| Hello everyone,
A year ago we never dreamt that we would be in this position, sending out weekly newsletters – with just one event to promote! This is a virtual Quiz being held on Friday, 10 April at 7:55 pm organised by the Cotswold Club. If you require further details on this, please look at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Minchinhampton-Cotswold-Club-165788823612412/
Again, rather than listing all the local businesses that are open – we are giving you access to the chart that we have prepared, which we are regularly changing as the situation arises. You can view this chart here.
From your feedback to us, it appears that the information we have been sending out is appreciated, and we have the following messages to send to you.
Minchinhampton Corinovirus Response Group
Thank you Minchinhampton Parish! We now have 130 volunteers, and have answered over 150 requests for assistance. If you feel you might be able to help with anything from speaking to someone on the phone who’s struggling with isolation to doing a bit of shopping, please register online on the Minchinhampton Life website.
It’s completely taken off – so great to support so many people in a variety of different ways. We are starting to hear lots of stories of real friendships being formed across generations. Really heartwarming stuff……..
Market House, Minchinhampton
We have been contacted by the Trustees of the Market House who wish to publicise that there are a number of sections of guttering that need to be replaced on this listed building. The guttering will cost in the region of £25,000. The trustees have some accumulated funds and the Parish Council have committed a grant of £5,000 for this year – but more help is needed. For more details on how to help click here.
Janet Payne, Chairman of the Market House, has plants for sale outside her house. Parkside, Cirencester Road. Do feel free to take any and put the money in the tin provided. Janetpaynex@btinternet.com.
Message from Parish Council
The Parish Council has issued the first of their new Bulletins to keep the public informed of their ongoing work. We published this on our website, and it can be seen here. They will be issued fortnightly and are already on their own website.
M & B Stores
Message from Brian as follows: Opening hours over Easter are same as now. Good Friday 9 – 4 pm, Saturday 9 – 4pm, Sunday, 9 – 2pm and Monday 9 – 4pm. Happy to take out orders, deliver newspapers. Glad to help those self-isolating, hopes everyone keeps well and safe, and gives thanks to all for their support.
The Chip Shed
for online pre-order only. Check their website www.chipshed.co.uk/minchinhampton-fish-and-chips
Slots available for Good Friday and Saturday but filling up fast.
The Kitchen
Open for same day orders. There is now a leaflet for choices of meal available. Last Sunday Peter and Assumpta celebrated two years of being in Minchinhampton. They very kindly made a chocolate cake for Jilly Jennings, of Butt Street, who was 102 that day – they remembered the bells ringing two years previously!
Taylors, the Butchers
Hi everyone, just an update from the butchers. It’s been a mental couple of days; to say that phone has been ringing non-stop would be an understatement … which is why we’ve taken the (unprecedented in my time) decision to stop taking orders for the next few days. The shop will still be open, but nothing can be ordered in advance, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to process it all!
I’d like to shout out to Henry’s, Market Stores, Boots, the Post office and The Kitchen and anyone else who’s still going in Minch through all this. The rules and measures we business are putting in place might not make sense or seem fair, but they’re allowing us to keep going and continue supporting the town for as long as possible!
Joanna Parker, a professional caterer, has contacted us to advise that she is doing an Easter menu for 3/4 people. – soup, leg lamb and vegetables and a pud for £60 within a five-mile radius of Stroud – otherwise there is a small charge. Available for Good Friday, Saturday 11th, and Easter Sunday. Email: Jo@joannaparker.co.uk 07951 514172. For more information see: https://joannaparker.co.uk/
Ian and Katie Jarvis (Abbeyhall coach trips)
We’re very much missing our regular trips out with you all. And particularly disappointed that we’ve had to postpone our Abbeyhall holiday, which would have been five action-packed (or stately-home packed, anyway) days in Kent. But we will be back!
The Kent holiday has been rescheduled for Monday, 7 June – Friday, 11 June 2021 (ie next year). And we’ll have a full programme of trips, just as soon as we are able.
In the meantime, we’re busy processing refunds for everything we’ve had to cancel. (Please bear with us with a couple of the trips: in some cases, we’re having to wait to get money back we’ve already paid out for your tickets.)
Keep safe, keep well, keep in touch – and keep dreaming of those coach trips to come!
Horsfall House and Longfield Hospice
At this time Horsfall House and Longfields are working very hard to look after their patients and staff. Any donations would be hugely appreciated.
https://horsfallhouse.co.uk/fundraising
https://www.longfield.org.uk/appeal/urgentappeal
Minchinhampton Baptist Church
From the Associate Minister, Danny Brown, This is a slightly different Easter than we would have wished for. Some of us are alone, anxious, ill and scared. But we celebrate, we celebrate Jesus and what his resurrection makes possible for us today. A life of freedom and a life in relationship with Him.
I pray that this Easter you experience the presence of our risen saviour in your anxiety. I pray you will know the peace of God in your unrest and a joyful encounter God in your pain. For all of us this Easter may we celebrate the risen saviour.
Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton
From the Rector: It is tough for us, social creatures that most of us are, to be isolated. Nonetheless, many of us are enjoying our gardening, our dog walks, our DIY, and the like. However for others, for example where I used to live around London’s Brockwell Park (where 3000 people amassed last weekend), huge numbers are stuck in small flats, with no private outdoor space. So, let us give thanks for quite how lucky we are here in Minchinhampton.
These times are doubly sad for those who would celebrate Holy Week and Easter, but as I speak to our congregation I am finding a real positivity in our response to these difficult times. In fact, I am collecting photographs of the creative output from our lockdown! So, please do send me your photo to add to our corporate coronavirus creativity collage! – (rector@minchchurch.org.uk)!
And, finally, please be kind. At times like these it is easy to be hard on our neighbour, and hard on ourselves. Remember, “How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you.”
Parish Magazine
The May parish magazine will have to be sent by email wherever possible, so anyone who subscribes and has the magazine delivered needs to let Diana Lapping or Tim Mowat know their email address: timmowat@gmail.com Lapps@waitrose.com
Finally, we hope that you all joined in just now with the Clap for our Carers event – concentrating on healthcare workers, emergency services (especially ambulance service & police), armed services, delivery drivers, shop workers (especially in our local community), teachers, waste collectors, manufacturers, postal workers, cleaners, vets, engineers and all those who are out there making an unbelievable difference to our lives in these challenging times.
Please email admin@minchinhampton.life with any news you would like included in the newsletter – this will also appear on the Facebook page.
Finally, look after yourselves and your families. |
