Ampney
Crucis Ampney St Mary Ampney St Peter
The Ampney Times
December 2003 / January 2004
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CONTENTS:
Ampney St Peter News – Sue Tufnell
Robert Pleydell Educational Charity
Broadband Campaign –the editors
The annual Christmas bazaar, organised by Ampney Crucis Parish Church, will take place on Saturday 6 December, 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. in the Ampney Crucis Village Hall. Please leave any items for the white elephant or home baking stalls at 2 Durncourt Cottages, Ampney Crucis, by 4 December. Contact Paddy Thompson (É851619).
Church Services in the parishes over Christmas will be as follows:
21 December
- Driffield, 10.00 a.m. Favourite Carols and Communion
- Ampney Crucis, 3.00 p.m. Carols, Preparation of the Crib & Tea
- Poulton, 5.30 p.m. Nativity Service
24 December, Christmas Eve
- Ampney St Peter, 5.30 p.m. Blessing the Crib, Carols, Communion
- Ampney Crucis, 11.15 p.m. Midnight Communion
25 December, Christmas Day
- Harnhill, 8.00 a.m. Book of Common Prayer, Communion
- Poulton, 10.00 a.m. Family Communion
Everyone from the villages is welcome at a Christmas carol service organised by the Women’s Institute to be held at Ampney Crucis Parish Church on Monday 8 December at 7.30 p.m.
Christmas Bingo at the Ampney Crucis Village Hall on Wednesday 17 December, doors open 7.00 p.m.; eyes down 7.30 p.m. Contact Janet Gibbs É851227
School News – Andy Simpson
Preparations for Christmas are in full swing at the school and the children are working hard towards the season’s festivities. We begin our Christmas celebrations with a Carol Concert at Ampney Crucis church on Thursday 11 December at 6 p.m. The whole school will be taking part and we would love to see parents and villagers sharing in this special time of year.
Friends of the School will be holding a Christmas Bazaar on Friday 12 December from 2.30 p.m to 4.00 p.m.; our older children will also be performing a dress rehearsal of their Christmas production. All are welcome to this sneak preview and to share in refreshments. If you enjoy the preview, the production of 'Scrooge, a ghost of a chance' will take place on Tuesday 16 December at 1.30 p.m. Tickets will be available from the school. This we believe will be a season of celebration and a chance for the children to share all their hard work and enjoyment with the community.
We are having a construction day at school on Thursday 4 December; if you have any experience in this area and would like to share this with the children, please contact the school. One of our main topics after Christmas will be India. Once again, please contact the school if you can offer any help in this area.
A ‘Merry Christmas’ from all the staff and pupils at Ampney Crucis CE Primary School
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
to all our readers and Christmas thanks
from the three editors to all our contributors, advertisers and distributors
without whom, the newsletter wouldn’t exist. Thank you for your support
throughout 2003 and we look forward to working with you all in 2004.
Summer FêteThe Ampney Crucis Parochial Church Council is looking into holding a Village Fête – there will be a preliminary meeting on 1 December.
If you have any ideas about the form of the fête or would like to be involved in its organisation please contact either John Ducker (É851524) or Peter Cottingham (É851223).
Our popular and successful exercise and movement classes cater for women of all ages. The emphasis on better back care and strong abdominals produces good posture for everyday life. During each class, we work on stretching, toning, strengthening and mobilising all the major muscle groups in a safe and sensible way. We also have lots of fun!
Join us for a free session – you will be very welcome! Call Kathy on 01229 882350.
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Nick TannerThis Trust provides much needed grants to help parishes maintain the many beautiful places of worship around the county. Last year, Ampney Crucis received £4,000 towards essential roof repairs. Annually, the Trust organises a Sponsored Bicycle Ride with riders raising funds both for their parish and the charity generally.
Fund raising slipped a little this year as only one cyclist (the inexhaustible John Ducker) took part. Thanks to John, over £500 was raised which will be split equally between the Trust and the Parish Church. Hopefully next year, we will be able to persuade more people to put feet to pedals.
Interestingly, there were 37 visitors to the church during the ride, a big increase on the last two years. I am grateful to you for making the welcome received here so memorable. For more information, contact me (É850256).
The Spring 2004 Course for Beginners or Continuation Computing starts in Ampney Crucis Village Hall on Friday 16 January and will run for 11 weeks each Friday from 9.30 to 11.30 a.m. The course costs £45
Enrolment is through Cirencester College enrolment office (É640994).
Readers of the ‘Standard’ may have seen
the recent report about a petition to reduce the status of the A417 to a B
classification to discourage its use by lorries. This followed a meeting held in Fairford on 24 October involving
our County and District Councillors and representatives of those communities
directly affected by traffic conditions on the A417. The petition is to
recommend that Cotswold District Council and Gloucestershire County Council
pursue reclassification of the A417 to B road status.
It is believed that this would remove its recognition as a Heavy Goods Vehicle route and as part of the European Lorry Route system and would give our Councils more influence over traffic management. All parishes along the A417 between Fairford and Cirencester will be invited to take part in the petition – more details in future editions of The Ampney Times.
Volunteers are need from any of the villages to join the committee. Could you, with friends, organise any fund raising activity? To give of yourself raises much more money than simply rattling a tin. There are excellent speakers available to inform any of the village organisations about the excellent work done in this country and throughout the world.
For more information, please contact either Nicol Ferguson (É851497) or Lorna Everatt (É851292).
…are starting on Tuesday 6 January with Ann Crowther, international trainer and author of ‘Pilates for you’. The classes will be on Tuesdays from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in Ampney Crucis Village Hall.
For more information, please phone 07710 635915 or 01242 254043
At this time of year, leaves of all sorts, right and wrong, can block up the drains. If there is a road drain near your house, could you please check it from time to time to remove any leaves and to make sure the flow of water into the drain is not impeded.
This was the most successful ever with 17 people turning up to give the Burial Ground its autumn makeover. Many thanks to all who helped and special thanks as always to Don Underwood for removing all the rubbish.
Regular readers will know that double white lines are to be painted on sections of the London Road. It was to have been done after last winter’s salt had been washed away. However, there have been problems with the contractors and a new appointment is to be made. At which point, winter will be upon us and the roads will need salting……
Meetings of the Parish Council will take place at 7.15 p.m. in the Village Hall as follows:
12 January, 8 March, 10 May (annual meeting), 12 July, 13 September and 8 November.
I am your new collator for the newsletter. After battling over the years trying to master first the electric typewriter and then the word processor I have finally turned my hand to the mysteries of the computer, emailing and attaching various documents in order to send this off to the editor!
Embedded stones, which had been in place for many years in the corners of the grassed entrance triangle to Ampney St Peter, were stolen in broad daylight in early October. Temporary replacements were also stolen at around teatime on Monday 27 October.
Heavy vehicles using the junction as a turning circle, and thereby crossing the grass, have already caused damage and the old village signpost is at risk.
Although a substantial vehicle would have been needed to remove the stones there were no witnesses to the thefts. This emphasises the need for us all to be vigilant about suspicious activities in our areas. Builders in the area have been informed to see if anyone had noticed these thefts.
Following the autumn Parish Meeting on 23 September, a request for contributions to the development work was distributed along with the minutes. Some financial donations have been received and have been acknowledged separately to the minutes. Our thanks go to Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, Valentine Lindsay and Tracy Meachin-Adams.
With regard to the drainage, the priority works are still on the Ampney Brook, the outlet to it and the condition of the pond. Nevertheless, further surveys have been done on various inflow problem areas. The usual volunteers have also made good progress in preparing the hedgerow along the western boundary of the Moor prior to reinstatement of the ditch. In addition, Mr Max Thomas has provided assistance with men and machines.
Our parishes have for a long time lobbied the airbase to curtail the circuitous over-flying of our villages by aircraft involved in parachuting. Despite repeated assurances from the base, the noise of the over-flying has continued to annoy residents. It now appears that there may be increasing activity from a commercial undertaking operating through the base. Parish representatives are ensuring that our MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, is aware of the situation. In addition, Mrs Fiona Oldham of Ampney St. Mary has initiated an information sheet and it is believed that a petition to the CDC is proposed.
Some families in the village enjoyed the benefits of the extended useable area of the Moor and celebrated on 1 November with fireworks, refreshments and a bonfire of the hedgerow waste.
The Charity is seeking a Secretary to assist the Trustees from January 2004.
The Charity supports the village school and also further education students and apprentices with grants. The Trustees normally meet twice a year to allocate income and determine policy. The Secretary prepares the minutes and handles the disbursement of money. The Secretary also manages the Charity's banking and prepares accounts for annual audit. This is not particularly time consuming, involves contact with a range of people and helps the young of Ampney Crucis. An allowance of £120 per annum is made to cover expenses.
For more details, please contact John Franklin (É654282).
Reflexology can be used to help restore and maintain the body's natural equilibrium. This gentle therapy encourages the body to work naturally to restore its own healthy balance. Please contact Caroline Tufnell MAR on 07739 629569. She will be working from the Cirencester Therapy Clinic 67 Cheltenham Road. Home visits can be arranged.
HOPE SPRINGS (Cert.12A) starring Colin Firth, Heather Graham & Minnie Driver. Village Hall, Wednesday 10 December, 7.30 p.m. £2.50 at the door. Refreshments available. Enquiries to Fran Huckle (É750788).
Film nights 2004 are as follows and will always be a Wednesday except where shown:
Monday 19 January, 11 February , Monday 15 March , 14 April, 12 May, 9 June, 21 July, 18 August (Children’s matinee), 22 September, 13 October, 24 November and 8 December.
Films will be announced nearer the time
Free film viewings are on offer for anyone who could help Gerry Westmacott once or twice a year with the monthly film showings in the Village Hall. If you could help very occasionally to collect the equipment (including an 8 foot rolled screen and the DVD player) from the previous venue (anywhere between Cirencester and Cheltenham) and to show the film (about 20 minutes of training will be given), please contact Gerry (É851522).
The schedule for December and January is as follows (times are approximate):
A C A St M A St P
20 Dec 12.45 13.00 14.00
30 Dec 12.45 13.00 14.00
17 Jan 12.45 13.00 14.00
27 Jan 12.45 13.00 14.00
In Ampney Crucis, the station parks outside the Village Hall, in Ampney St Mary by the parish notice board and in Ampney St Peter by the junction with the A417. The attending officer is PC Reuben Wyatt.
118 people from Poulton exchange have now registered their interest in Broadband. Despite this, BT have not set a trigger level but state (in their website) that “the costs associated with upgrading the exchange are too high to make Broadband viable”. Nonetheless, the more people who register interest, the sooner something may happen. To register, go to www.bt.com/broadband and register via one of the ISPs (BTopenworld has been found easier than aol). The instructions are given on the website but, without Broadband, it can be very slow and you do need to persevere.
STOP PRESS: An initiative is starting in Poulton village using “Wireless Broadband”, we will keep you posted.
The Southern Shotokan Karate Association will be continuing classes in the Ampney Crucis Village Hall on Fridays from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. The Association aims to teach the style of Shotokan karate to all who wish to learn it. The Association believes that it can help females with personal security as well as, perhaps, young people who are bullied and that it can help with self discipline, self control and self respect. The cost is £3 per session. Contact Kevin Nicholls on 01793 349511 (home) Alternatively, phone 07968 594232 (mobile)
The Ampney Crucis Cricket Club held their end of season Presentation Dinner at the Crown of Crucis on 8 November. Long service awards for 20 year’s participation were given to John Skinner and Nick Littlechild by the president Mr. Ken Mills. The Fixture Secretary John Swan made an entertaining speech and announced that the batting award was won by Nick Rutter and the bowling award by John Skinner. The club finished third in the League and will be running Saturday and Sunday teams again next season.
The football club are finding it tough going in the Cirencester League and have lost many experienced players. Several youngsters have been blooded. If there are any seasoned goalkeepers in the locality, we would be pleased to hear from you! (É851855).
We have entered two teams to play in the Sherston Festival Boules Tournament next summer. It is such a popular event that we will not know until next March whether or not we have places!
Meets monthly Tuesdays Ampney Crucis Village Hall 2.00 p.m. unless otherwise noted
2 December Christmas party
Christmas Bingo Wednesday 17 December, doors open 7.00 p.m.; eyes down 7.30 p.m.
20 January Speaker to be announced
Friday 16 January, Whist at Pop Inn Cirencester 7.30pm
Contact Janet Gibbs É851227
Meets monthly Thursdays Ampney Crucis Village Hall 7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. unless otherwise noted
15 January New Year Lunch – Royal Agricultural College
Contact Joyce Cutts É 851540
Meets Mondays Ampney Crucis Village Hall 2.00 p.m. unless otherwise noted
8 December Christmas lunch, 12 for 12.30 p.m., The Crown, Cerney Wick – bus time to be notified
12 January “Guide dogs for the blind”, Ann Nicholls
26 January Humorous music, Glynis Allen and Co
Contact Paddy or Peggy Thompson É851619
Meets monthly Thursdays Ampney Crucis Village Hall 7.30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
18 December Christmas supper
22 January Speaker to be announced
Contact Sonja Payne É850267
Personal ads in this column cost £1 per advert per issue.
Local businesses may place an ad (£5) or sponsor an issue (£10). Please contact the editors for details
Copy deadline for next issue (February/March) - 15 January
Send to Elisabeth Gerver, Cider Orchard, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire GL7 5RY
Editors: David Vessey, Elisabeth Gerver, Christine Cridford
Produced by Ampney Crucis Parish Council for the information of residents of the three villages. No liability can be accepted by the Council or Councillors, or the Parish Meeting Chairmen, for any losses, however caused, arising from this publication