Hello everyone,
The Commons and surrounding areas are looking glorious with all the wild flowers and budding leaves. The cows will be coming out very soon so it is even more important that dog owners pick up after their dogs so no calves are affected adversely. Please be super vigilant.
Annual Parish Meeting
Residents have their chance to hear what Minchinhampton Parish Council has been working on, and to offer suggestions for future projects, at the Annual Parish Meeting. Electors are invited to come along to their yearly chance to hear a progress report from parish council chair Cllr Nick Hurst when the meeting takes place on Monday, 16 May 2022, at 7pm, at the Baptist Church room in Tetbury Street. The occasion, when questions and comments from local people will be welcomed, will also see the presentation of the annual Jim Gregory Award which has been postponed for the past two years because of Covid.
Market House news
Have a look at the Market House website – an updated film on our Market House’s history. Click here to see.
Minchinhampton Fitness Hub
Minchinhampton Fitness Hub as a community has grown tremendously since the launch back in August 2021. They are now offering up to seven small group personal training classes daily, including boxercise which started post Easter on a Tuesday and Thursday evening at 19:30. They have continued to invest into equipment, ensuring they continue to do high quality workouts and see high quality holistic benefits. Their monthly socials have been amazing, to see members of this community grow into friendships outside of the gym. The last social, the murder mystery + fish and chips, was a highlight. The team has grown with the membership – there are now four Personal Trainers operating. Post Easter a few more initiatives have been launched: beginners’ running club (every Wednesday 18:00-18:30), young adults basketball pick-up (every Wednesday 17:15-17:45), BOING kid’s play and games (every Wednesday 15:30-16:15).
Minchinhampton Community Library
Opening hours: Monday 2 – 4.30pm, Tuesday 10am – 12 noon, 2 – 4.30pm, Thursday 2 – 4.30 pm, Friday 10am – 12 noon, 2 – 4.30pm, Saturday 10am – 12 noon
However, the library will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday, 2 May.
Many organisations are no longer providing printed copies of their leaflets/documents and most of their information is online. The library is therefore providing library copies of Tom Long’s Post, Bus Service 69 Timetable (Minchinhampton/Stroud), and the Cotswold Lion. You are welcome to read them in the library, or photocopy them to take away at 15p per page (black & white).
Horsfall House Challenge
Horsfall House has two important aims for 2022, to purchase three more Lateral Tilt Pressure Care Mattresses and raise an equal amount for Care Funding. The target is £16,700 and for every additional £5,566 they raise, there’ll be another mattress and a similar contribution to their Care Funding. If you aren’t familiar with these sophisticated mattresses, they gently tilt an immobile patient from one side to the other every 10 mins, improving their comfort and reducing the number of times they need to be physically repositioned and disturbed in the process. Care Funding is where the Charity tops up the fees of Horsfall House Gloucestershire County Council funded residents in order to meet the full cost of their care (around £2,000 per month per resident) and it requires a lot of fundraising! All the details and everything you need to know about taking part or donating are at www.horsfallhouse.co.uk/fundraising
Patio Pizza
Next month will be a busy one at Burleigh Court Hotel, what with their Foraging Courses (5 & 19 May), Stroud Food & Drink Festival (20-22 May), the Stroud Jazz Festival (26-29 May) and, of course, the launch of their Thursday night patio pizza parties. What better way to kick the weekend off early than with artisan pizza, an Aperol Spritz (or two) and burning log fires!
Advance Notice:
*****Minch Life Jubilee Fayre: a ‘Picnic in the Park’***
Minch Life are proud to be hosting the Minch Life Jubilee Fayre: a ‘Picnic in the Park’ https://youtu.be/HrSU1c5pGlM on Sunday, 5 June from 1pm to 11pm on the school playing field. We’ll have live music, a bar, entertainment for the children and Henry’s will be supplying refreshments on the field. Entrance is free, please bring a picnic and relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and celebrate the platinum jubilee!
Longfield are also having their special Jubilee afternoon Tea on Wednesday, 1 June from 1.00-3.00pm. Tickets are £20pp and everyone is welcome, so why not get a group of you together to celebrate in style? The ticket sales from this event will support their hospice care throughout the community. Bookings here.
However, if you’re already planning a Jubilee event of your own, why not do it for Longfield and help them raise funds? Longfield will supply cake toppers, balloons, and banners, simply get in touch at fundraising@longfield.org.uk.
Horsfall House Charity Walk, 12 June
This year the Charity Walk has moved from its familiar slot in May to June so that the sensitively restored rose garden of Avening Court can be enjoyed at its very best. This is a real community event where you can stretch your legs and the dog’s through Gatcombe Wood and Avening Court (both not normally open to the public) and raise money for Horsfall House Elderly Care Charity at the same time. A shuttle bus service will run from Minchinhampton Library to Avening Court and Avening Social Club for those who prefer to do only a section of the Walk (or just see the Gardens of Avening Court) and by popular demand, a shorter return route will be signed if the full 10 miles is a bit much! By happy coincidence this is also the day of Box Open Gardens; should you do the whole walk, you can support another important charity event and enjoy some lovely gardens on your way through Box. To register, donate and see all the event details as they become available, click here.
Events
For further information of these events and details on how to book, please go to our website https://minchlife.com
Also, please remember a list of regular weekly events can be found at the top of the Events’ page – click on a day of the week and you will see what is taking place, where and at what time. For instance, the weekly Community Coffee Morning (with weekly notices) is held every Monday from 10.00am-12.00 noon at the Cotswold Club, High Street.
Saturday, 30 April – Sunday, 1 May. 1.00-5.00pm. Amberley Cow Hunt. Amberley. Come and hunt the cows, eat wonderful cakes and drink tea.
Wednesday & Thursday, 4-5 May 9am-3pm, Friday, 6 May 9am-7pm, Saturday & Sunday, 7-8 May 10am-3pm. Exhibition Living in the Landscape (Gemma Pitman). The Setting Gallery, Three Storeys, Nailsworth.
Wednesday, 4 May. 10.00am-5.00pm. Dying Matters: Are you in a Good Place to Die? Longfield Hospice, Burleigh Lane. Sign up here for frank and fascinating conversations about death and dying (free event).
Wednesday, 4 May. 2.30pm. Minchinhampton WI Meeting. Scout Hut, Dr Browns Road. New members and visitors welcome. For more details contact the Secretary on 884606.
Wednesday, 4 May. 7.30-10.00pm. Brigid Kaelin & Steve Cooley (in collaboration with Minchinhampton Folk Club). Market House, Minchinhampton. Tickets: £15 available from Market Stores or online (with booking fee) here. Bar sales card only.
Thursday, 5 May. 10.30am-12 noon. Hampton Probus AGM. Cotswold Club, High Street. Members with guests by Invitation. For further information contact: webmaster@hamptonprobus.co.uk
Thursday, 5 May. 5.30-7.30pm. Amberley Gardening Club: An Evening Walk on the Common with Richard Evans of the National Trust. Visitors welcome. For membership details, please contact Christopher Bailey at christo.p.bailey@outlook.com.
Friday, 6 May. 9.15am-5.00pm. Coach Trip to RHS Malvern Spring Festival with Ian Jarvis. Coach £20 and Entrance £25 – Total £45 per person. Contact Ian Jarvis: 01453 833131.
Friday, 6 May. 7.00-10.30pm. NSPCC Quiz Night & Supper. Amberley Parish Rooms. Tickets £12.50 each to include supper. Contact 01453 872296 or fearnley@globalnet.co.uk
Friday, 6 May. 7.15-10.30pm. Arkwright’s Cash Bingo. Cotswold Club, High Street. Eyes down 7:45pm. All welcome, guests can be signed in.
Saturday, 7 May. 9.30am-12.30pm. Minchinhampton Makers’ Market. Market House, Minchinhampton. Contact: Frances Gibbs 07929 786416 / frances868686@gmail.com
Saturday, 7 May. 10.30am-1.00pm. Amberley Gardening Club Plant Sale. The Green, Amberley Parochial School. Refreshments and Bric a Brac – Cash only.
Monday, 9 May. 10.30-12.00 noon. Poems in the Porch Room. Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. Welcomes all, but especially people who are living with memory problems. Contact: Jo Smith 01453 834714.
Monday, 9 May. 7.00-9.30pm. Minchinhampton Parish Council Planning Committee. The Trap House, West End. Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the deputy clerk to request details. Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk
Tuesday, 10 May. 7.00-10.00pm. Minch CAN Social Supper. Market House, Minchinhampton. Tickets £20.00. Book here.
Thursday, 12 May. 10.00am-12.00 noon. Minchinhampton Probus: Meet the Curators of Stroud Museum, Past and Present. Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. New members welcome. Richardandmarysmith@gmail.com
Friday, 13 May. Marking Day. Cows return to the commons!
Friday, 13 May. 2.00-2.30pm (new time). Madhus Rasoi Indian Takeaway. Box Village Hall. Menu here. £25 meal for 2. Bookings by Wednesday, 11 May. 01453 755934 E: info@madhusrasoi.co.uk
Saturday, 14 May. Minchinhampton Football Club Presentation. Cotswold Club, High Street. Times/details – contact the club.
Sunday, 15 May. 10.30am-2.30pm. Walk for Longfield. 5k or 10k walk, on Minchinhampton & Rodborough Commons. Set off from Longfield Hospice, Burleigh Lane. Register here.
Monday, 16 May. 7.00-9.30pm. Annual Parish Meeting. Baptist Church, Tetbury Street.
Monday, 16 May. 7.30-10.00pm. Minchinhampton Gardening Club: Summertime in Western Scotland. Minchinhampton Primary Academy. New members welcome.
Thursday, 19 May. 10.30am-12.00 noon. Hampton Probus: Retaking South Georgia. Cotswold Club, High Street. Members with guests by Invitation. For further information contact: webmaster@hamptonprobus.co.uk
Thursday, 19 May. 12.00noon-3.00pm. Minchinhampton Ladies’ Lunch Club: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Old Lodge, Minchinhampton Common. New members welcome but it is important to contact Biddy Hadfield before attending the lunch. bthadfield@btinternet.com
Friday, 20 May. 12.00noon-2.30pm. Friday Lunch for the Masasi Beekeeping Project. Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. There is a sign–up sheet at the back of the church to help with planning, and if you have particular dietary needs. For further information please contact: Linda, or Stephen Jarvis 884545. Donations welcome.
Friday, 20 May. 7.15-10.30pm. Arkwright’s Cash Bingo. Cotswold Club, High Street. Eyes down 7:45pm. All welcome, guests can be signed in.
Friday, 20 May. 7.30-10.30pm. Cult Figure: Colin Elmer as Kenneth Williams. (Apollo Theatre Company). Market House, Minchinhampton. Tickets can be bought at Market Stores or here. Tickets £15. Bar sales card only.
Saturday, 21 May. 7.30-10.00pm. (Doors open 7.00pm) Minchinhampton Movie Night: “Belfast”. Market House, Minchinhampton. Tickets (£6.00) available from Market Stores from 2 May.
Saturday, 21 May. 8.00-11.00pm. Music at the Club: The Ukeholics. £5.00 members, £10.00 non-members.
Sunday, 22 May. 8.00am – 6.00pm. Cotswold CogFest. Minchinhampton Primary Academy. More details here.
Monday, 23 May. 7.00-9.30pm. Minchinhampton Parish Council Finance Committee. The Trap House, West End. Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the deputy clerk to request details. Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk
Thursday, 26 May. 10.00am-12.00 noon. Minchinhampton Probus: Sasha Jungle Lodge, Ecuador. Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. New members welcome. Richardandmarysmith@gmail.com
Thursday, 26 May. 9.30-11.00am. Stroud Businesswomen’s Network Meeting. Minchinhampton New Golf Club. Non-members who would like a free introductory meeting please email enquiries@stroudbusinesswomen.org.uk
Friday, 27 May. 6.00-8.00pm. Music in Country Churches: Thomas Hardy Wessex Love Songs. Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. Tickets on sale here.
Saturday, 28 May. 6.00-8.00pm. Music in Country Churches: Music from the Cotswolds. Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton. Tickets on sale here.
Sunday, 29 May. 10.30am-2.00pm. Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group: Box to see Meadow Clary. Meet at Beaudesert Car Park. Contact karencolebourn@gmail.com to be added to the circulation list.
Monday, 30 May. 7.00-9.30pm. Minchinhampton Full Parish Council. Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the clerk to request details. Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk
As we have said before, we don’t normally publish events outside the parish of Minchinhampton but in view of the difficult climate for the arts and the fact that the Cotswold Playhouse is so popular we print below details of their performances:
Book online here or phone 0333 666 3366.
Productions at the Cotswold Playhouse, Parliament Street, Stroud
8 May. 7.30 pm “Stroud Short Stories” – An evening of short stories written and read by Gloucestershire authors
12 – 14 May. 7.30 pm “The Arsonists“
Hexagon Theatre Company
Advance notice of:
June 9 – 11 and 15 – 18. 7.30 pm and matinee at 2.30pm on 11 June “Betty Blue Eyes”
A Musical Comedy based on the play “A Private Function” by Alan Bennett
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. If you know of any newcomers to the town, please do tell them about MinchLife and this newsletter.
Anne and Janet
info@minchlife.com
