In this issue:
Ampney Crucis Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Ampney & District Royal British Legion Women's Section
Editors: David Vessey, Fran Huckle and Elisabeth Gerver
The Queen would like her Golden Jubilee to be an occasion for celebration involving the whole community. It can be a time to look back and share memories of the past 50 years, reflecting on the way that life has changed over half a century. It also offers the chance to look to the future with our young people and to anticipate the challenges and achievements to come. The celebrations will take place over the bank holiday weekend in June, so put these dates in your diary now: Saturday 1June, Monday 3 June, Tuesday 4 June.
We are planning a range of activities, which will attempt to provide something that everyone can
participate in and enjoy. The weekend will start with family fun rides on Saturday followed by a barn dance in the evening. Sunday will be the time to spend with family and friends. Monday will feature the children’s picnic, reminiscence project and exhibition. There will be a peal of bells linked to a national bell ringing, music making and cannon firing cacophony, announcing the start of street parties and picnics. Following the peal there will be the opportunity for individuals to ‘have a go’ themselves. On Tuesday the Queen will attend a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, which will be covered on national television. A large screen will be set up in the church here so that residents can follow the service together.
The last Golden Jubilee Celebrations were 115 years ago in 1887, so don’t miss out on a once in a very long lifetime opportunity to join a national celebration, enjoyed with family, friends and neighbours. Further details will be announced later.
HELP!
As part of the Jubilee celebrations, the Village Hall hopes to stage a display of photos, newspaper cuttings and other items linked to the Coronation or the 50's era. Can you lend us any such items? Please speak to members of the Hall Committee or contact Anne Bridges (652471.
English Heritage has awarded a grant to Ampney Crucis Parish Church to cover half the costs of conserving the wall paintings in the church. The walls and roof of the church were once largely covered in paintings which, at a time when most people could not read, were ways in which the Bible stories and other stories of the life of the Church were presented. The north transept of the church still has a number of the paintings in reasonable condition, including figures of St Paul, St Helen and St James the Great, as well as a possible fragment of Edward the Confessor.
English Heritage has approved a grant which will meet 50% of the costs of re-roofing the transept, improving the disposal of surface water and taking other measures to stabilise the condition of the paintings. Once they are in sound condition, lighting will be improved so that they can be better seen. The work will probably begin later this year; we shall keep you informed about progress.
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A meeting will be held on 5 February at 7.00pm in the Westwood Centre, Northleach for anyone interested in seeing the equipment and hearing more about the project. Two representatives from the Village Hall will attend. Further information from Margaret Mernaugh É640349 or Caroline EdwardsÉ01452-528491
Our last edition reported on vandalism to the Lych Gate. The broken glass has now been repaired. Although the police have spoken to a number of young people, they have not yet identified the culprit. If any villager has further information on this matter, please contact PC George Lager via Cirencester Police Station or on his mobile É0870 1226236. All calls will be handled in the strictest confidence.
The cold snap in January left roads in the village very icy; Hunts Hill was quite badly affected for a few days. Calls to Gloucestershire County Council led to the information that the Village Street is not a ‘priority route’, despite the fact that the bus uses it, so there is no chance of the gritters being called out.
There are some salt piles in the village, including a full salt bin at the bottom of Hunts Hill. GCC advises that local residents should take shovelfuls and spread them over the icy patches. The possibility of additional salt bins is being investigated but they are officially discouraged, as salt is ‘environmentally unfriendly’.
The Parish Council met on 14 January to consider the next financial year, April 2002 to March 2003. There has been a lot of repair work to contend with this year and the reserves have taken a bit of a beating. The Parish Council therefore agreed a precept of £5,000, an increase of just under 5% over last year’s precept.
Last year’s Spring Clean had to be abandoned because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. Since all that is now behind us, volunteers will be able to team up and give the village its annual going over. The precise date has not been settled because Cotswold District Council wish to tie it in with national initiatives. Please watch the notice boards for more details.
Our last edition reported that the Parish Council would follow up comments about the local bus service. Unfortunately, services generally are suffering from a shortage of funds for the necessary subsidies. The current position is up for review at the end of March. Regrettably, it is entirely possible that the timetable may change yet again. Please watch the notice boards for further details.
Villagers will recall that last year a recycling initiative was set up by Cotswold District Council for garden refuse: paper sacks were distributed to households and garden refuse was collected over a short period. This initiative, unfortunately, will not become a permanent part of recycling collections. The trial, which included a number of villages, proved to be very cost ineffective.
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 13 May. This is your chance to comment on the work done by the Parish Council on your behalf and to raise any issue that you feel needs to be discussed. More details in our April edition.
The village appraisal showed that there might be sufficient interest in the village to form a ‘Boules’ or ‘Pétanque’ Club. A meeting will be held in the Village Hall to measure the level of interest on 6 February at 7.30pm.
The Cricket Club has already agreed to consider whether a corner of their field could be used. Hopefully (subject to suitability, agreed playing times, priority of cricket matches, etc.) we will be able to establish a pitch in the village for all to use. Grants or funds may be available to assist us.
If you are interested in playing boules, either casually or in a club, please join us at the meeting to get the ‘boule’ rolling! If you are interested but unable to attend.
Contact Martin or Christine Cridford (851313
The debate about Cirencester Hospital continues. Our M.P., Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, secured an adjournment debate in the House of Commons. Full details are in Hansard, on the HMSO website: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk (select Hansard, 8 January 2002, column 186WH).
People have been wondering about the work going on at the bottom end of School Lane. After prolonged heavy rain, the river can flood the pumping station. Thames Water has been raising the level of the inner chambers of the pumping station to prevent this problem.
Played 16
Won 9
Drawn 2
Lost 5
All are played on Saturdays
02 Feb (h) Bishop’s Cleeve 3rds
09 Feb (a) Chelt. Saracens 3rds at Prestbury
16 Feb (h) Prestbury Rovers Res
02 Mar (h) FC Staverton
16 Mar (h) Whitbread
23 Mar (a) Phoenix United at Tuffley Park
30 Mar (h) Smiths Ath 3rds
06 Apr (a) Prestbury Rovers Res at Prestbury
Match v. Andoversford to be announced.
An Evening of Music with Isla St. Clair
Village Hall, Saturday 9 March. Tickets £4. Please
book early.
Contact Fran Huckle (851498.
Ampney Crucis Village Quiz.
Thursday 7 March, 7.30pm. The emphasis is on fun and this is always a popular event! Teams of 4 for £4. Names to Anne Bridges (652471. If you want to join in but can’t get a team together, let Anne know and she can match you up!
Meets monthly, Thursdays, Village Hall, 7.30 pm.
28 Feb ‘Spring flowers of South Africa’: a talk by Mrs J Whitman
28 March Members’ meeting
Visitors welcome, particularly newcomers to the area.
Contact: Secretary, Mrs Payne ((850267
Meets monthly, Tuesdays, Village Hall, 7.15 pm.
26 Feb Quiz night
26 March ‘200 miles and one black toe - £1000’, a talk by Mr B Browning
Contact: Secretary, Janet Gibbs ((851227
Meets Mondays, Village Hall, 2 pm
11 Feb Birthday party. Entertainment from Ken May
25 Feb AGM
11 March 60 Club Ensemble
23 March Annual sale – doors open 2 pm
25March ‘My gran was a gypsy’ by Mr Mills
Contact Paddy or Peggy Thompson (851619
Meets monthly, Thursdays, Village Hall, 7-9 p.m.
21 Feb ‘Plants for winter interest’, a talk by Miss B Drake
21 March AGM
Contact: Joyce Cutts (85154
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