October 30, 2014


Vicar cancels a bell ringing event after traders’ complaints


A STROUD vicar has cancelled a bell ringing peal after traders claimed the bells were driving shoppers away. Traders at the Shambles Mar-


ket in Stroud voiced concerns after bells rang for more than three hours at St Laurence Church. As a gesture of goodwill, the


Rev Malcolm King has called off a visiting party, who were due to undertake a peal next month. Trader Andie Soutar, of the Global Organic fruit and veg- etable stall, which backs on to St Laurence Church’s gates, felt the length of the ringing was detrimental to trade. He said:”I am not against bell ringing, or the church, but this did go on for quite a long time and it affected trade.


Vacancies to be shown


“I hope some compromise can


be found. Apart from us not being able to think, there was a definite line in the market where people were not going.” Ron Cree,who runs the indoor


market in St Laurence Church Hall, said he was not affected. “We could not really hear it inside,” he said. “I heard that some market stall holders out- side had written to the church because it got on their nerves.” Councillor Roger Sanders ex- pressed his surprise at the reac- tion of traders. He said: “I am quite shocked


that stall holders are threaten- ing to take action against the church to stop them ringing peals on the church bells. “The ringing of the bells has been taking place for a very


long time and is recognised as an important and popular activ- ity in the town. “With the ringing of peals


only taking place twice in the last two years, I would urge the stall holders to be tolerant and accept this tradition in the spirit that the peals are rang in peace and friendship.” Reverend Malcolm King and church wardens Deirdre Baker and Mike Lambert issued a statement in response. “As a goodwill gesture, we


have cancelled a peal that was to be rung in November,” the statement read. “Any future peals for com- memorations of events or ring- ing before or after religious ser- vices will continue to take place as normal.”


Kyran employs gorilla tactics


on website A LIVE list of ap- prenticeship va- cancies is to be launched on Glouc- estershire College’s website, allowing people to see un- filled apprentice- ships in real time. Visit bit.ly/132u6bV


Gloucestershire Independent


Newcharity chopper takes to the skies


FOLLOWING a lengthy fundraising campaign, the Great Western Air Am- bulance Charity GWAAC has finally re- ceived its new helicopter. The Eurocopter 135 will replace the


current helicopter, an ageing Bolkow, enabling the charity to transform the care it is able to offer to patients. The Movin’ On Up campaign was launched to raise the £250,000 needed to secure the additional lease for six months. Thanks to the generosity of the public


the target was met, and the new helicop- ter has arrived at the base in Filton. Upgrading to the EC 135 means that


the helicopter is now compatible with the high standard of medical care and interventions provided by the team. The EC 135 will include an extra seat, meaning that if a child is airlifted they will be able to take a parent with them. This extra seat will also allow the char- ity to train new paramedics and doctors. The new helicopter will also enable


it to land on the helipads at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital – something the old heli- copter was unable to do. The EC 135 is also side loading, which


will reduce the amount of time it takes to load patients. Critical care paramedic John Wood,


the clinical lead for the team, said: “The new helicopter will mean a great deal to the people in the region we cover. “One of the major advantages is that


we will now be able to land on the BRI helipad, rather than on the Downs and making the transfer in by land ambu- lance.This will make a big time saving.” To keep the new helicopter in the air


GWAAC now needs to raise £2 million each year. GWAAC chief executive John Chris- tensen said: “The arrival of our new helicopter is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. “It is fantastic for the people in the re-


gion who paid for it with their charita- ble donations. “The challenge nowis to keep it going,


we need support to keep it in the air. “It is a great cause because we really


e r


content of UK newspapers in 2011 was 78.9%


DRESSED as a gorilla and working up a mighty sweat, Stonehouse-based Kyran Young, 18, ran the Stroud Half Marathon in under two hours in aid of the Gorilla Organisation For more pic- tures see pages 54, 77 and 80. Kyran ran the half marathon in just


one hour and 53 minutes, collecting sponsors from family and friends to go towards the Gorilla Organisation.


the hare &hounds hotel HHHH


In May 2015 Kyran will be taking the


first step of a 2,663-mile walk from Mex- ico to Canada for the last 880 mountain gorillas left on the planet. Walking along the Pacific Crest Trail,


he will pass through the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade moun- tain ranges to finish in British Colum- bia. To sponsor Kyran go to www.justgiv- ing.com/gorillawalker to help raise money and awareness for the Gorilla Organisation.


Gloucestershire Independent


do save lives.” To donate visit gwaac.com or text HELI13 £2 (or any amount) to 70070.


Children sing out against housing plans


A GROUP of children from Kingswood have performed their own version of Queen’s We Will Rock You as a message of protest to developers. The Keep Kingswood a Village group


is objecting to proposals for a new Crest Nicholson housing development of 57 homes near the new Chestnut Park. Now a whole new generation has joined


in with an all new rock band. Hilary Hinks, 39, and Dan Pacini, 46, live togeth- er in Kingswood with their four children. Mr Pacini’s two children are Dan Pa-


cini Jr, 12, and Natalie Pacini, nine. Miss Hinks’ children are Freddy Hinks, seven, and Georgia Hinks, four. The four children have formed a band to


help out with their village’s campaign to retain its village status. They made a video of their own version


of the popular Queen song, with new lyr- ics relating to the campaign. “The response has been really positive,”


said Miss Hinks. The video can be viewed on the KKAV Facebook page. The Crest Nicholson application will be decided by Stroud District Council in a few weeks’ time.


Newkit will help dementia patients


EQUIPMENT to help people with demen- tia has been donated to 2gether by Stroud Hospital’s League of Friends. 2gether is a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides mental health and learning disability services to the people of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and the surrounding region. Amplifiers to help people who are hard


of hearing and light boxes to help with mood disorders were handed over to them by the League of Friends at Weav- er’s Croft, in Field Road, Stroud, where the equipment will be in use. 2gether’s clinical director for older peo-


ple’s mental health services, Dr Martin Ansell, said: “We are extremely grateful to the League of Friends for their contin- ued support.”


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