Ampney Crucis Times

The popularity of the rural cinema scheme, which brings recent releases to the Cotswold villages through high quality projection equipment, continues to grow. After the enjoyment of the first two films, Chocolat and Ocean’s Eleven, the children’s matinee showing of Monsters Inc during the school holidays proved a great success: over 70 people turned up at the Village Hall. HTV cameras came along to report on the scheme, which Cotswold District Council has initiated to make cinema more accessible to rural communities.

Since CDC have waived the cost of the cinema licence, venues can now show more than the six films a year which were originally the limit for each village.

The following dates have been set for the autumn in Ampney Crucis Village Hall:

Wed 16 October, 7.30 p.m. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (Cert.15)

Wed 13 November, 7.30 p.m. Last Orders (Cert. 15)

Wed 4 December (details to be announced).

Tickets cost £2.50 and are available at the door. Refreshments will be served (and don’t forget to bring a cushion!)

For more information, contact Fran Huckle or Gerry Westmacott

Autumn tidy-up

Every six months, a small group of people manage to make a significant dent in the work required to keep the burial ground under control; the parish finances benefit as a result, and the volunteers get healthy exercise in congenial company. The event will take place this autumn on Sunday 13 October, 10.00 am to 12 noon, and the Parish Council would be grateful for as much help as possible. All you will need is a pair of secateurs and some gardening gloves.

School governor wanted

Following Fran Huckle’s departure, the Parish Council now has a vacancy for a representative on the school governors. If you are interested and would like to find out more about what would be involved, please contact Peter Kelly

New editor for ACT

Christine Cridford is our new editor, having taken over from Fran Huckle following her move to Quenington.

Christine has lived in the village for 12 years, having moved here when her children Robert (now at university) and Jane (at Cirencester College) were just starting at Ampney Crucis school. In order to make friends she quickly became involved in a baby-sitting circle and the Friends of the School. As the children grew up Christine's involvement spread to the village when she joined and later chaired the village fête committee. Following the millennium barn dance she resigned from the committee as ‘it seemed a good time for a change - both for myself and the village’.

Christine works as Account Director for a market research agency in Cirencester that specialises in ‘mystery shopping’ . The purpose is to ensure that retail staff provide good customer service; it is important for customers and also for retailers to ensure they achieve and maintain a competitive advantage.

Christine's background in market research was a useful input to the village appraisal and it is from this standpoint that she agreed to join the ACT editors. ‘It was clear’, she says, ‘that there was a real interest in regular information about the village and the clubs, as well as feedback from the Parish Council. ACT has been a very useful way of introducing the Pétanque Club which shows that people are actually reading this!! I would like to see more input from the village so perhaps a villager's profile can become a regular feature? Who's next?’

Double success for Ampney Crucis with Historic Churches

Trust

Each year villagers take part in the sponsored bicycle ride organised in support of the Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust while many others sponsor their pedalling. This year Ampney Crucis contributed two riders – Issy Tanner, aged nine, and John Franklin, aged rather more than nine. Their final count, which will be known in due course, looks likely to exceed £500; anyone in the village who missed out on the opportunity to contribute is invited to contact either of them.

The efforts of villagers over several years have now paid off with a grant of £4000 which the Trust has made to help to meet the cost of re-roofing the north transept of Ampney Crucis Parish Church. Grant applications have also been made to two other sources of funds for this purpose, and builders have been invited to bid for the project.

Ampney United Football Club

The club has now started its season and had played three games by the middle of September, winning one and losing two under the new manager Mr Paul Tipper. A full fixture list will appear in the December edition of ACT. Anyone interested in helping the club in any capacity would be most welcome. Please contact D Coombs

Helping with drainage

The ditch which runs along the back of the village street opposite the burial ground seems to be accumulating some garden waste as well as other debris. Because this ditch is prone to drainage problems in the winter, it would be appreciated if residents in the area could keep it free of all debris and garden waste. The Council clerk will be writing to all residents in this area to ask them to remove anything that has been placed in the ditch to allow drainage from the field to flow freely.

Social and group news

Ampney and District Royal British Legion Women’s Section

Meets monthly Tuesdays Village Hall 7:15 pm unless otherwise noted

BINGO NIGHTS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE

9 October Bingo night; doors open 7:00, eyes down 7:30

22 October Annual general meeting

6 November Bingo night; doors open 7:00, eyes down 7:30

26 November Event to be announced

3 December Christmas party, 7:00pm

Contact Janet Gibbs

Ampneys Gardening Club

Meets monthly Thursdays Village Hall 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm unless otherwise noted

17 October ‘Pot plants and their care’, a talk by Mr J S Jellyman; autumn arrangement competition

21 November ‘Hints and tips’, a talk by Mr G Alway

Contact Joyce Cutts

Pétanque Club

Regular evening meetings have now ended because of fading evening light. However, members are free to use the pitch over the winter months.

Sixties Club

Meets Mondays Village Hall 2:00 pm unless otherwise noted

14 October Autumn tints; leave Pleydells 10:00 am

28 October Fish and chip lunch; 1200 noon for 1230 pm

11 November Stan and Peggy Byers, entertainment

25 November Christmas shopping to Worcester; leave Pleydells 10:00 am

2 December Christmas dinner

Contact Paddy or Peggy Thompson

Women’s Institute

Meets monthly Thursdays Village Hall 7:30 pm

24 October Members’ collections

28 November Annual meeting; ‘Scotland’, a talk by Mrs M Button

Contact Sonja Payne

Classified advertisements

Personal ads in this column cost £1 per ad per issue. Local businesses can place an ad (£5) or sponsor an issue (£10). Adverts will be placed on a first come, first serve basis; space is limited to up to five ads per issue. Please contact the editors for details.

Copy deadline for next issue (December): Tuesday 19 November 2002

Send to: Elisabeth Gerver, Cider Orchard, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire GL7 5RY.

Editors: David Vessey, Elisabeth Gerver and Christine Cridford

Produced by Ampney Crucis Parish Council for the information of residents. No liability can be accepted by the Council or Councillors for any losses, however caused, arising from this publication.