8


Gloucestershire Independent


Club mark birthday by helping at school


MEMBERS of the Inner Wheel Club in Stroud helped St Rose’sSchool begin anew chapterwhen they organised library books as partofthe group’s90th birthdaycel- ebrations. Every year on the club’s


birthday, which is known as WorldInner Wheel Day, members worldwide per- formacts of service and friendship in their local com- munities. To commemorate the club’s


90th birthdaythis year on Friday, January 10, some of the members of the Stroud branch visited St Rose’s School whilst others helped out at Cotswold Care Hos- pice. WendyFowles,the presi-


dent of theStroud branch of the Inner Wheel Club, and fellowmembers Mary Hale and Jane Tiley,spent their morning at the special educational needs school ar- ranging books for the new library. “It wasn’t an arduous task


but the hour the three of us put in sorting, labelling and organising the school’s books has allowedteach- ers and carers to spend that time with the students,” said Wendy. “St Rose’sisagreatschool. We hope that our time has helped them move one step closer to finishing their new library.” There are several clubs in Gloucestershire which meet on different days and times If youthink youcould spare the time to volunteer with the Inner Wheel to help out in the community email: stroudinnerwheel@gmail. com or call 01453 762310. Or for more information go online at stroudinnerwheel. magix.net/public/


January 30, 2014 Dursley Bell hasbeenrestoredtopride of place


ANYONE passing through town mayhavenoticed that the “Dursley Bell” has been reinstated to its lofty posi- tion on top of thetownhall –but will neverring again. Commissioned by Thomas Estcourtin1738 when he built the MarketHouse, the bell was the town’s fire alarm. It weighs around 76kg, was


cast in Gloucester by Abel Rudhall and bore the in- scription Come Away With- out Delaywith the date 1747. In 2005 vandals climbed


scaffolding, unhooked the bell, and dropped it, shatter- ing it into numerous pieces. The Dursley Town Trust


Thebell restored to its rightful placeontop of Dursley Town Hall (3533798)


was able to recoup the £900 needed to repair it from in- surance and it was sent to specialist bell maker Mark Strupczewski at his com- pany Soundweld in Newmar- ket. While the bell has been restored to its former glory and hung back up,itwill neverbepossible to ring it again.


Call forhelptobring Post Ofice back to Painswick


VOLUNTEERS are fighting to bring aPost Office back to Painswick. There has been alack of


post service facilities in the village since March last year. At the time,the Post Office


in New Street closed due to adispute between the Royal Mail and the former post mis- tress Karen Judd. Nowthere is achance to bring apost office back to the village thanks to the Pains- wick Centre trustees who have agreed to the use of two


By Kate Wilson 01453 769414 kwi@stroudnewsandjournal. co.uk


stock rooms. These roomswere agreed by


Post Office representatives on the basis that the facility is run as acommunity-based post office. “Finding unpaid volunteers willing to handle other peo- ple’smoney is going to be the


next big sticking point,” said David Linsell, chairman of the Painswick Centre trus- tees.” And he added: “But this is


the only wayweare going to bring apost office back to the centre of the village.” According to Mr Linsell the


Post Office has made it clear they are unwilling to pay asalary to apostmaster or postmistress. APost Office spokesman


said:“Weapologise for the in- convenience to customers in


Painswick for the disruption to services. “Weknowhow important


Post Office services are to people in the area and we are determined to restore our physical presence at the heartofthe community.” The trustees are due to


meet with Post Office rep- resentativesonMondayto discuss the next stage in the process. Recently


vil-


lagers have also voiced


MammaMia writergoes back to herroots forevent


FILMMAKING took centre stage at Wotton Electric Picture House for acelebration of cinema with aHolly- wood writer. Mammia Mia writer Catherine


Johnson


visited Wotton-under- Edge for aquestion and answersession and film screening on Saturday, January 18. The 2008 romantic comedywas adapted from Ms Johnson’s popular West End mu- sical of the same name and is the highest grossing musical of all time. The writer behind the book, musical and


hit film grew up in Wickwar and attended Katharine LadyBerke- ley’sSchool. She joined adiverse line-up,including members of the team behind local short film Black Car Home, filmed around the Riv- er Severn and screened at the event. The cin- ema’sJeffWalshesaid the programme had fo- cused on the process of making films. “Catherine


John-


son started the pro- cess talking about her background living in the area and some sto- ries about school,” he said. “She made every-


one laugh quite alot.” First and foremost a playwright, Ms John- son is also apatron of Wotton cinema. “She’sdropped


in and out over the years,” explained Mr Walshe.“She brought her parents to see Mamma Mia in the cinema. We’relucky to have her.” She answered ques- tions about her writ- ing, Mamma Mia and the ABBAsongs that didn’tmakethe cut, be- fore being interviewed by Black Car Home’s writer and director Da- vid Pearson. The director then


took to the stage him- self, discussing his filmmaking and plot ideas with the audi- ence.Heiscurrently putting together ideas to turnhis 20-minute film into afeature film. The third and final speaker was bird trainer LloydBuck, discussing


training


animals for films and television. In total, £960 was raised from ticket sales at Wotton Celebrates


Cinema,


which will go towards replacing the lights in the displayarea of the heritage centre.Call 01453 843060 or visit wottoneph.co.uk


their


concerns about the reduced number of post boxes in Painswick since the clo- sure of the box in Tibbiwell Lane 18 months ago and the post box in New Street last March. Stroud MP Neil Carmi- chael has promised his sup- porttoresidents fighting to get post facilities returned to the village.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16