In our 101 Reasons to Love the Cotswolds collection, Blog Page 5 stands out as a reminder that the area is about much more than pretty views.
You will find the background, local detail and small points of interest that make Blog Page 5 worth knowing about, especially if you enjoy the stories behind the Cotswolds.
The man, the mic and the hummus: Bob Hunt to retire
03/09/2020
Legendary BBC commentator Bob Hunt is to retire after a career spanning five decades.
Bob has become a staple fixture at Forest Green Rovers and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club since he began reporting from their grounds in the ‘80s.
Bob has become a staple fixture at Forest Green Rovers and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club since he began reporting from their grounds in the ‘80s.
Champion vegetable grower retains title
02/09/2020
Stow-on-the-Wold vegetable grower John Hayes retained his championship title at this year’s Spring Gardens Allotments Association Annual Show.
John, from Shepherds Way in Stow, was named Champion Grower for the second successive year, beating off strong competition from Rob Jeffries, a former champ, who was runner-up.
John, from Shepherds Way in Stow, was named Champion Grower for the second successive year, beating off strong competition from Rob Jeffries, a former champ, who was runner-up.
First GWSR post-lockdown trains sold out!
17/08/2020
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) ran its first post-lockdown public train service on Saturday (August 15) – five months to the day since services were brought to an abrupt halt after the last train of the 2020 season, on March 15.
‘Britain’s greatest palace’ re-opens to visitors
03/07/2020
Blenheim Palace is set to open its doors to visitors again from tomorrow (Saturday, 4th July).
Widely regarded as a masterpiece of 18th century Baroque architecture, ‘Britain’s greatest palace’ was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne and a grateful nation in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704.
Widely regarded as a masterpiece of 18th century Baroque architecture, ‘Britain’s greatest palace’ was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne and a grateful nation in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704.
Performing Arts take centre stage in Chipping Campden
30/06/2020
Delivering a Performing Arts Centre to Chipping Campden takes a step closer this week.
Construction work gets underway at Chipping Campden School to build a high specification centre, to be completed by Autumn 2021, for the benefit of the school and the local community.
Construction work gets underway at Chipping Campden School to build a high specification centre, to be completed by Autumn 2021, for the benefit of the school and the local community.
Online quiz set to raise much needed funds for local youth charity
22/06/2020
It’s time to get your thinking hats on and join Stroud-based youth charity The Door for a virtual quiz night, with special guest host BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Faye Hatcher.
Join Faye, as well as Barrie and Rosie from The Door on Tuesday 30th June at 8pm LIVE on The Door’s Facebook Page (@TheDoorStroud) for an hour of quizzing and chat.
Join Faye, as well as Barrie and Rosie from The Door on Tuesday 30th June at 8pm LIVE on The Door’s Facebook Page (@TheDoorStroud) for an hour of quizzing and chat.
Cotswold Young People swoops £290,000 lottery investment
12/06/2020
Young people in the Cotswolds are set to benefit from a range of new opportunities and activities over the next three years thanks to a National Lottery application submitted by a partnership of youth organisations working in the Cotswolds.
The application led by youth & community organisation World Jungle and including key partners Community Mentoring & Support Service (CMASS), inclusion charity Active Impact, Tetbury Area Youth & Community Trust and Black Cat Community Café, will give young people new opportunities for development, support and recreation.
The project called ’Cotswold Youth’ will include mentoring support for young people at risk of exclusion in schools, support to youth clubs, summer activities aimed at those making the transition from primary to secondary, leadership and work experiences as well as training and support for organisations and individuals who support young people.Ben Ward, World Jungle director, said: “We are absolutely delighted by the news. Young people in the Cotswold miss out on a whole range of experiences and opportunities due to the rural nature of the district that other young people in the county take for granted. Also with the impact of lockdown, school closures and loss of other key services, young people are finding life harder than ever and we must mobilise youth services as soon as we can safely do so.
“We really hope that we can work alongside young people to identify activities and support they feel they need; be it training, more things to do, work experience and much more. We’d love to get young people involved in deciding how we design the programme and in promoting opportunities to those around the district and would love to hear from young people keen to be involved from the start.”
The project, also supported by Cotswold District Council and the Cotswold Youth Network, has been over ten months in development.
Cllr Tony Dale, Cabinet Member for Skills and Young People at Cotswold District Council, said: “This is the most exciting development we have seen for young people in the Cotswolds since the new leadership was elected to Council in 2019. It successfully brings together youth organisations, Local Activity Partnerships, council providers, businesses and schools to benefit the young people who most need to develop these skills.
“World Jungle has taken a huge leap in winning this bid to provide our communities across the Cotswolds with mentoring, teaching, experience, learning and activity practice to promote a whole generation of new leaders from amongst our Young People. Well done Ben and Jane! A mega thank you to all our local volunteers and council officers who have helped to make this happen.”
The Cotswold Youth Network is made up of voluntary and community organisations, district, town and parish councils, sports clubs, arts provider, play organisations and housing associations all committed to improving the lives of young people and this group will be key to ensure the widest number of young people benefit and hear about the opportunities.
The difference it is hoped the project will make:
- Over 700 young people, each year will take part in a meaningful and participatory process exploring their experiences of growing up in the Cotswolds. This will be shared with over 50 key stakeholders throughout the year and through an annual Youth Voice event bringing young people, youth organisations and decision-makers together to respond directly to their concerns and issues.
- Over 600 young people, each year will take part in high-quality inclusive youth sessions. Young people will benefit from weekly youth sessions, unique & special youth holiday experiences and support to see their ideas through.
- 40 organisations and individuals will be more resilient, more strategic and better placed to support young people as a result of direct training on issues such as fundraising, committee development, consulting with young people and inclusion by the end of the project.
- 30 young people will be supported to develop leadership skills in an area of their choice across the life of the project.
- 20 youth organisations are more inclusive and have received the Inclusion Award each year.
- 10 youth-led projects will be supported to take their ideas forward each year through a budget held by the partnership.
- 10 communities will be strengthened by having regular inclusive youth opportunities which meet the needs of all young people by the end of the project.
- The Cotswold Youth Network will be a youth-led, strategic, influential and well-resourced partnership with a strong focus for the delivery of exceptional youth services in a challenging rural environment.
Public toilets across the Cotswolds set to reopen
28/05/2020
Cotswold District Council has announced the reopening of its 15 public toilet sites.
As the country slowly begins to take steps to move out of lockdown more of us are beginning to travel a little further from home.
Meetings resume online for Cotswold District Council
28/05/2020
Cotswold District Council is set to resume committee meetings online as members and the public remain in lockdown.
Council members and officers have been using video conferencing for internal meetings but today’s Overview and Scrutiny meeting will be the first formal committee to be run using online video conferencing.
Key decisions at the council are taken in public meetings but such meetings do not currently meet social distancing guidelines. Moving meetings online allows meetings to take place publicly but safely.
The council will be holding the following meetings virtually over the coming weeks:
- Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 28 May 2020 at 4pm
- Cabinet on Monday 1 June 2020 at 6pm
- Council on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at 2pm
- Planning and Licensing Committee on Wednesday 10 June 2020 at 10am
Members of the public will be able to follow the proceedings through a broadcast on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/CotswoldDC/live
You do not need a Facebook account to access this.
Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of Cotswold District Council, said: “Both staff and councillors have continued to support the delivery of services during lockdown. But a key part of the work remains decision making which largely happens formally in our committees, so I am delighted that we’re able to resume meetings in a way that meets social distancing guidelines.
“For the next few meetings that means socially distanced democracy with meetings conducted online and streamed. I look forward to having meetings in person as guidance develops. “
Councillor Stephen Andrews, chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: “It is important for local democracy to get council meetings operating in a way that is as close to ‘normal’ as possible.
“Whilst we have not worked in this way before and these early meetings will be a challenge for those taking part in them, it is something that we must do so that there can be scrutiny of decisions made by the council both internally and by the public.”
Cotswold Show and Food Festival cancelled
28/05/2020
The Cotswold Show and Food Festival, one of the Cotswolds’ much loved summer events, has announced it has cancelled this year’s show due to Covid-19.
The show was due to have taken place at Cirencester Park on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12.
Cotswold hotel launches Coronavirus frontline fundraising competition
19/05/2020
With the hospitality industry currently feeling the effects of the global Coronavirus outbreak, a luxury Cirencester hotel, the Kings Head, is remaining positive and encouraging the public to look to the future by announcing a nationwide, raffle-style competition dedicated to raising funds for four deserving organisations at the frontline of the crisis.
Council grant to support vital services in the North Cotswolds
07/05/2020
Cotswold Friends will receive £10,000 in grant funding to support the continued delivery of essential services for the most vulnerable in the district.
Cotswold District Council has approved the grant as part of its Community Resilience Fund to support the voluntary sector in helping local communities through the current pandemic.
Cotswold District Council has approved the grant as part of its Community Resilience Fund to support the voluntary sector in helping local communities through the current pandemic.
Gloucestershire Masons steer £5,000 to Stroud Women’s Refuge
06/05/2020
One of the most disappointing consequences of the coronavirus lockdown has been the increase in incidence of domestic violence.
In a show of support for the Stroud Beresford Women’s Refuge, an immediate donation of £5,000 has been awarded by the Masonic Charitable Foundation as a direct consequence of a request from Tim Henderson-Ross, the Provincial Grand Master for Gloucestershire.
Whilst individual lodges around Gloucestershire continue to make local donations to the needy and vulnerable during this appalling pandemic, at a national level, the Masonic Charitable Foundation has allotted an additional £100,000 to this region as an emergency structure, to support those directly or indirectly affected by Covid-19 virus.
In a show of support for the Stroud Beresford Women’s Refuge, an immediate donation of £5,000 has been awarded by the Masonic Charitable Foundation as a direct consequence of a request from Tim Henderson-Ross, the Provincial Grand Master for Gloucestershire.
Whilst individual lodges around Gloucestershire continue to make local donations to the needy and vulnerable during this appalling pandemic, at a national level, the Masonic Charitable Foundation has allotted an additional £100,000 to this region as an emergency structure, to support those directly or indirectly affected by Covid-19 virus.
Bibury Antiques Fair to be held online during lockdown
02/05/2020
The Bibury Antiques Fair, which is usually held at the Bibury Village Hall, Bibury, Gloucestershire, every month from April to November is to continue online under an initiative announced by Iain Brunt, founder of www.antiques.co.uk.
Rather than postpone the fair until the present COVID-19 lockdown is over, the fair will be selling antiques, decorative and vintage items at www.antiques.co.uk/seller/4448/Bibury-Antiques-Fair
‘Wartime in the Cotswolds’: The show must go on!
23/04/2020
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) is, after all, running its highly popular ‘Wartime in the Cotswolds’ this weekend 25th and 26th April. The show was previously cancelled due to the coronavirus but a virtual event is now being shown live on Facebook and YouTube instead!
Superdry donates PPE supplies to county’s care workers
23/04/2020
Around 300,000 items of personal protective equipment (PPE) will be distributed to staff working in care homes, as well as in people’s homes, thanks to a donation by Cheltenham-based clothing company Superdry.
Gloucestershire’s community help hub gains over 2,000 volunteers in the first week
01/04/2020
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.
The hub is supported by Gloucestershire County Council who gather requests for support, review the data and pass it to the relevant district, borough or city council. They will then match the volunteers with requests for support to ensure people get what they need as quickly as possible.
Air Tattoo cancelled by coronavirus crisis
23/03/2020
The Royal International Air Tattoo, due to take place at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds this summer, has been cancelled.
A statement from the Tattoo organisers said: “It is with enormous regret and disappointment that we have to announce the cancellation of this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, due to take place from 17 to 19 July, as a result of the challenging and unprecedented environment presented by COVID-19.
A statement from the Tattoo organisers said: “It is with enormous regret and disappointment that we have to announce the cancellation of this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, due to take place from 17 to 19 July, as a result of the challenging and unprecedented environment presented by COVID-19.
Sir Michael Morpurgo issues plea to save Cotswold theatre
23/03/2020
Sir Michael Morpurgo, the internationally bestselling author of War Horse and Private Peaceful, has issued a letter to supporters of the Barn Theatre in Cirencester, pleading for support as the theatre launches its Save Our Barn campaign.
Last Wednesday, the Barn Theatre announced that their production of Patrick Barlow’s Ben Hur, and all future performances including the world premiere of Vicki Berwick’s stage adaptation of Morpurgo’s The Mozart Question, would be postponed until further notice due to the Government guidelines around Covid-19 and in response to the Prime Minister’s statement.
Last Wednesday, the Barn Theatre announced that their production of Patrick Barlow’s Ben Hur, and all future performances including the world premiere of Vicki Berwick’s stage adaptation of Morpurgo’s The Mozart Question, would be postponed until further notice due to the Government guidelines around Covid-19 and in response to the Prime Minister’s statement.
Bistro’s ‘Nightingale Night’ to boost local charity
06/03/2020
Staff at Da Luigi Bistro in Chipping Campden will don nurses’ tunics for a Nightingale Night of great Italian food and entertainment on 12th May – the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
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