K i n g s w o o d    G r a p e v i n e

Issue No. 122                                                                                                                                 FEBRUARY 2008     

Editors: Diane White (843783) & Gill Hemming (842734)

 

D a t e s   F o r   Y o u r   D i a r y

 

Sun        3rd       February           Mobile Police Station                             Chipping                                              11.30am

Mon      11th                              K.V.A Annual - General Meeting              Village Hall                                            8.00pm

Tues     12th                              W.I – History of Wotton Cinema              Village Hall                                            7.30pm

MARCH  ISSUE  DEADLINE:                  FRIDAY  15th FEBRUARY

Mon      18th       February           Mobile Police Station                             Chipping                                               11.30am

Thurs    21st                              Historical Society Talk                            Parish Room, St Mary’s Wotton              7.30pm

Fri        29th                              R.N.L.I Quiz Night                                  Village Hall                            7.30pm for 8.00pm

Wed       5th       March              R.N.L.I AGM                                          Star, Wotton                                          8.00pm

KINGSWOOD VILLAGE ASSOCIATION

The Village Association will be holding its Annual General Meeting in the Lounge of the village hall on Monday evening 11th February 2008 at 8pm to elect committee members and officers, discuss plans for the year and present accounts for 2006/7.  All villagers over 18 years are eligible to attend and we hope to welcome 'new blood' to the committee.  Why not come along and find out how you can get involved in planning village entertainments, such as Showday & Halloween, and what we do with the money generated? 

Wotton-under-Edge Branch R.N.L.I      Quiz Night

 A Quiz Night will be held on February 29th in Kingswood Village Hall, (7.30pm for an 8.00pm start) with teams of up to 6 people. Tickets costing £6 each will include a ploughman’s supper. Tickets available from Kingswood Spar shop, Gill and Paul Hemming (842734), and John Barnett (Charfield) on 844709.

The Wotton branch will be holding its A.G.M on Wednesday 5th March in the Star, Wotton at 8.00pm. All are very welcome to come along.

KINGSWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY  Contact Sheila Alexander, The Old Plume 843398 or alexplume@freeuk.com   

The Historical Society will hold its next hands-on talk at a new venue - The Parish Room at St Mary's Church in Wotton-under-Edge - on Thursday evening 21st February commencing at 7.30pm.  Village resident, Andrew Harper is Tower Captain at Wotton church and has kindly offered to not only talk to members about the History of the Bells but also allow everyone to 'have a go' at bell ringing and even climb up to the belfry to inspect the bells themselves.  Car transport will be arranged (leaving the village at 7.15) and hot refreshments will be provided.  There will be no charge for Members but guests and non-members will be asked to pay £3.  Admission is by ticket only, please contact Sheila by 14 February to reserve your place.

Diary Date 17th May for a not-to-be-missed opportunity to attend a Study Day at Gloucester Cathedral commencing at 10.30am and ending around 3.30pm.  There will be a guided tour of very ancient parts of the cathedral (including some not generally open to public gaze) and a talk about monastic times there.  The cost is £15pp to include a light lunch.  There are a limited number of places, so please apply early for your ticket - obtainable from Sheila Alexander.  Car transport will be arranged if required but we are advised that this outing is not suitable for disabled or infirm people, due to many uneven steps to be negotiated.

KINGSWOOD PLAYGROUP AND TODDLERS

Kingswood Village Playgroup and Toddlers thank everyone who supported their successful Christmas Shopping Evening and Craft and Coffee Morning. The final total has yet to be confirmed, but is expected to be more than £900. The money will go towards new equipment, including painting bibs and a craft storage system that will enable the children to choose their own materials. More fundraising events are planned for 2008.
Playgroup celebrates its 40th birthday this year and the committee wants to hear from anyone involved in setting it up, whose children attended in 1968 or even those children! Anyone with stories or photographs is asked to contact Bekki on 01453 521203 [after 8pm].

Village Agent – Computer Club

I know that a few of you tried the computer club run by Mike and Keith from Age Concern and found it useful, however we now need to decide whether there are still enough people interested to make it worthwhile continuing on a regular basis. They are not local, Keith comes from near Cirencester, so I need to ensure that they don’t have a wasted journey. Please let me know your thoughts especially on the best/ most convenient time to meet.

Thank you - Helen Doggart - Village Agent (07810630134).

KINGSWOOD ABBEY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

At the January meeting of the W.I. we had a fascinating talk entitled "Vintage Wonders".
Our speaker Ruth Jacobs and her husband brought along a selection of their Victorian, Edwardian and early Twentieth Century jewellery and accessories. Ruth showed us examples of hatpins, earrings, brooches, compacts and evening bags and fans. We were shown how to tell modern marcasite from early pieces and the difference between Whitby jet and French. It was a most enjoyable evening with a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. Our February speaker will be Janet Walshe on The History of Wotton Cinema.
Handicraft classes are to be held fortnightly in the Village Hall commencing Wednesday 23 Jan 1.30-3.30 pm.

KINGSWOOD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Contact – Jennie on 842803 or email linandnorv@yahoo.co.uk

A warm welcome awaits you at Kingswood Congregational Church.

Our services on a Sunday are at 10.30am and 6.00pm.  Invited speakers lead the services so there is a variety of teaching available.  Our services start with a time of worship led by our worship group.  Refreshments are served following both services.  We are very family orientated and on Sunday mornings Kings Klub and Crèche are organised for the children while the service is in progress.  (We have a Safe from Harm Policy in place).  Communion is shared on the 1st Sunday of the month in the mornings and the 3rd in the evenings.  On the last Sunday in the month we hold a Family Service.

Our weekly meetings are:-

Mondays at 6.30pm – Zion Club for primary school age children followed at 7.30 – 9.00pm, a new venture, Z+, which is aimed at years 7 & 8, where various activities are arranged, e.g. snooker, table tennis, darts, play station games.*  Please contact Lin on 843461 if you would like to know more.

Tuesdays at 2.15pm Bright Hour and Ladies Prayer Group meet and at 7.30pm Prayer Meeting followed by Bible Study*

Thursdays at 10.15 is Kings Kidz for mothers babies/toddlers*

This year is our 350th year of which we are very proud.  If you have any special memories or have had any contact with the church we would be glad to hear from you as we prepare for different events throughout the year.

*Meet in the Lower School Room, The Walk.

ST MARY'S PARISH CHURCH  

There's always something going on in the Church year and this time, I can say going on in the church building too. We have the builders in and although they may seem like wreckers at the moment, we are beginning to see progress. Various things have been started in the new 'room'...name still to be decided!... and one of those which is visible, is the chosen colours for the decoration. There has been some sample painting and I have to say it's looking good. Thank you Simon.  Our Christmas services were well attended and one highlight must be the Children singing at the Carol service. There was a sort of practice when we met at The Chipping for Carols (money raised went to Winston's wish) ... thank you Gill, Sheila, Beth  and The Upper School Room and others...and the youngsters sang a couple of ad hoc numbers. We sent the children home with an invitation to continue singing with us, but I think about 2% arrived... hence a slight hiccup in early January. HOWEVER we are now up and singing again, preparing for Mothering Sunday and Easter which is, this year, incredibly early.  Lent lunches will happen at The Rectory in CHARFIELD on Thursdays between 12 and 2.00...NO booking needed... and I'm hoping for an Agape Supper in our Newly finished room on Maundy Thursday. It WILL take place but we might still be amidst builder’s chaos!!! It's a simple 'Love Feast' with a shared communion, some hymns, readings and then the stripping of the Church ready for Good Friday and ultimately the splendid array on Easter Day. We have booked the Bishop for a Confirmation Service in October and the GOOD news is that he's happy to Confirm children, with no (reasonable) lower age limit as long as I'm happy!!!! So, if anyone out there wants more information, please get in touch. The Friends of St Mary's continue to excite me with their plans and I'm eternally grateful to the committee under the Facilitation-ship (I made that word up) of John Jennings-Chick. On February 22nd we welcome the new priest in Charge of Wotton under Edge, who will, in due course, also be responsible for St Mary’s.....i.e. my boss! So we remember Rob Axford and his wife Christine as they prepare for their move. We were saddened to hear about Philip Hopes' health scares and send him our best wishes also. Before I write again, we will celebrate Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent, with Mothering Sunday, Palm Sunday and Easer itself. It seems so soon after the birth of the baby Jesus to be thinking of the way he died. That's life I'm afraid but as long as we remember that the real work of Christmas goes on, and that the Joy of Easter makes it all so much more relevant, the church itself will continue to be seen as active and thriving, regardless of builders, painters and decorators ... after all is said and done, the Church IS it's people, not just the building. May God bless you all and keep you fit and healthy. Viv K

JUBILEE CLUB

The Jubilee Club members who attended the New Years Eve Lunch at the village hall wish to thank the K.V.A very much for another excellent party. Thanks also to the helpers behind the scenes and Leyhill staff.

Senior Citizens - KVA New Years Eve Celebration Luncheon

After another very enjoyable luncheon, we are pleased to offer this year again free copies of the photographs that were taken during the day. The photos will be displayed in The Spar.

Please contact James Smillie on 842467, or at 4 Abbey Street to place your order for you free colour print.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

Neighbourhood Watch has received a report of somebody throwing bags of baby’s nappies and bags of dog mess into the garden of a Walkmill Lane resident. A nasty incident. It's also been reported that the bolts have been unscrewed on the barrier in Squaws Lake. Should you wish to report any problem the Police Information Point is available in Kingswood Post Office or advise your local N.W. representative.

Wotton-under-Edge Dramatic Society

 Wotton-under-Edge Dramatic Society is presenting Noel Coward's comedy, "Relative Values" from 20th to 23rd February, in the Town Hall.  Tickets on sale at the Cotswold Book Room from 21st January £5.00 each. This is our 75th season.

Parish Plan Update

The Parish Council would like to thank the Parish Plan Working Party for all of their hard work in compiling the questionnaire.  It is hoped that by the end of February every household in the Parish will receive a copy.  This is a follow on from the questionnaire that was circulated 10 years ago.  It is important that as many households as possible respond as it is a consultation document asking you about how you want the Village to develop in the coming years. Look out for more details in February and what you need to do take part.

The Village Diary can be viewed on the Grapevine website. For an entry please email Grapevine or telephone Gill on 842734.