Dear all
Lots of clubs and classes are starting again now we are in September. Do look at the website for the regular classes and contact the organisers directly.
Most of the up-and-coming events are featured in the Future Events section below but we would like to particularly draw your attention to:
Event News
Minchinhampton Street Party 2021! (Fundraiser for Country Fayre 2022)
on Saturday, 18 September, from 1.00–8.30pm.
Live Music, Raffle (incl. 1 week in Pembrokeshire Cottage, Easter 2022) and ‘Made by Minch’ stalls. Buy your tickets here.
If you would like to join in with the Street Party, for more info and to reserve your space go to www.minchlife.com. Local businesses will be providing lots of food and drinks to supplement your picnics. Please note this is a ticketed event; without booking, you cannot attend, as there are limited number of spaces available – BOOK NOW!
Time to get your walking boots out ready for the Horsfall House charity walk for respite care this Sunday, 5 September. It starts from Minchinhampton Community Library from 9.30am – 1.00pm. If you have not done it before, the route takes you through Gatcombe Wood and Avening Court. It is a lovely walk.
On the weekend of the 10-12 September, the Churches Together Big Church Weekend is being held. Some info, and how to book is here:
It’s all free, but please use the booking form to give the organisers an idea of numbers. Friday will be an all-age service followed by cheese, wine, and a quiz. Saturday will have a full day of services and children’s activities, as well as a bouncy castle and a BBQ! Sunday morning will have children’s activities and a service in Holy Trinity, followed by a picnic lunch and an afternoon tea. You can opt into any part of what is going on over the weekend.
Art and Flowers Exhibition, Minchinhampton Holy Trinity Church. Friday, 17 – Monday, 20 September. Preview tickets for Thursday 16 September available for £5 from the Market Stores.
Ian Jarvis has to pay for the Malvern Show tickets shortly, coach trip on Friday, 24 September. If you’d like to go – and it does look a great show this year – then do let him know as soon as you can. Plenty of seats left.
He is also now taking booking/payments for the BBC Good Food Show, on Friday, 26 November at the NEC, Birmingham. They still don’t know exactly how much the Mary Berry kitchen show will be, so they are going to make an educated guess at £2.50 each – making the total price for Mary/general show admission/coach at £49.50 senior and £50.50 adult. Please click on the events for further information.
If you been affected by the death of a friend or family member by suicide – you are invited to a talk by author Jolla Malin who has written about her own experience of Complex Grief based on her book ‘Carry a Whisper’ written after losing her sister to suicide. Following the talk Jolla will open up a discussion/Q&A session. Everyone is welcome whether affected directly or indirectly by suicide. The talk will take place in the Porch Room at Holy Trinity Church Minchinhampton on Tuesday, 7 September 6.45pm to 8pm. There will also be information about further events for people who have been bereaved by a suicide. There is no charge.
Heritage Open Days at St Mary’s Mill: weekend 11/12 September the mill will be open for booked tours of the ground floor showing the water wheel and the steam engine (which is turned by electricity). There will also be displays of some of the Stroudwater Textile Trust’s reserve collection of machinery, cloth, photos etc. Hourly tours at 11.00, 12.15, 2.00 and 3.15 each day. Contact Ian 01453 766273 or imack@btopenworld.com
News from Cotswold Playhouse
Friday, 10 September -Sunday, 12 September at St Laurence Church, Stroud. Well, That Was Different! written and directed by Philip Douch. Two short plays to make you laugh and think. This production is the Cotswold Players’ contribution to the 2021 Stroud Theatre Festival. For booking please refer to Stroud Theatre Festival website.
Monday, 20 September – Tuesday, 21 September at St Laurence Church, Stroud. Thursday, 23 – Saturday, 25 September at the Cotswold Playhouse. Peace in our Time by Noël Coward. This Cotswold Players production with the generous support of Stroud Arts Festival also brings together Stroud Choral Society and the Capriol Chamber Orchestra to celebrate the festival’s 75th anniversary. Book online at cotswoldplayhouse.co.uk or tel 0333 666 3366
Club News
Minchinhampton Players, your local amateur dramatics group are back! Launching their pre-Christmas production HOME GROAN TOO! the Players are having a get-together next Wednesday evening, 8 September at 7pm with refreshments at the Market House and they very much hope you’ll be there! Minchinhampton Players will discuss an outline of their Christmas show – HOME GROAN TOO! This revue show has been specially designed to be easy to put on. It centres around ‘chorus of townsfolk’ comprised of almost all the cast. The whole production is designed to be light-hearted and fun. There will be: No Auditions, No hanging around backstage, No need for Stage Fright! There are lots of different ways you can get involved with Minchinhampton Players behind the scenes, costumes, scenery, stage management, technical and front of house. So please come along and be a part of the fun!
Gardening Clubs
We would like to highlight that Box Gardening Club are holding their village show on Sunday, 5 September in Box Village Hall, Amberley Gardening Club are holding their first talk of the year on Wednesday, 8 September in Amberley Parish Rooms, and Minchinhampton Gardening Club are holding their 38th Annual Show on Saturday, 11 September in Minchinhampton School Hall.
Minchinhampton Rugby Club. If there are any keen rugby players in year 9 (under 14) – who might like to join/try out, there will be FREE taster sessions starting on Sunday, 5 September. Contact minchrugbyU14@gmail.com for more details. There are lots of other age groups available, including Girls Rugby.
The Cotteswold Naturalists’ Field Club has relaunched its 2021 programme and are pleased to be returning to the Hub in Tobacconist Road, meeting in future on the third Thursday afternoon of the month. The first meeting will be Thursday, 21 October at 2.30 pm. Please contact Jane Rowe on 01452 813228 if interested in membership and the full programme.
Poems in the Porch Room. A new group, who share poems and reminiscences, is meeting in the Porch Room at the Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton on Monday, 6 September, and then the first Monday of each month. This group welcomes all, but especially people who are living with memory problems. Contact Jo Smith on 01453 834714 for further information.
Minchinhampton Ladies Lunch Club is starting again on Thursday, 16 September. It is usually the third Thursday of the month. Everyone is welcome. It is held at the Old Lodge from 12.30 pm. There is a speaker – this month it is Alex Ledger who is talking about Adventures behind the Lens. He is a producer of the Blue Peter series.
It is rumoured that the Stuart Singers would like more members! Please contact Vicky Hulse on 07531 824696 for more information. They will be rehearsing on 2 September in Minchinhampton School Hall.
Community news:
The Crown are celebrating after it was named the best in the district. Beer-drinking experts from the Stroud branch of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) decided that the Crown was top of the hops and presented the landlord with the Pub of the Year award.
Minchinhampton Community Hub. The gym is now up and running. It is intended to set up a tuck shop and café, possibly run by volunteers. New Youth Club sessions are taking place and there is provision for badminton and table tennis with a view to setting up clubs if there is sufficient interest. Plans are also in place to install a large screen so that key sporting events can be shown. Designs for a children’s playground are being investigated and the skate ramp will be updated and improved. There is also an intention to install electric car-charging points in the car park, alongside the building. For further information on all developments, please call in at the Hub or email rector@minchchurch.org.uk
Minchinhampton Community Library: As the summer reading challenge “Minchinhampton Reading Warriors” has been so successful, the organisers have made the decision to extend it until the end of September. However, the last day for signing up will be Saturday, 4 September. The new format has gone down very well with the children and they have produced some amazing artwork. It is hoped to put this on show from Friday, 17 September. The library hours are still as follows: Monday, 2.00-4.30pm, Tuesday and Friday 10.00-12noon and 2.00-4.30pm, and Saturday, 10.00-12noon.
The library would love to extend the hours, but extra volunteers are needed to help out. If you love books, have time on your hands and most importantly are able to pick up new computer systems easily, give the library a call on 01453 885497 or visit the library during opening hours. You only need to commit yourself to one or two sessions a month, although if you have more time available it would be much appreciated.
Some news about the Minchinhampton Nkokoto Link. They participated in the Eddystone Pursuit and raised £2,019.83. This was prize money and donations from loyal supporters and new friends. These funds will all be used for educational projects in Nkokoto. They have posted a blog on the Minchinhampton Nkokoto website.
Henrys are absolutely delighted to share with you all…. AT LAST!!! Their shiny new loose milk machine has arrived and is fully installed. Available in full cream and semi skimmed. Bring your own bottles or purchase a Henry’s branded bottle for £5 which includes a litre of milk of your choice.
Events
For further information of these events, and details of how to book, please click on the event or look at the Events calendar on our website https//:minchlife.com
Also, please remember a list of regular weekly events can be found on this page – for example, if you click on “Wednesday” at the top of the calendar you will see that the Market is taking place in the undercroft, and on “Thursday” you will find that Pete the Fish visits the Market Square. In this section regular exercise classes can also be found.
Thursday, 2 September. 7.30–10.45pm. Minchinhampton Folk Club returns! Cotswold Club, High Street.
Thursday, 2 September. 7.15pm. Stuart Singers rehearsal. Minchinhampton School Hall.
Saturday, 4 September. 10.00am-2.30pm. Makers’ Market in the Undercroft. Minchinhampton Market House. Local Crafts.
Sunday, 5 September. Starting 9.30am-1.00pm. Horsfall House Charity Walk. Check-in at Minchinhampton Community Library.
Sunday, 5 September. 8.00am-5.00pm Inter-Club Day at Minchinhampton Cricket Club.
Sunday, 5 September. 3.30pm Box Gardening Club Village Show
Monday, 6 September. 10.30-12.00noon. Poems in the Porch Room. Minchinhampton Holy Trinity Church.
Tuesday, 7 September. 6.45-8.00pm. Complex Grief. Talk by Jolla Malin. Porch Room, Minchinhampton Holy Trinity Church.
Wednesday, 8 September. 7.00-10.00pm Minchinhampton Players Open Evening. Market House.
Wednesday, 8 September 7.30-9.00pm Amberley Gardening Club – Talk “Cotswold Garden Flowers”. Amberley Parish Rooms. All welcome.
Friday, 10 September – Sunday, 12 September. Churches Together Big Church Weekend
Saturday, 11 September. 11.00am-4.00pm. Minchinhampton Gardening Club 38th Annual Show. Minchinhampton School Hall.
Monday, 13 September. 7.00-9.30pm. Minchinhampton Parish Council Planning Committee. Venue to be confirmed.
Thursday, 16 September. 12.30pm. Minchinhampton Ladies Lunch Club: Adventures behind the Lens. Old Lodge. New members welcome.
Friday, 17 September-Monday, 20 September with Preview Thursday 16 September. Arts and Flowers Exhibition. Minchinhampton Holy Trinity Church.
Saturday, 18 September. 1.00-8.00pm Street Party. Minchinhampton High Street. (Note High Street will be closed!)
Tuesday, 21 September. Box Gardening Club: Growing Native Orchids. Box Village Hall.
Thursday, 23 September. 9.30am-2.30pm. Wild Food Foraging Course. Burleigh Court Hotel.
Friday, 24 September. 9.15am-4.30pm Coach Trip to Malvern Autumn Show.
Sunday, 26 September. 10.30am-1.00pm Walking & Wildlife Group – Box Wood and beyond. Meet at Box Village Hall.
Monday, 27 September. 7.00-9.30pm. Minchinhampton Parish Council Full Meeting. Venue to be confirmed.
Friday 1 October. 7:30pm Concert: Natalie Holmes and James Oram. Beaudesert Park School.
Saturday, 2 October. 10.00am-2.30pm. Makers’ Market in the Undercroft. Minchinhampton Market House. Local Crafts.
Saturday, 2 October. 2.30pm Ugg ‘n Ogg and the World’s First Dogg. Box Village Hall. Show for Youngsters.
Wednesday, 6 October. Minchinhampton Women’s Institute meetings recommence.
As always, please do get in touch if you would like us to add anything to our newsletters or if you see any omissions or alterations. We are particularly keen to hear from all Clubs and Groups regarding their plans this autumn.
Janet Chamberlain/Anne Parry
info@minchlife.com