already faces a shortage of staff and it is estimated that 15 percent of the workforce are currently not able to support frontline service delivery because of self-isolation measures.
Working in social care is incredibly varied, challenging and rewarding, where every day is different and most people don’t realise that the skills they’ve developed and values they hold, can be transferred to a successful career in care.
The council is encouraging everyone who wants to make a difference, to talk to the team about opportunities in care.
Choose one of these options to get in touch and a member of the team will give you a call:
Interviews will take place by telephone and online.
Kathy Williams, cabinet member for adult social care at Gloucestershire County Council said: “More than ever before, we need people to help support our county’s most vulnerable. We are looking for individuals who want to be part of the incredible work being done to support vulnerable adults across the county during this incredibly challenging time.
“I know from personal experience as a nurse just how rewarding it is to support people and I would encourage people to apply. You don’t need to have previous experience, just a natural flair for helping people, as full training will be provided.”
27/03/2020
Changes to bus timetables
In light of the Covid-19 crisis and following the government’s advice to limit non-essential travel, temporary changes to bus services are being introduced from Monday 30 March.
Stagecoach
Cheltenham
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly service in the evenings. Sunday service to be confirmed.
B - Charlton Kings to Cheltenham
Hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly service in the evenings. Sunday service remains hourly.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly service in the evenings. Sunday service is every 30 minutes.
D/E - Bishops Cleeve to Hatherley & Warden Hill
Every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly in the evenings. Sunday service to be confirmed.
F - Cheltenham to Leckhampton & Coronation Square
Hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime.
Hourly service Monday to Sunday daytime.
N - Noverton Park to Cheltenham
Hourly service Monday to Saturday. All buses will call at both Buttercross Lane and Desert Orchid Road.
Remains an hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime. No Sunday service.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday, hourly in the evenings. Sundays to be confirmed.
Hourly service Monday to Sunday daytime.
51 - Swindon to Cirencester & Cheltenham
Every 2 hours on a Monday to Sunday.
66 - Stonehouse to Cheltenham via Stroud
Every 2 hours Monday to Sunday
93 - Arle Court Park & Ride to Cheltenham
This service will no longer be running. However, the 94 will instead serve Arle Court Park & Ride. Please see below.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday daytime, every 30 minutes evening service. We will not be running the 94X.
94U - Cheltenham to Gloucester
From the 23rd March, we'll be running an hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime.
97/98 - Cheltenham to Gloucester
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly in the evenings and on Sundays.
Forest of Dean & Herefordshire
22/23 - Coleford to Gloucester via Cinderford & Lydney
Every 2 hours Monday to Sunday
33 - Gloucester to Ross-on-Wye & Hereford
Every 2 hours Monday to Sunday
Some return journeys have been removed.
Some return journeys have been removed.
Gloucester
Every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly in the evenings and every 20 minutes on a Sunday.
2/2A - Upton St Leonards to Gloucester
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly in the evenings and every 30 minutes on a Sunday.
Minor changes to the usual timetable.
8 - Brockworth to Waterwells Park & Ride & Hunts Grove
Every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday. Hourly service in the evenings. This service will also be extending to Hunt's Grove from 19 April 2020.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday, hourly in the evenings.
10 - Tuffley to Gloucester and Cheltenham
Every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday, hourly in the evenings. Sundays to be confirmed.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday, hourly in the evenings.
Minor changes to the usual timetable.
Minor changes to the usual timetable.
Every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday daytime, every 30 minutes evening service. This service will now stop at Arle Court Park & Ride.
94U - Gloucester to Cheltenham
From the 23rd March, we'll be running an hourly service Monday to Saturday daytime.
97/98 - Gloucester to Cheltenham
Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly in the evenings and on Sundays.
351 - Gloucester to Tewkesbury
Minor changes to the usual timetable.
Stroud
61 - Bussage to Woodmancote via Stroud
Hourly between Bussage & Stroud Monday to Saturday. Every 2 hours between Stroud & Woodmancote.
63 - Forest Green to Gloucester via Stroud
Hourly on Monday to Sunday
64 - Stroud to Gloucester via Stonehouse
Hourly on Monday to Sunday
66 - Stonehouse to Cheltenham via Stroud
Every 2 hours Monday to Sunday
Every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday.
620 - Old Sodbury, Yate & Pucklechurch to Bath
One journey removed from normal service.
Pulhams & Son
Service 801 - Moreton-in-Marsh – Stow-on-the-Wold – Bourton-on-the-Water – Northleach – Andoversford – Cheltenham Royal Well. Operating a reduced timetable from 28March until further notice.
All other Gloucestershire services are currently operating a normal timetable.
Cotswold Green
Service 54/54a/X54 Stroud – Cirencester. Currently operating a school holiday timetable until further notice. All other services operating normal timetable at the moment.
Hedgehog The North Cotswold Community Bus: all bus services are suspended until further notice
The Villager Community Bus: all bus services are suspended until further notice
ENDS
Issued by: Communications team, Gloucestershire County Council, 01452 427554, communications@gloucestershire.gov.uk
27 March 2020
Scam Alert
There have been some reports of scammers operating in your area
and its something we’ll continue to monitor and keep you updated
on.
In the meantime, here’s some advice from Action Fraud on
Coronavirus related scams they’ve seen reported so far across the
country:
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/coronavirus-scam-costs-victims-over-800k-in-one-month
The message sent out from Trading Standards yesterday also
contained useful information regarding scams. More information can
be found here
https://www.nationaltradingstandards.uk/news/beware-of-covid19-scams/
Sent on Behalf of PS Ash Shingler
Message Sent By
Bob Lloyd (Police, Neighbourhood Watch Officer,
Gloucestershire)
26 March 2020
COVID 19 - Gloucestershire Community Hub
The community hub for Gloucestershire is now up and running. It will be available on 01452 583519, Monday to Friday between 8:30-5pm. You can also access it via this link:
https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershires-community-help-hub/
Please can you register anyone who urgently requires help in the next
4-5 days. Can you also ask any community groups, Individuals or businesses to pledge their support if this is something they have requested.
Dear readers,
Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus we are unable to deliver April’s Hardwicke Matters magazine.
Asking our distributors and deliverers to go out would be against government advice and I am sure that some of you do not want a non-essential item arriving through their letter box, which is quite understandable.
As the magazine has been printed, we would hope to deliver as soon as it is deemed safe to do so even if that turns out to be in May.
Stay Safe
Editor
25/03/2020
24 March 2020
Gloucestershire’s Councils and partners have created a community help hub to connect local people who need help, with others who can provide the support they need.
As further measures are put in place to delay the spread of Covid-19, local people Have already started to pull together to arrange help in their area for those who need it, but not everyone has existing connections.
In response, the councils across the county have come together with the police and health partners to create the hub to connect local people who need help, with individual, groups and businesses who can provide the support they need.
The hub includes four forms:
‘I can offer help’ – is for those people who are able to support neighbours with tasks such as picking up prescriptions, shopping, dog walking and more
‘I need help’ – can be used by individuals to ask for help
‘My neighbour needs help’ – may be used by people to request help on behalf of a neighbour, relative or friend who cannot access the internet themselves
‘My business can help’ – will allow local businesses who may have skills and resources other could benefit from, to offer their help
The information collected will be shared with the relevant local council who will connect people who can help each other, or if appropriate refer individuals to an existing service.
Residents are encouraged to share details of the community help hub on social media using the hashtag #GlosCommunity.
The hub will be accessible from every district council website, and from the county council’s website at https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/helphub
Please pass this information on to anyone who may not have access to the internet as they may wish to contact their local district council.
Text messages are also being sent out by the Government with the following texts:
“GOV.UK CORONAVIRUS ALERT New rules in force now; YOU MUST STAY AT HOME. More info & exemptions at gov.uk/coronavirus
Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.”
This message is genuine.
This is the end of the message.
24 March 2020
An Update from Chief Constable
Rod Hansen
“Firstly I want to thank everyone for their continued support
through these unprecedented times which we are all facing
together.
“The new measures announced by the Prime Minister yesterday to
increase social distancing and stay at home have been put in place
to save lives and protect the NHS. They are there to protect you
and I’d urge you all to please comply with them.
“We’re working around the clock to understand what the legislation
will mean, and we’ll share this with you in due course. In the
meantime, there will be more visible policing across the county in
support of the Prime Minister’s directive, ready to respond when
needed, to help keep Gloucestershire safe and, I hope, to provide
reassurance.
“Please help us find our way through this – given the extraordinary
community spirit we’ve already seen throughout this fast moving
situation, I hope we have your cooperation.
“As a police service, we have a duty to protect life and support
the Government and our partners in health agencies in the fight
against this pandemic.
“The message I have given to my staff is that we will focus on
policing by consent, working with people. Enforcement should be a
last resort as we hope people will listen and cooperate. I have
however let all my staff know that they have my full backing when
they do exercise legal authority if the circumstances require and
justify it.
“Please do follow the advice, stay at home and help us to help the
national effort. I am grateful for your patience and continued
support during these times of great uncertainty.
“Please be reassured that we are still here if you need us for an
emergency, however overnight we had numerous calls to our Force
Control Room asking what these new measures mean.
“I must stress that it is vital our emergency 999 and non-emergency
101 phone lines are kept free to deal with crime related
issues.
“When we have the answers, we will share these with you through our
numerous channels including social media, on our website and
through Your Community Alerts (www.yourcommunityalerts.co.uk) – a free messaging
service where you can sign up to receive emails.
“If you are a victim of crime please continue to report it online
at www.gloucestershire.police.uk,
using 101, or in an emergency, 999 – and we will respond as
normal.
“You can also keep up to date with information and advice
on www.gov.uk/coronavirus and
locally from our partners at Gloucestershire County Council where a
community help hub has been set up for those who need support or
can offer help https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershires-community-help-hub/
“Once again thank you for your continued support and please help
us, cooperate with us and lets all do everything we can to save
lives and protect the NHS."
24 March 2020
This advice was forwarded by Gloucestershire Police, Neighbourhood Watch Officer using the Gloucestershire Community Alerts System.
23/03/2020
Citizens Advice Stroud & Cotswold
Attendance Allowance
This is a benefit that helps with extra costs if you have an illness or disability, either physical or mental or both, and severe enough to require someone else to help you with your personal care needs. You can make a claim for Attendance Allowance if you have reached State Pension age or are older, and it is normally payable after six months of needing the care. It is paid at one of two rates, £58.70 or £87.65 per week, depending on your care needs. Attendance Allowance is tax-free and not means-tested, which means your income and savings will not affect the level you may be entitled to.
You do not need to have someone actually caring for you in order to make a claim. The claim form can be obtained from the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 by providing your contact details. Please note that the form is complicated and lengthy and you may wish to get advice and help before completing it. If you would like more advice on this or other matters please contact Stroud Citizens Advice weekdays 10 am to 4 pm on Freephone: 0808 800 0510. Further information can also be found at www.citizensadvice.org.uk and then search for attendance allowance.
Please note that following national guidance on Covid-19 Citizens Advice Stroud has closed its face to face services at all offices and outreaches, but will continue to operate a phone and email service. If you need advice please do contact by phone
0808 800 0510, or email by using the email advice page on our website:
https://www.citizensadvice-stroudandcotswold.org.uk/stroud-cab-email-advice.php
21/03/2020
Covid19 Doorstep Scam
There has been an emerging trend of criminals taking advantage
of the COVID19 Virus.
Reports include people visiting homes posing as volunteers,police
officers and Welfare officials in an effort to gain entry to homes
of elderly and vulnerable people and steal items.
Tactics include offering fake services, and help with chores and
shopping.
Please encourage residents to be vigilant and check all
credentials.
Source neighbourhoodalert.co.uk Commuity alerts
20/03/2020
CRONONAVIRUS Where To Find Advice
You can keep up to date with information and advice about Coronavirus on 111.nhs.uk and https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
Last updated 19/03/2020 16:00
EVENTS CANCELLED DUE TO CRONONAVIRUS
Household Recycling Centres Closed
Following the announcement by the Prime Minister on the evening of Monday 23 March that everyone should stay at home to save lives, we have closed all household waste recycling centres with immediate effect.
Recycling centres will not open from Tuesday 24 March onwards, for an indefinite period. Visiting recycling centres is not included in the reasons for leaving home.
All households should make full use of their kerbside waste collection service, which your local council is making every effort to keep operational for your recycling, green and food waste and general waste.
Help if we Can
Dear all
All Help if we Can events have now been postponed. This includes our 12th visit to the Menin Gate in May.
We are working on something big for when this is all over.
Steve Smith
Chairman of Help if we Can
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
St Nicholas Parish Church Hardwicke
All routine church services are cancelled on advice of Archbishops. We are likely to open the church on each Sunday for a limited discreet period of personal prayer for anyone but with no service or Eucharist. The church notice board (on the road) will be kept up to date with times etc etc
Andrew
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 2020
Reflection on our times
Crikey. Normal times, remember them?
If we try to find a positive, this virus has reminded us of the important things in life.
It has taught us how vulnerable we are.
How to not take anything for granted.
It has taught us how everybody and everything is connected to each other.
And how much we all need each other.
It is acting like one giant pause button, and getting us to reflect on our collective treadmills.
There will be good to come out of tough times.
It might not always feel like it, but we are hard-wired to help each other.
Communities will come together.
Amazing people will work out how to help others.
The human spirit will shine through.
Stay safe.
Now go wash your hands.
Thanks to our very own Chris Edwards
March 2020
Hardwicke Matters - Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting will be held in the small lounge of
Hardwicke Village Hall on Tuesday
14th April 2020 at 7.00 pm. Come and
vote on your officers and committee for the next year and hear
about our achievements during the past year. We shall also be
looking at the accounts for the past 12 months. It’s not a long
meeting but we value your input and any ideas you have for the
magazine.
NOW CANCELLED
March 2020
Hunts Grove Community
On the 1st April 2020 Hunts Grove will become a separate Parish with its own Parish Council.
Following consultation with Hunts Grove Residents Association, Hardwicke Matters Committee have agreed to continue including Hunts Grove in its magazine distribution for the immediate future. The financial implications will be closely monitored to ensure its viability.
April 2020
April 2020
A different Kind of Easter egg - from Google
Easter eggs are hidden features or messages, inside jokes, and cultural references inserted into media. They are often well hidden, so that users find it gratifying when they discover them, helping form bonds between their creators and finders. Google's employees are encouraged to use 20% of their time for projects of personal interest, and Easter eggs are sometimes created during this.
Google avoids adding Easter eggs to popular search pages, as they do not want to negatively impact usability.
Q: Alexa/Google, drop a beat
Q: Alexa/Google, open the pod bay doors
Q: Alexa/Google, I am your father
Q: Alexa/Google, how old are you?
Q: Alexa/Google, do you know Siri?
Q: Alexa/Google, do you know the muffin man?
Q: Alexa/Google, do you have any pets?
Q: Alexa/Google, What is the value of pi?
Q: Alexa/Google, rap for me?
Q: Alexa/Google, what is the meaning of life?
Q: Alexa/Google, roll a dice?
Q: Alexa/Google, Sing a song?
Q: Alexa/Google, beam me up
Q: Alexa/Google, are we in the Matrix?
Q: Alexa/Google, never gonna give you up
Q: Alexa/Google, testing
Q: Alexa/Google, who farted?
Q: Alexa/Google, why did the chicken cross the road?”
Q: Alexa/Google, Self-destruct
April 2020
FUSION – Hardwicke Church Youth group for children aged 11 to 18
Fusion is suspended indefinately due to coronavirus
Gloucester Journal. December 1,1906.
TO LET, from 25th December, Church House, Hardwicke, four bedrooms;
large productive garden, large greenhouse, stable, barn, cider and
mill-house, piggeries, orchard attached, three acres choice fruit
trees.—Apply Ralph Ellis, 1, Sutton Road, Kidderminster
NOTE TO ADVERTISERS and CORRESPONDENTS - Data Protection Statement
All personal data is held securely by Hardwicke Matters. Data will be treated confidentially and will not be disclosed to external organisations. The data will only be used for Hardwicke Matters business. You have the right to view, amend or delete any of your personal information we hold. Requests to do this must be made by email or in writing addressed to the editor and dropped off in the box at the Tesco Express on Elmgrove Road East, or Westbourne News on Westbourne Drive, Alternatively. Please send E-mails to
editor@hardwickematters.co.uk The Hardwicke Matters Data Protection Policy conforms to the The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018.
April 2020
What do you call a dog with a fever? A hot dog
Why do golfers wear 3 pairs of pants? In case they get a hole-in-one
Thank you for the giggles Freddie. Anyone else fancy sharing
some giggles?
April 2020
From Our MP
It is a pleasure to prepare my first contribution to Hardwicke
Matters as your new Member of Parliament sat in my little office in
the Palace of Westminster. I have a window (which is apparently a
great honour not always afforded to new Members) that should allow
me to look across the Palace roof but it is shrouded in stacks of
scaffolding!
These first 2.5 months have been a whirlwind of settling into the
job while also organising offices and staff. We now have an office
on King Street in Stroud and I have been conducting regular weekly
surgeries that are packed weeks in advance. If you would like to
see me about a local matter or you want to raise something, please
do not hesitate to contact me at
Siobhan.baillie.mp@parliament.uk
In Westminster, we held the budget today. I had breakfast with the
new Chancellor last week and having listened to his ambition for
the country, despite the difficult circumstances of the global
Coronavirus issues, I was not surprised the budget is so bold. I
warmly welcome his focus on infrastructure, fuel duty freeze,
alcohol duty freezes to help our pubs, business rate reductions and
tax cuts for around 2.5 million people in the South West, lifting
104,000 people out of paying National Insurance contributions
altogether. I have been personally campaigning for Further
Education colleges like SGS Stroud so the large funding boost for
colleges is excellent.
We will include more information about my local and
Westminster work on my website
www.SiobhanBaillie.org.uk
With kind regards
Siobhan Baillie MP for Stroud, the Valleys and the
Vale
The Citizen. August 10. 1897
Wanted, respectable young Man to milk and make himself generally useful – Apply Miss Sparrow, Hardwicke, near Gloucester.
April 2020
Gloucester Citizen. September 27, 1933.
FETE AT Hardwicke By the combined efforts of the Hardwicke
G.F.S., Friendly Committee, Football, Cricket, and Ladies Hockey
clubs, a garden fete was held at Hardwicke Court (by kind
permission of Miss O. Lloyd Baker) and the sum of £22 was raised in
aid of the Bishop's Appeal Fund.
April 2020
23rd April – St Georges Day…who was he?
Saint George's Day is traditionally celebrated on 23rd April in many countries including England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Catalonia. Several states, cities, universities, professions and organisations claim Saint George as their patron. So who is he? George of Lydda was a soldier of Cappadocian Greek origins, a member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian. He was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. He died on 23rd April 303. He became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity, especially as a military saint, since the Crusades. In hagiography (the writing of the lives of saints) St George is immortalised in the legend of Saint George and the Dragon.
The legend of Saint George and the Dragon tells of Saint George taming and slaying a dragon that demanded human sacrifices. The full legend is in The Golden Legend; or, Lives of the Saints a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Varagine. The legend was first set in Cappadocia around 11th and 12th centuries, but transferred to Libya in the 13th-century Golden Legend. Apparently George came across the city of Silene in Libya where a dragon was poisoning all the country. The city gave the dragon two sheep every day so that he would do no harm to the people. When they ran out of sheep, the children and young people of the town were chosen by lottery to feed the dragon. Whoever the lot fell upon was delivered to the dragon. One time the lot fell upon the king's daughter. The king had his daughter dressed like a bride, embraced and kissed her, then left her for the dragon.
Saint George happened by and asked what she was doing.
She told him the story and George said, "Fair daughter, doubt
not, for I shall help you in the name of Jesus Christ." The dragon
appeared and came running toward them. Saint George, drew his
sword; made the sign of the cross; then rode his horse swiftly
toward the dragon. He struck the dragon with his spear, injuring
him severely. The maiden led the meek dragon into the city, and the
people fled in fear. Saint George said to them, "Doubt not. Believe
in God and Jesus Christ, and be baptized, and I shall slay the
dragon." Fifteen thousand men were baptized, not counting women and
children, whereupon Saint George killed the dragon and cut off his
head. The king established a church there in honour of Our Lady and
of Saint George.
So there you go...the real George, and the legend of St
George.
April 2020
This month in History
1 April 1662 Royal Society of London founded
3 April 1721 Robert Walpole became the first Prime
Minister of Britain.
2 April 1801 Admiral Horatio Nelson defiantly
ignores orders to withdraw his forces and proceeds to sink the
Danish fleet off its home port of Copenhagen.
6 April 1199 Richard I (the Lion-Heart) of England
dies from an infected wound
7 April 1739 Highwaymen Dick Turpin hanged in
York.
8 April 1838 Brunel’s steamship Great Western left Bristol on her maiden voyage to Boston.
10 April 1633 Bananas, never seen before in
England, went on sale in a London shop.
11 April 1689 The joint coronation of William III,
Prince of Orange and his wife Mary II
12 April 1606 The Union Flag becomes the official flag of Britain.
13 April 1919 British troops fire into a
crowd of 10,000 Sikhs. 379 people were killed and 1,200 wounded in
the Holy City of Amritsar, India.
14 April 1983 The first cordless telephone went on sale in Britain.
16 April 1746 Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince
Charlie) was defeated at the Battle of Culloden Moor in
Scotland.
17 April 1969 The voting age in Britain was
lowered from 21 to 18.
22 April 1838 The first steamship to cross the Atlantic arrived in New York; the crossing took 18 days.
23 April 1616 Death of William Shakespeare,
playwright and poet, aged 52.
24 April 1858 The biggest bell in the world, Big
Ben, is finally ready for hanging in the clock tower of Westminster
Palace, London
.
25 April 1915 In World War I, over 70,000 Australian, New Zealand and British troops met fierce resistance from Turkish forces as they landed at Gallipoli.
28 April 1770 English naval explorer James Cook
arrived in Botany Bay, Australia.
30 April 1945 In his hideaway bunker in Berlin,
Adolf Hitler shoots himself
April 2020
Easter 2020
In Christianity, Holy Week is the last week of Lent and the week just before Easter. This year Sun, 5 Apr 2020 – Sat, 11 Apr 2020. Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday – are all included but Easter Day begins the season of Eastertide.
Easter day is 12th April 2020, so what decides the Easter date?
In AD 325 the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox. The date of Easter Sunday can thus fall between March 22 and April 25.
The next time the holiday will be this late is 2030.
There are some modern traditions to mark Easter which are very common - such as Easter eggs, the Easter bunny and chocolate. According to many sources the Easter egg, can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia before it
spreading into Russia and Siberia through the Orthodox Churches; and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches. But originally eating eggs was not allowed bychurch leaders during Holy Week. Any eggs laid that week were saved and decorated to make them Holy Week eggs, that were then given to children as gifts.
Victorians adapted the tradition with satin-covered cardboard eggs filled with Easter gifts before developing into the tradition that many people enjoy today.
The first chocolate eggs appeared in France and Germany in the 19th Century. They were bitter and hard but as chocolate-making techniques improved, hollow eggs like the ones we have today were developed. They very quickly became popular and remain a favourite tradition with chocolate lovers today.
The story of the Easter Bunny is thought to have become common in the 19th Century.
Due to their large litters of kitten, rabbits became a symbol of new life. Legend has it that the Easter Bunny lays, decorates and hides eggs as they are also a symbol of new life. This is why some children might enjoy Easter egg hunts as part of the festival. It doesn't do all the work alone though!
In Switzerland, Easter eggs are delivered by a cuckoo and in parts of Germany by a fox.
CLOSING DATES FOR ARTICLES
2020
For these months articles need to be submitted by
Any changes to adverts should be sent in by 1st of the month
April 2020
Stroud News and Gloucester County Advertiser.
May 6. 1904
An exciting incident occurred Friday last in the villages of
Hardwicke, Epney, Framilode, and Whitminster; fourteen boys having
escaped from the Hardwicke Reformatory. The fact became generally
known, and the keepers, assisted by villagers, were soon in search
for the missing lads. Eventually their efforts were attended with
success, as by ten o’clock the whole of the gang was re-captured.
The majority were found at Monk’s Hill, but two wandered in the
direction of Saul, and were seen making a quick march for the Walk
Bridge. Subsequently both were caught at Whitminster. Two others
were discovered at Epney, which completed the missing
number.
April 2020
Spinavita Chiropractic Clinic – INSIGHTS
This month our topic is pregnancy and the physical changes that a
mother goes through. During the first trimester the baby is
protected by the mothers boney pelvis and amniotic fluid. As the
baby grows the mothers spine, muscles and ligaments add support. It
is really important that these are all in balance and alignment in
order for mother and baby to grow comfortably. It can be common for
women to experience a moderate amount of discomfort during
pregnancy, this is due to the changes that take place. In
particular the stresses placed on the pelvis to prepare for birth.
Keeping moderately active during pregnancy is really important.
Regular, light movement of the body will help to keep the pelvis
and surrounding muscles relaxed. If you’re a desk worker ensure you
take regular breaks and you might need to modify your position and
desk set up to accommodate your postural changes. Pain medications
are often avoided or not an option during pregnancy, Chiropractic
offers a safe, natural option to managing the aches and pains often
experienced during pregnancy. Gentle Chiropractic adjustments help
to provide balance to the pelvis as it adapts to pregnancy.
Ensuring the pelvis is balanced it allows more room for the baby to
move and shift position to grow and develop and in preparation for
birth To find out more visit our webpage www.spinavita.co.uk for
the full article.
April 2020
'Hardwicke Matters’ Matters
Hardwicke Matters Contact Details
Letters, notices, articles, queries and other communications can be forwarded to Hardwicke Matters by
• email to editor@hardwickematters.co.uk
• placing written communications a sealed envelopelabelled ‘For Hardwicke Matters’ in one of the drop-boxesin Tesco on Elmgrove Road East or Westbourne News onWestland Road.
• for advertising only, telephone Valerie Lockley on 07597 337854 or email advertising @hardwickematers.co.uk
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Distributors Needed
Hardwicke Matters is currently seeking volunteers to spare an hour or so each month to deliver magazines in the Hunts Grove area.
This is an important link in the delivery
chain and if you would like to volunteer, Please contact Peter Hill
on Tel: 07578 364686 or email:
distributor@hardwickematters.co.uk
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Whilst Hardwicke Matters welcomes articles of interest, it reserves the right to reject or amend items offered for publication.
Wherever possible, articles should be no longer than 500 words
unless intended for serialisation.
Hardwicke Matters takes no responsibility for views expressed by
contributors and does not endorse any products or services
advertised.
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The data will only be used for Hardwicke Matters business.
You have the right to view, amend or delete any of your personal information we hold.
Requests must be made by email to editor@hardwickematters.co.uk or in writing to the editor (see below)
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March 2020
Gloucestershire residents can recycle more according to survey
Gloucestershire residents can and should reduce, reuse and recycle more after a study of ‘black bag’ waste showed recyclable materials like paper, clothes and food waste are ending up in landfill or the Gloucestershire energy from waste facility – Javelin Park.
The current county recycling level is 50%, but as a county we need to do better to protect the environment and deal with our waste more sustainably to improve the environment. All district councils offer kerbside recycling services, which the county council helps to fund and most residents live within easy reach of a household recycling centre. This means recycling is easy and accessible for most people. The county council aims to hit a 70% recycling rate eventually – and has made it clear that, if this isn’t achieved, the Javelin Park facility risks being too small for all of Gloucestershire’s predicted black bag waste. Cllr. Nigel Moor, cabinet member for environment and planning said “We work hard with our district council partners to promote and increase recycling rates, but we need residents to work with us to reduce waste and push our recycling rates up even higher. This will ensure we continue to have the capacity to process black bag waste and more importantly, keep up the our fight against climate change. He continued “Without Javelin Park this waste would be landfilled, creating CO2 contributing to climate change so as a ‘treatment’ method of ‘black bag’ waste it’s a better option. However, this survey shows there is still scope for Gloucestershire residents to help us do more.” To find out how residents can reduce, reuse and recycle there is plenty of information available at www.recycleforgloucestershire.com
The full report on the composition of ‘black bag’ (residual waste) is available here.
April 2020
Cheltenham Chronicle. February, 17.1923.
SMART CAPTURE BY HARDWICKE CONSTABLE
About 8 clock on Saturday night P,C. Barnfield, of Hardwicke met
a stranger wheeling a bicycle on the Bristol-road. His demeanour
aroused the constable’s suspicions and he hailed him and questioned
his bona fides. He asked him if the cycle was his property, and he
admitted that it was not and that he had stolen it from outside the
Town Hall at Hereford. The man. who gave his name as Francis
Charles Mitchell, was therefore taken into custody and later handed
over to the police at Hereford.
Please
April 2020
April Births
2nd 1914 Sir Alec Guinness
3rd 1367 King Henry IV
4th 1823 Sir William Siemens
6th 1906 Sir John Betjeman
7th 1770 William Wordsworth
9th 1806 Isambard Kingdom Brunel
10th 1512 King James V of Scotland
12th 1941 Bobby Moore
14th 1904 Sir John Gielgud
16th 1889 Charlie Chaplin
18th 1958 Malcolm Marshall
20th 1889 Adolf Hitler
21th 1816 Charlotte Bronte
23th 1564 William Shakespeare
24th 1906 William Joyce, ‘Lord Haw-Haw’
25th 1599 Oliver (Old Warty) Cromwell
26th 1894 Rudolf Hess
28th 1442 Edward IV
March 2020
So...how Do we do it?
Some readers may wonder how we manage to deliver the magazine regularly to your post box every month? Well it starts with one of our volunteers collecting all 2500+ copies from the printers on the third or fourth Wednesday of the month. Prepacked boxes of the magazines are distributed to a number of volunteer distributors who in turn deliver ‘batches’ of magazines to the deliverers. Each deliverer covers an area of the Parish and delivers the magazine to each doorstep in their area. They aim to get the magazine to your doorstep not later the first of each month.
We could not do this without our dedicated team of over fifty volunteers who give up their time every month to ensure that you get your copy.
The Hardwicke Matters Committee are extremely proud of, and grateful to, our team of distributors and deliverers.
April 2020
Hardwicke Parish Council
Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday
March 2nd 2020
Present
Cllr John Perkin (Chair)
Cllr Mark Ryder
Cllr Fran Welbourne
Cllr Darren Morris
Cllr Jill Brearley
Cllr Graham Brearley
In attendance
District Councillor, Gill Oxley,
County Councillor Stephen Davies,
Three representatives from Redrow
31/20 Apologies
Apologies were received from Cllrs Denise Powell and Demelza
Turner-Wilkes
32/20 Declarations of interest
There were none declared
33/20 Public Consultation
There were no matters raised
34/20 Redrow
Emma Powell, on behalf of Redrow, attended the meeting to advise
the Parish Council of their submission to the Stroud District
Council Local Plan Review. It was stated that Redrow acknowledged
that Hardwicke’s NDP did not support further development in the
Village and that the Parish Council’s response to the review
reiterated the policies within its NDP.
Under the protocol of dealing with developers, which required
developers to consult with Parish and Town Councils, Redrow advised
the Parish Council of its proposed future development for land (on
which it had ‘options’) within Hardwicke. Copies of the proposals
were presented and discussed with Parish Councillors.
It was noted that the timescale for the Local Plan Review was that
the district council would be presenting its final review to a
meeting of full council around July time and that the revised plan
would be presented to the Planning Inspector. The Planning
Inspectorate would then undertake an ‘examination in public’ which
would possibly commence in late 2021.
Emma Powell said that Redrow would be happy to present their
proposals to a future public meeting which could be held after the
local elections.
Resolved; to note the presentation and thank Redrow for
their attendance
Further information about the Review is held on the district
council website www.stroud.gov.uk
35/20 Minutes of Previous Meeting
The Minutes of the meeting held on February 3rd 2020 were approved and signed by the Chair
Resolved to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on
February end 2020
36/20 County Councillor and District Councillor
Reports County Councillor Stephen Davies gave an update on
a number of items 97% of students had been offered their preferred
places at secondary school.
Repairs to the ditch wall in Church Lane had been delayed due to voles nesting in the area
The damaged drain in Green Lane, near to The Planation required further investigation
A
bus service to Hunts Grove would commence on April 1st
District Councillor Gill Oxley reported that she had received a
number of complaints about fly-tipping and the Youth Forum had said
that they would like to undertake an anti-litter
campaign.
At
Stroud District Council a new working group of Members and officers
had been set up to deliver carbon neutral by 2030. Resolved
to note the reports
37/20 Planning Applications
The
following Planning Application was considered by the Council
S.20/0273/DISCON Hunts Grove, Land at Colethrop
Lane Resolved; No Objections
38/20 Land Transfers
The Chair presented the report and offer from Stroud District Council to transfer to the Parish Council open spaces, currently by the District Council. As part of the transfer the district council would continue to undertake the maintenance and grass cutting of the areas for a period of three years. The areas would be transferred to the Parish Council who then hold the full freehold. The additional requirement would be that if the parish council should. At some future point decide to develop an area then the District would receive 50% of any sale price. Parish Councillors wanted to have an estimate of the costs of maintenance after the three year period. Members did agree in principle to the offer subject to be clear on future costs.
Resolved; to agree in principle to the transfer subject to
the estimate of future maintenance costs and for the Chair and
Clerk to seek a further meeting with the district council to
clarify future cost information
39/20 Finance Report
The Clerk presented the finance report for the period ending February 29th 2020 and the schedule of monthly payments. Resolved; to approve the report
40/20 Local Council Elections
Members were advised of the time frame for the local elections and the requirements for completing nomination papers. It was noted that the formal notice of election would be announced on March 23rd and that nomination papers were available from the Clerk for Hardwicke and Hunts Grove Parish Councils
Resolved; to note the report
41/20 Family Fun Day
Darren Morris gave an update on the preparations for the day and the list of groups and stallholders to be invited. The Chair confirmed that he had spoken to a number of groups who had agreed to attend
Resolved; It was confirmed that the Family Fun Day would be
held on Saturday June 20th from 12.00 to 4.00 and that the Chair of
the Parish Council, the Vice Chair of the Village Hall Committee,
Cllr Darren Morris and the Clerk to the Parish Council form a
working group to manage the event.
42/20 Parish Councillor and Lead Member
Reports
Cllr Mark Ryder reported that a lot of work had been put into the
recent planning applications for Hunts Grove; in particular, the
response to the Neighbourhood Centre. Over 140 objections to the
changes had been lodged with the planning authority. He confirmed
that, with the support of Cllr Gill Oxley the application had been
‘called in’ to the Development Control Committee. There were still
incidents of construction traffic entering the development through
Waterwells Drive instead of the recently opened access road.
Cllr Darren Morris gave a report on the project on Mental Health
‘Marshalling Men’s Health’ that was being delivered at the Village
Hall. The organiser and provider had submitted a grant application
for £295 which would cover the cost of hiring and the proviso of
materials. Members supported the application and noted the
invaluable work being delivered.
Cllr Graham Brearley gave an update on the condition of the Shorn
Brook; Graham had met with an officer from the Environment Agency
and was unable to identify a specific problem, it had been noted
that there was less water flowing down stream. Graham also reported
that a broken tree in Church Lane had branches leaning against a BT
Cable.
The Chair, Cllr John Perkin reported that one of the newly planted
trees had been damaged; John had retied the tree to protect
it.
The
Chair reported that there had been a significant increase in dog
fouling in the area, particularly along the footpaths/ pavements.
The Clerk was asked to speak to the Dog Warden to request more
signs be put up and patrols to be undertaken.
Meeting Closed at 21.10
April 2020
Gloucester Journal. April 11 1914
A very pleasant smoking concert took place at the Morning Star,
Hardwicke on Friday evening, when Mr. C. Branham was made the
recipient of a pipe and pouch, subscribed to by friends in the
district. Mr. Wiltshire made the presentation and in doing so said
they were all very sorry to lose Mr. Branham, but at the same time
wished him the best of luck. Mr Branham suitably replied. The
remainder of the evening was devoted to harmony.
April 2020
These events are postponed indefinately due to coronavirus. The advert is included for support through media
April 2020
In Gloucester this month.....
Here are a few random events that happened in the Gloucester area in years gone by:
3rd April 1867 - Charles Dickens gave one of his famous readings at the Theatre Royal, Gloucester. He read one of his short stories, and an extract from “Pickwick Papers”. A press reporter was of the opinion that Dickens “was somewhat lacking in power as a reader”.
4th April 1942 - German bombers attacked the Gloucester Aircraft Company’s works in Brockworth and Hucclecote. The raid took place at about 4 p.m. when many people were about in the open. The damage was extensive – houses and the factories were hit – and 18 people were killed, and over 100 injured.
8th April 1941 - The first
British Jet aeroplane did a taxi run and several short “hops” at
the Hucclecote works. The aircraft engine was designed by Frank
Whittle. The aircraft was converted to a fighter plane and made its
first flight at Cranwell, Lincolnshire, in May. It was later to be
named the “Gloster Meteor” and spent many years in
service.
9th April 1867 - For many months the
people of Gloucester had been raising funds for a
lifeboat.
The boat, costing £490, was built in London and transported
to Gloucester by rail. On this day after a parade through the city,
it was launched in Gloucester Docks before a large crowd by the
Lady Mayoress. The lifeboat then gave a demonstration, including
the rescue of a number of overenthusiastic spectators who had
fallen into the dock. The lifeboat, named “The Gloucester”, was
then taken to Falmouth where it served for 20
years.
14th April 1890 - At the Petty Sessions, Joseph Hibbard was summonsed for wilfully obstructing a tramcar. The driver said he was driving down Southgate Street when he came up to the defendant who was driving a herd of cows. The defendant refused to move aside, used bad language, was most abusive and struck the tram-horse with his stick. The herd was cleared out of the way by members of the public. Hibbard was fined 5 shillings, and costs.
26th April 1827 - The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal was officially opened. A huge crowd attended to see the first vessels arrive, amid the firing of guns and ringing of church bells.
27th April 1904 - A trial run of the new electric tram took place, from the city centre to Hucclecote. The Mayor and many civil dignitaries were among the passengers. The trip took just over 30 minutes, and on the return journey the party stopped at Hucclecote House for champagne and cigars. The cost of a ticket is expected to be 2d each way.
April 2020
City of Gloucester 10k Run
Due on 5th April 2020, the event has been cancelled due to coronavirus
February 2020
The Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility has now become fully operational, accepting up to 190,000 tonnes of residual waste each year from Gloucestershire’s homes and Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) and producing over 116,000 megawatts hour of electricity per annum which is exported to the National Grid.
The facility transitioned from commissioning to operations at the end of October 2019 with the remaining project construction team working since then to address snags and complete the outdoor wildlife area. Urbaser Balfour Beatty (UBB) is working on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) to treat the County’s residual waste, that is waste that is not readily reused or recycled, and is under contract for the next 25 years.
With the facility now in full operation, the county has minimised its reliance on landfill, thereby avoiding the production of methane, one of the more harmful greenhouse gases, as well as being able to generate enough electricity to power around 25,000 homes. In addition, the facility recycles aggregates and metals recovered from the process.
Furthermore, the site has a dedicated Visitor Centre which will be ready for use next month. Educational tours, courses and workshops on the waste hierarchy and recycling, climate change, and sustainability will be available for schools, colleges, universities, , as well as adult and community education groups to support sustainability-themed courses. The Visitor Centre also provides an area for community meetings and events, wildlife and outdoor amenities, and a location for business network events and meeting spaces. Use of the Visitor Centre, site visits and tours must be arranged and booked directly through the project website.
Commenting on this milestone, General Manager, Stacey Wright said: “We are pleased to have advanced to being fully operational from the commissioning phase and that the first few months have proceeded as planned. We are now making great progress on our Visitor Centre, living wall and and our commemorative mural depicting the history of the site. From next month onwards, we hope to begin hosting visits and tours for community and educational groups to show how the County’s waste is being treated and converted into energy and useful byproducts, and how the Facility supports Gloucestershire’s recycling activities.”
Cllr. Nigel Moor, cabinet member for environment and planning for GCC said: “Javelin Park is a cost-effective and environmentally sound solution for processing the county’s waste that can’t be recycled. It will generate enough power for 25,000 homes, massively reduces carbon and saves the tax payer £100 million over 25 years.”
The facility began its commissiong process in June 2019, when it first received waste to test the treatment processes. In October, the commissioning phase was signed off by Urbaser Balfour Beatty, and moved from construction to operations.
Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility operates under an Environmental Permit which was issued and is monitored by the Environment Agency.
For more details on how to visit the Facility, please visit: www.ubbgloucestershire.co.uk or email: info@ubbgloucestershire.co.uk.
Photo credited to Andrew Dixon Photography
March 2020
What, When, Where, Why, and Who of Leap Second
The what
The Earth’s rotation is slowing at an uneven rate. Every now and then, a leap second is added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)*(see below) in order to synchronize clocks worldwide with the Earth's ever slowing rotation.
The when
In Gloucester, the previous leap second occurred on Saturday, 31 December 2016,
23:59:60. The next possible date is December 31, 2020.
The why
Two components are used to determine UTC
International Atomic Time (TAI): A time scale that combines the output of some 200 highly precise atomic clocks worldwide, and provides the exact speed for our clocks to tick.
Universal Time (UT1): also known as Astronomical Time, refers to the Earth's rotation around its own axis, which determines the length of a day.
Before the difference between UTC and UT1 reaches 0.9 seconds, a leap second is added to UTC and to clocks worldwide. By adding an additional second to the time count, our clocks are effectively stopped for that second to give Earth the opportunity to catch up.
Atomic clocks tick away at pretty much the same speed over millions of years compared to the Earth's rotation, atomic clocks are simply too consistent.
The how
How Often Are Leap Seconds Added?
Before the first leap second was added in 1972, UTC was 10 seconds behind Atomic Time. So far, a total of 27 leap seconds have been added.
However, this does NOT mean that the days are 27 seconds longer nowadays. The only difference is that the days a leap second was added had 86,401 seconds instead of the usual 86,400 additional 27 seconds compared to atomic time since then.
The who
Upcoming leap seconds are announced by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) in Paris, France.
Now you might be wondering about the where…so am I…again I!!!
*Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the basis for civil time today. This 24-hour time standard is kept using highly precise atomic clocks combined with the Earth's rotation.
Announced leap seconds to date since 2000
April 2020
Compost Corner
April in the Garden
April’s here and spring has sprung at last! Hopefully the gardens will have “dried out” a little and as the weather warms and early flowers start to bloom, all of a sudden it feels like there’s plenty to do in the garden again.
Feed and prune roses
Prune clematis - prune early-Top dress containers
with fresh compost. If your containers are already full, replace
the top 5 cm of old compost with fresh.
Lift and divide perennial plants now, to create
new plants for your garden. Divide Primroses once they have
finished flowering and divide hostas before they come into
leaf.
Continue to remove faded flowers from winter
pansies to stop them setting seed. Tie in climbing and rambling
roses. Also tie in honeysuckle and clematis as these plants will be
putting on growth now. Prune Forsythia as soon as they have
finished flowering, cutting back to strong, young shoots.
Apply a layer of mulch around your perennials,
trees and shrubs before the hot weather arrives. Use organic matter
such as well-rotted manure. Feed raspberry canes, fruit bushes and
fruit trees to encourage good crops this season. Apply a
slow-release fertiliser around their base. Recut lawn edges to
straighten them up and aerate lawn by spiking it with a garden
fork.
A good time to Invest in a water butt. Position
them under a downpipe to make the most of rainfall.
Move plants from the greenhouse to a cold frame
before planting out to give them time to adjust to cooler
temperatures.
Compost
April 2020
April was the second month of the year in the initial Roman calendar until January and February were added in 700 BC. It is likely that the Roman Goddess of Love 'Aprilis' was honoured when naming the month of April , but historians aren't totally sure of that factoid. April birthstone is the Diamond.
The largest gem quality rough diamond ever found
was the Cullinan Diamond weighing 3,106.75 carats (621.35g) It was
polished into nine large stones and ninety-six smaller
stones.
The April Birth Flower is the Daisy and the Sweet Pea
The zodiac signs for April
Aries: March 21 – April 19
Taurus: April 20 – May 20
April Facts
March 2020
Free IT training extended to help more people get online
A series of free IT courses for beginners has been launched at new locations in Gloucestershire
The training is run in partnership with Gloucestershire County
Council’s Fastershire project and Adult Education in
Gloucestershire and will now being offered at Prestbury, Chipping
Campden, Newent and Nailsworth Library.
The aim is to help reduce digital exclusion and ensure that more people have the confidence to use the internet.
Natasha Panchbhaya, Adult Education Delivery Manager, said, “The joint work between Adult Education in Gloucestershire and the Fastershire project has been a great success and in the last few months alone we have supported over 100 learners to gain new skills and learn about online safety, which seems to be a key development area for a lot of our learners.”
Fastershire is a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council to bring faster broadband to the two counties.
Councillor Patrick Molyneux, Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills, said, “We’ve been delighted by the success of these courses so it made sense to offer this programme in more areas. We often hear how keen some people are to be able Skype or FaceTime with family or benefit from what the internet has to offer but say how they feel nervous or intimated. It’s amazing how quickly that can change after just a little bit of support and training."
Over 95 percent of Gloucestershire homes and businesses can access superfast broadband and speeds of 30mpbs or above and this is set to increase to over 97 percent by 2022.
To book a place or for more information, please contact Adult Education on 0800 542 1655 or visit www.fastershire.com.
March 2020
Interactive road safety show seeks to shock student
Thousands of students from Gloucestershire will attend a
hard-hitting roadshow, which aims to reduce the number of traffic collisions involving young people in the county.
What if? is an interactive theatre and film event, telling the
tale of two young men who were involved in a crash in the Forest of
Dean in 2015. The pair take the audience on a journey through their
experiences, exploring their emotions and the impact the crash has
had on their lives.
The story will be accompanied by on-stage talks from the emergency
services, road crash survivors, family members who have lost loved
ones and paramedic lecturers from the University of
Gloucestershire.
The What if? roadshow will be viewed by more than 5,500 students
aged 16 to 24 in Gloucestershire throughout February, March and
May.
It is jointly funded by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue
Service (GFRS)
and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
(OPCC) and has been running since September
2016.
The first show will be on Monday 3 February at Cirencester College and other venues will include EDF Energy in Barnwood, Gloucester, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre in Cheltenham and Hartpury College in Gloucester.
Cllr Dave Norman, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet
member with responsibility for the fire and rescue service, said:
“This roadshow aims to make young people fully aware of the impact
a road traffic collision can have. It is a powerful way of raising
awareness of the risks they face on the roads and how they can keep
themselves and others safe.
“We hope that alerting them to these dangers will have a positive effect on the way they drive in the future.”
Martin Surl, Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner,
said: “It is very brave of the boys to put themselves through this
process to help others and I am very grateful. This kind of emotive
education has already proven to be effective since we started What
If? back in 2016 and our research suggests in-car distractions and
low awareness of risk contribute to road traffic collisions (RTCs)
where young people are behind the wheel. This is why the roadshow
will focus on such important issues.”
As well as funding from GFRS and the OPCC, the What if?
project is supported by Gloucestershire Constabulary, South Western
Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), University of
Gloucestershire, Severn Major Trauma and Great Western Air
Ambulance Charity.
March 2020
Energy From Waste Facility - Emissions from Incinerator
Note from the Environment Agency issued Janury 2020
Emissions from an incinerator are controlled by a combination of good combustion control and effective abatement. Water vapour and carbon dioxide are products of the combustion process.
Therefore the exit gas from the stack at Javelin Park incinerator is a wet, hot gas. This means when the atmosphere is warm we don’t usually see a large plume, however in winter as the hot wet gases meet with colder air, the water vapour in these gases condenses rapidly to steam and produces what we term as a visible plume.
The sites environmental permit set the limits pollutants can be emitted at and the site is required to continuously monitor oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, total organic carbon, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and particulate matter. These limits are set at levels to protect the environment and human health in all weather conditions. Smaller plumes can also be seen at the top off the site, not from the main stack. This is small losses of steam used to drive the site turbine.
This is virtually a closed loop system, which enables energy recovery. The water is passed through a chamber (the Boiler) through which pipes containing the hot gases from combustion pass through.
The resulting steam produced after it has passed the turbine is
condensed and the water is returned back to the boiler. The gases
from combustion and steam in the boiler do not come in to direct
contact with each other.
April 2020
Simnel Cake Recipe
Simnel cake has been eaten since medieval times as both a rich, sweet treat and a symbolic ritual. The fruit cake is topped with eleven marzipan balls to represent the eleven apostles of Christ, minus Judas.
12 oz/ 340g Currants
1 lev tsp ground Cinnamon
4 oz / 115g Sultanas
6 oz/ 170g Butter
3 oz/ 85g Mixed Peel
6 oz/ 170g Caster Sugar
8 oz/ 230g Plain Flour
3 Eggs
Pinch of Salt
Milk
1 lev tsp
Grated Nutmeg
Little Apricot Jam
Marzipan / Almond Paste (22 oz/ 680g
)
Method
Grease and line 8” 9” cake tin, Set oven to 325F/160C.
Cream Butter and Sugar and beat in eggs.
Mix flour, dry ingredients and spices and add fruit and peel.
Stir dry ingredients into beaten eggs and sugar etc and add a
little milk to bring to a “dropping” consistency.
Put half the mixture into the tin. Cover with a round of rolled out
marzipan. Cover with the rest of the cake mix.
Bake in warm oven 325 for approx. 2 ½ hours.
When cool, coat cake with warmed Apricot Jam and top with a round
of rolled out Marzipan.
Roll 11 small balls of Marzipan and place them on top and round the
edge of cake. Return to hot oven (or under grill) for a few minutes
to brown the Marzipan
April 2020
A Summer
Bonfire Night
Weekdays in and weekdays out
Its work for us without a doubt
I leave at seven, my wife at eight
The sad old cat at garden gate
Resigns herself to one more day
Of lonely hours to while away
But then at six when we get back
She drags her weary self from sack
To watch the frenzied work that’s done
She always likes to watch the fun
There’s tea to cook, post to read
Washing ironing, where’s my feed?
And on these balmy summer nights
When late in evening it’s still light
Tea on the patio with some wine
Time to relax,“Together” time
The blackbird sings his very best
While taking worms back to the nest
The flowers make a fine display
Forgotten now, the stressful day
Times like this should last for ever
But do they last , well almost never
For now’s about the time
Just as things are looking fine
The neighbour who just does not care
With arrogance and cheek so bare
Lights up his bonfire, thick grey smoke
He really is a charming bloke
And though I’ve done my very best
To get the anger off my chest I know
He’ll never change his way
And arguing would never pay
The washing on the line may stink
Smoke in our eyes make us blink
Fumes fill the house upstairs and down
But do we let it make us frown
No, in the garden we’ll still sit
I think they call it British grit.
Peter
Hill
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