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MinchLife Newsletter – 1st July 2024

Hello everyone
 
Along with everyone else in the area, we are delighted to hear that the Princess Royal is now out of hospital and home at Gatcombe.
 
Minchinhampton Players’ performance of “The Lady Killers” was a huge success with the Market House packed every night.  Well done and thank you to them for bringing so much laughter to our lives.  Highlights for July include Shakespeare open air theatre “The Tempest” at Horsfall House on Thursday, 4th;  The Flower Guild Coffee morning on Friday, 5th and the final concert  of the Cappella Singers “Fanfare” on Saturday, 6th July.  More details about these events below.
 
MinchLife were thrilled at the success of the Open Garden event on Sunday, 23rd June.  550 tickets were printed and we sold out!  Some of the gardens were a little overwhelmed by the numbers of visitors, some of whom had come from a great distance.   Thank you to everyone who came and to the many people who made it all possible including Willow & Oak, a local tree surgery and hedge trimming company, who sponsored the event.  We managed to raise £3,600 and this sum will help us organise the Minch Fayre in 2025.
 
We are now looking forward to the next MinchLife event …. the MinchLife Moo Street Party on the High Street.   Join us on Saturday,14th September for this FREE event between 12 – 5pm.  Bring tables, chairs and picnics to enjoy the live music and the community coming together.  If you would like to participate in the MinchLife Moo Relay Race – which will take place at 3pm –  do go the website here to book your team.
 
A note from Horsfall House
Thank you to everyone who came and supported our recent Charity Walk, Jog or Run event on Sunday, 9th June. It was an incredible day with favourable weather which saw over 230 people taking part and a number of people running, not least Rob Fisher who ran the 10 mile route, ten times, equating to 100 miles.  In total, we were able to raise over £16,000 for Horsfall House, 100% of which will directly support our residents and those whom our service supports.  Thank you to all who took part, the local businesses who supported the event, and to our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne), and the Owners at Avening Court for allowing access through their land.
 
Minchinhampton Community Library
Are excited to announce that the Gloucestershire Library Challenge will take place from Saturday, 13th July until Saturday, 14th September.  It will be open to all children as well as those starting school this September.  Children can sign up for free as soon as it starts.  For those who prefer a purely reading-based activity, take on Minchinhampton‘s bespoke Bookstack Challenge – see how many books you can read over the summer!  In addition every child will be entered into a weekly draw for a £10 book voucher every time they visit the library and borrow some books.  There are 150 new books hitting our shelves to coincide with the start of the reading challenges, so plenty of choice. 
Knit & Natter is now well established meeting weekly on Tuesday afternoons and there is a Social Book Club meeting monthly on a Wednesday.  Please watch the library and MinchLife facebook pages, and the website www.mclt.org.uk and noticeboards for further details of summer events.
 
Tennis at Your Pace – Minchinhampton Tennis Club
Walking Tennis offers a slower format of the traditional game by introducing simple rules to make it less physically demanding, easier to learn, but just as much fun.
Tuesday 2pm to 3pmJuly 2, 9, & 16 – Free Introductory Session.  To book please click here

Tennis Camps (Ages 5-14)

There are still some places available for Tennis Camps this summer at Minchinhampton Tennis Club with James Aburrow ( South & South West England LTA Development Coach of the Year 2023). They can do just a morning, afternoon or full days. It’s suitable for beginners to experienced players. Further information here

 
Longfield Walk
180 people joined in the popular walk of 5km or 10km on Friday, 21st June.   It was a great success and helped enormously with the fundraising for Longfield, raising £4,100.  The purpose of the walk, apart from enjoying the beautiful scenery and coming together as a community, is to support those with life limiting illnesses and their families.    Many more events are planned – see our diary online here.
 
Want to try an e-bike? – Stroud Community E-bike Loan
Take the risk out of buying and borrow one from your local community at affordable rates. Available to borrow for 1 day – 2 weeks to help find out whether e-bikes are for you.  We have one stored in Minchinhampton called E-Joy.  It is state of the art.   Anyone interested in booking can contact Gill Thomas on 07983 465414 or ebikesminchinhampton@gmail.com .  More information here
 
News from Cotswold Gliding Club
After the successful organization of the National Championships in 2022, the British Gliding Association again asked the Cotswold Gliding Club based at Aston Down Airfield to organize it again between 15th and 23rd June this year.  During the week, gliders flew as far as Taunton, Cambridge and Wrexham without landing and at racing speeds of up to 120 km/h.  The fleet of 55 gliders was launched each day by 7 powered aircraft, known as tugs, sometimes achieving a launch rate of 3 gliders per minute.  Cotswold Gliding Club is now widely recognized as one of the best gliding competition sites in the UK due to its excellent organization, facilities and access to suitable airspace.  The team that organizes the club’s events has an average age of 28, making it the youngest team of gliding competition organizers in the UK.
 
A reminder to book for Matthew Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’ at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Thursday 13th February, 2025 at 2.30 pm.  The deadline is Monday 15th July, 2024.  Tickets cost £55 for Nailsworth Society members and £57 for non-members.  Transport will be available at a small cost with pick-ups in Minchinhampton.  Further information and to book please contact: Susan Staniforth at susanstaniforth@hotmail.co.uk or ring 07891 436917.
 
The Crown Inn, Minchinhampton
News from our local:
 
Wimbledon
Monday 1st July – Sunday 14th July 11:00am – 8:00pm
Enjoy the tennis with us and a Pimms!
 
Locals’ night
Wednesday 3rd July  6:00pm – 9:00pm
After the success of our first locals’ night in June, the team at The Crown would like to welcome locals back for a second one.  Come down for a special set menu created by our talented head chef Luka. 2 courses for £20 and 3 courses for £25.  Bookings are highly recommended as we expect this to be a popular night.
 
Cocktail Masterclass
Tuesday 9th July 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Our first ever cocktail masterclass.  Come on down and learn how to make the perfect cocktail with the talented Jayden.  You will be able to make 2 cocktails and take a gift home as well!  The perfect time to get your flair on!  £30 per person
 
Monthly Quiz night 
Thursday 25th July 7:30pm – 11:00pm
Test out your general knowledge with a pint and some proper pub grub. Round up your team and join us for a fun evening. Why not make an evening of it and have food with us before the start of the quiz? The quiz is £2 per person (cash only) to join and there is a £50 bar tab to grab for the winning team (6 max per team). 8pm start.  All entry money for quiz will be donated to the Wooden Spoon charity. 
 
Don’t forget we are also showing all home games of the Euros 2024 and we have our popular steak night every Thursday evening (apart from the last Thursday of the month).  Contact 01453 608010 or email bookings.crownminchinhampton@youngs.co.uk
 
The Long Table, Brimscombe
Works to change the world through food.  They provide frozen ready-meals to people who need them and so much more.  Delicious hot food is served and is always pay as you can.  Special events in July:
Friday, 5th July 6.00-10.30pm  Wings of Desire supported by Tom Ravenscroft
Saturday, 6th July  6.00-11.00pm  Stroud Block Party DJs Mendoza and Dubbu
Friday, 12th July  7.00-8.30pm  Some Voices – The Listening Lounge
Saturday, 13th July 6.00-10.30pm Latin Night – Rory
Friday, 26th July  5.00-6.00pm Steve Ferbrache and Friday Night Curry
Saturday, 27th July  6.00-11.00pm  Songs from the Porch and DJ Mendoza
More details of these events can be found here or email carina@thelongtableonline.com
 
Burleigh Court Hotel, Burleigh
Burleigh Court is continuing the popular Friday Pizza Nights again on the back patio. 
Sunday, 7th July 1.00-3.00pm  Sunday Jazz Lunch
Sunday, 21st July 1.00-3.00pm  Sunday Jazz Lunch
Friday, 19th July 10.00-2.30pm  Wild Food Foraging Experience followed by a group lunch
Booking and more info here or tel 01453 883804.
 
The Ragged Cot, Cirencester Road
The terrace is now open and live music is now back on stage.
Friday, 5th July  Tom Hall
Saturday, 6th July 4.00-9.00pm  Epic Garden Party celebrating 2nd Anniversary  BBQ, Live Music, Bouncy Castle
Friday, 12th July Cygnet Duo
Friday, 19th July  Gilmore n’ Jaz
Friday, 26th July The Three Nightingales
More details of these events can be found here or telephone 01453 884643
 

Forthcoming Events for your Diary
 

Saturday, 3rd August. Longfield Fete from 12 – 4pm.
Thursday, 8th August – Monday, 19th August.  Giffords Circus “Avalon” on Minchinhampton Common.  Tickets available here or tel 01453 800200.
Saturday, 7th September. Horsfall House Summer Fayre.
Saturday, 7th September.  Minchinhampton Garden Club’s Annual Flower & Produce Show
Saturday, 14th September.  MinchLife Street party and Moo race.
 

Further Afield

 
Cotswold Playhouse: 
 
Friday 5th July. 7.30 pm.  £12. The Foraging Fan Club. Join Helen Wood as she heads into the great outdoors, with her trusty trug, on a quest to become an expert forager. In this quirky, feel-good comedy all aspects of foraging are unearthed.
 
Saturday 6th July, 7.30pm. The Shoemaker of Havana. £12.
an absorbing Epic drama with original contemporary vocal and music score told with compelling theatricality….

Saturday 20th July 7.30pm.   An Ideal Husband. £16.  Oscar Wilde’s wonderfully witty play about public and private honour.
 
Friday 26th – Sunday 28th July Aylmer’s Circus. £21 and £15 for under 16s.  7.30 pm on 26th;  2.30pm and 7.30 pm on 27th and 2.30 and 5.30pm on 28th.    Come and be transported to a world where musical theatre and circus collide, and childhood dreams are reimagined
 
Bookings here or tel 01453 488040
 

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. 

Wednesday, 3rd July  2.30-4.00pm  Minchinhampton Women’s Institute:  The Honey Bee and Beekeeping  Coronation Scout Hut, Dr Browns Road.  Speaker:  Brian Miller-Hall.  All welcome to come along.  Contact Pam at pam439@btinternet.com

Wednesday, 3rd July  7.00-9.00pm  Patient Participation Group Committee Meeting  Day Centre Room, Horsfall House, Windmill Road.  All Minchinhampton Surgery patients are welcome.

Thursday, 4th July 10.30am-12.00noon  Hampton Probus: NHS Jewel in the Crown  Cotswold Club, High Street, Minchinhampton.  Members with guests by invitation. For further information contact: webmaster@hamptonprobus.co.uk

Thursday, 4th July  7.00-9.00pm  Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, performed by Festival Players   Horsfall House, Windmill Road.  Tickets £15.00 pp (£14.00 pp concession) available from Shiny Goodness, Nailsworth or  M & B Stores, Minchinhampton – or online here.

Friday, 5th July  10.00am-12.00noon  Flower Guild Coffee Morning  Little Acre, The Park, Minchinhampton.   £2.00 to include coffee.  Cakes, plant stall, raffle.  Disabled parking only (all cars to park in Bell Lane car park)

Friday, 5th July 10.00am-4.30pm  Digi-champion:  Personalised one-to-one Sessions.  Minchinhampton Community Library.  Resolve all your digital issues and problems.  Telephone 885497 or call into the library to book your space.  Future dates are being planned.

Friday, 5th July  6.30-9.00pm  Box Bar  Box Village Hall

Saturday, 6th July  10.00am–12.00noon  Coffee Morning, Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church Minchinhampton.  All welcome.  If you require a lift please call 01453 88900

Saturday, 6th July  9.00-5.00pm  Local Artisans Market  The Undercroft, Market House, Minchinhampton.

Saturday, 6th July  7.15-10.00pm  Wendy’s Cash Bingo  Cotswold Club, High Street, Minchinhampton.  Book sales from 7.15pm  Eyes Down 7.45pm.  Members and guests welcome.

Saturday, 6th July  7.30-9.30pm  “Fanfare” – Cappella Singers Farewell Concert, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.  A grand finale celebrating 6 decades.  Music written specially by Mark Blatchly and Matthew Cann.  Other composers include Lassus, Weelkes, Fauré and Holst. Tickets £22 in advance £25 on the day.  Available from choir members, or from Ticket Source here.  Further information 01453 753762

Sunday, 7th July   8.45-10.00am  Parish Breakfast  Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.  Join everyone for breakfast with a selection of cereals, croissants, bacon rolls, juice, tea and coffee.

Monday, 8th July  9.00am-5.00pm  Day out to National Trust Basildon Park near Reading with Ian Jarvis  Coach £28, Non NT entrance £16.15 – Total £28 or £44.15 per person  Contact bus@abbeyhall.info or telephone Ian (& Katie) Jarvis 01453 833131, 07403 899599 or 07802 357478

Monday, 8th July  10.30am-12.00noon  Poems in the Porch Room  Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.  Welcomes all, but especially people who are living with memory problems.  Contact Jo Smith on 01453 834714 for further information. 

Monday, 8th July  12.30-2.00pm  Poetry & Words (Minchinhampton Folk Club), Cotswold Club, High Street, Minchinhampton.  This meeting will be subsidised by the Folk Club so there will be no entry charge but please support the Cotswold club by using the coffee machine or the bar for drinks. Cake will be provided!

Monday, 8th July  7.00-9.30pm  Minchinhampton Parish Council Planning Committee.  Trap House, West End.  Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the clerk to confirm details.  Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk

Thursday, 11th July  10.00am-12.00noon.  Minchinhampton Probus: “The Free Czech Army in exile in WW2” – speaker John Berkeley Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.  Meeting starts 10.30am.  New members and guests welcome. Contact John Collinson  john.ipp.uk@gmail.com

Friday, 12th July   6.30-9.00pm  Box Bar  Box Village Hall

Monday, 15th July  9.30-11.00am  M.A.P.S. Meeting (Minchinhampton Additional Needs Parents Support Group.  Minchinhampton Baptist Church, Tetbury Street.  Welcoming all parents & carers of children with additional needs diagnosed/undiagnosed from Minchinhampton and beyond.

Monday, 15th July  7.30-9.30pm  Minchinhampton Gardening Club: Preserving the Harvest  Minchinhampton School Hall, School Road.  New members welcome.  For more information please contact the Secretary John Fivash tel: 01453 764956 email: johnfivash@btinternet.com

Tuesday, 16th July  Amberley Gardening Club: Garden Visit to Morton Hall, Pershore and White Cottage Nursery and Garden   For further information please contact Christo.p.bailey@outlook.com

Tuesday, 16th July  Box Gardening Club:  Private Visit to Wortley House  For further information please contact Mark Rogers on 833588 or email boxgarden@box-village.com

Tuesday, 16th July  7.00-9.00pm  Minch Book Club  The Crown, High Street.  Book of the month:  “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey.  For further information contact:  Rachel Montgomery at rachel@monty.one  or 07715 303707

Wednesday, 17th July  10.30am-12.00noon.  Social Book Club  Minchinhampton Community Library, School Road.  This month’s theme is “Summer”.

Thursday, 18th July  9.30-11.00am  Stroud Businesswomen’s Network Meeting Minchinhampton New Golf Course, off Hampton Hill.  Non-members who would like a free introductory meeting please email  enquiries@stroudbusinesswomen.org.uk

Thursday, 18th July  10.30am-12.00noon  Hampton Probus:  History of St Peters Cotswold Club, High Street, Minchinhampton.  Members with guests by invitation. For further information contact: webmaster@hamptonprobus.co.uk

Friday, 19th July  12.00-2.30pm  Friday Lunch  The Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.   All welcome to a two-course hot lunch with coffee, or tea, and all donations will support a a new project working with the Bishop of Masasi.  Sign–up sheet at the back of the church to help with planning, and if you have particular dietary needs.  For further information contact: Linda or Stephen Jarvis 884545. 

Friday, 19th July  6.00-9.00pm  Woodfired Pizza in the Undercroft  Market House, Minchinhampton.   A new venture by Midnight Pizza.  Bookings in advance would be useful (but not essential) – please contact:  email: hello@midnightpizza.co.uk, tel 07800 742798 or click here

Sunday, 21st July  3.00-5.00pm  Newcomers Tea  The Rectory, Butt Street, Minchinhampton.  A chance for those who have moved to Minchinhampton in the last year to meet with others new to the town in a fun and informal way. If you are new and would like to attend, please put your name on the sign-up sheet at the back of Holy Trinity church.

Monday, 22nd July  7.00-9.30pm  Minchinhampton Parish Council Finance Committee.  Trap House, West End.  Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the clerk to confirm details.  Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk

Thursday, 25th July  10.00am-12.00noon.  Minchinhampton Probus: The Art of Persuasion.  Speaker Jim Cooper.  Porch Room, Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton.  Meeting starts 10.30am.  New members and guests welcome. Contact John Collinson  john.ipp.uk@gmail.com

Sunday, 28th July  10.30am-1.00pm  Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group:  Walk on Swells Hill to see butterflies.    Meet at Reservoir car park.  Please contact karencolebourn@gmail.com for more details.

Monday, 29th July  7.00-9.30pm  Minchinhampton Parish Council Full Committee.  The Baptist Church, Tetbury Street.  Members of the public wishing to join the meeting should email the clerk to confirm details.  Email: clerk@minchinhampton-pc.gov.uk

Wednesday, 31st July  10.15am-5.30pm  Worcester Lunch and Day out in Worcester with Ian Jarvis  Three Choirs Festival – Worcester Cathedral festival Evensong (actually in early afternoon) will feature Three Cathedral Choirs, Nicholas Freestone on organ and Samuel Hudson conducting.  £24 for outing.  Contact bus@abbeyhall.info or telephone Ian (& Katie) Jarvis 01453 833131, 07403 899599 or 07802 357478

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

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