Your guide to everything that’s going on in your area

LECKHAMPTON AND CHARLTON KINGS

» JB’S Jazz and Blues club kick off the new year on January 2 at the Civil Service Club, Tewkesbury Rd, Cheltenham.

Music will be played by Outfit Groove with a wide range of jazz tunes. Doors and bar open at noon.

Music from 12.30pm-3pm and all for only £5.

» You can recycle your Christmas trees from January 3 to 17 at the following places: Swindon Road Recycling Centre; Cheltenham Town Football club at Whaddon Road; The Racecourse; Old Pats Rugby Football club, Everest Road; B&Q Hatherley Lane.

» Online Skills (using tablets) is a free workshop designed to help you make the most of the Internet and increase your confidence online.

This course is suitable for complete beginners and tablets will be provided. The workshop takes place on Monday January 24 from 1pm to 3pm at Charlton Kings Library.

To book a place, or for more information, please contact: 0800 542 1655 or email learn@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

The workshop is funded by Fastershire, a partnership between Herefordshire Council and Gloucestershire County Council to bring faster broadband to the two counties.

» The Regency Probus club which meets on Wednesday mornings at Cheltenham Bowling club has decided not to meet on January 5 and 12 in view of the current Covid situation.

I WILL post in this column in the New Year when the club decides it can meet again safely.

» I will put more details of meetings in next week’s column when we know what restrictions the government intends to make.

A Happy New Year to everyone and thank you for all the contributions sent in this year.

» Rose Ashton 01242 262042 ashton.r@btinternet.com

BISHOP’S CLEEVE

» Important information regarding the Flu Vaccine. All persons over 50, those with underlying medical conditions and front line medical and care workers are now being encouraged to have the Flu Vaccine. For more information go to your local Chemist who will be able to advise you.

» The Bishop’s Cleeve Street Fair Committee is formulating plans for next year’s Street Fair in Bishop’s Cleeve. The Committee always welcomes new members, we welcome new ideas to keep the event fresh. If you have any spare time, and want to support your Community, then please attend the meeting.

For more information please contact Peter Badham, phone number 07837513492

» Serious Scam warning. There is a gang operating in the area targeting the 50+ age group.

They make contact by phone and pretend to be from “Safety Awareness in Cheltenham” and connected to First Responders, the service they purport to offer concerns safety alarm systems for your home plus and personal safety devices.

The matter has been reported to Gloucester police, who advise that you do not continue any conversation with them and do not invite them to your home, under any circumstances.

Please contact the Police 101 line, or Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, report@phishing.gov.uk

» Bishop’s Cleeve Methodist Church, Wednesday Fellowship has resumed its meetings in the church hall on alternate Wednesdays at 2pm. The meetings are open to everyone and all are welcome to attend.

» Phone a Friend, do you have a little time each week to keep in touch with one or maybe two lonely folk who would value someone to talk to.

Being a phone buddy can make all the difference to their well-being. You may like to chat and pray with or for them and perhaps even visit if you’d like.

If you would like to know more or would be interested in some training, the Diocese run a Befriending Course or Pastoral Assistant’s course.

Contact Angie (admin.stmichael@gmail.com) for further information.

» The St Michael’s Centre 100 Club is now managed by Ross Dyer. If you wish to join the Club (just £12/year) and support the charitable work of St Michael’s Centre, please contact (randjdyer123@gmail.com or 01177222109)

» Bishop’s Cleeve Library are offering the following services: Monday open 1-5pm. Tuesday open 1-5pm. Wednesday open 10am-5pm. Thursday open 9am-5pm. Friday open 9am-5pm Saturday open 9am-3pm. OPEN+ not available at present. For more information about library services contact bishopscleevelibrary@gloucestershire.gov.uk. Or phone: 01242 672217.

» Gotherington Singers have resumed weekly rehearsals at Gotherington Village Hall on Monday evenings 7.459.45pm.

New and experienced singers are welcome to come along to meet members of our friendly women’s choir and our new musical director.

Please see gotheringtonsingers.co.uk or telephone 01242 317276 for more information.

» Cleeve Chorale are welcoming new members, rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at Woodmancote Village Hall 7.45-9.45pm and the choir welcomes tenors, basses, altos and sopranos.

Please email info@cleevechorale.co.uk or see cleevechorale.co.uk for more information.

» Bishop’s Cleeve Foodbank. Please can you take any donations to Bishop’s Cleeve Parish Office (next to Tesco’s car park) any Friday morning between 9am and noon.

Please refer to the latest shopping list for further details of shortages on the donating food link at https://northcotswold.foodbank.org.uk and also details for making direct monetary donations.

Badham Pharmacy has a special collection point to tackle hygiene poverty in the UK.

Required donations, toiletries, female sanitary products, baby wipes, nappies and laundry products

» Do you have experience and skill with Audio Visual equipment? St Michael’s Church now has the technology …. now we need the team to operate it.

Want to be part of this exciting new team? Contact Angie Seddon on admin. stmichael@gmail.com

Full training provided - evenings in the coming weeks. Commitment will be Sunday mornings on a rota basis.

» St Michael’s Church services latest Covid regulations - masks are now mandatory at all services. Starting in January this is how our morning St Michaels services – 11am will look. First Sunday, Contemporary Caféstyle Service. Second Sunday, 10am Church on the Hill, 11am Holy Communion. Third Sunday, Contemporary Morning Worship. Fourth Sunday, Holy Communion. Villages – 10am

First Sunday, Holy Communion, Oxenton.

Second Sunday, Holy Communion, Woolstone.

Third Sunday, Holy Communion, Southam or Oxenton.

Fourth Sunday, 9.30am Southam Breakfast Church in Southam Village

Hall. 10am Café Church, Gotherington.

» URBAN SAINTS has restarted 6pm7pm in St Michael’s Centre every week during term-time.

It is a group for ages eight to 11, which has fun and games while learning about Jesus.

» Children and families activities at St Michael’s 2022 Looking ahead to next year, we know God is calling us into new ways and patterns of engaging with our children and families.

Currently we run: Children’s groups – on some Sundays during our 11am service

Urban Saints – outreach for 8–11-year-olds on Sunday evenings

Praise & Play 1 & 2 – Monday and Thursday mornings for babies and pre-school children

Oasis Parents – Thursday afternoon in church to encourage parents in their faith

Baptism Prep courses via Zoom For the future we are considering - A smaller Holiday Club next August Youth Alpha/confirmation course during the Easter holiday

Some form of family worship after school

Open the Book

If any of the above excites you please get in touch with Sallie Mumford, Melinda Morris or Lucy Barbour.

Sallie Mumford: smumford@stmichaelsbishopscleeve.co.uk or tel 07941 676161

Melinda Morris: mmorris@stmichaelsbishopscleeve.co.uk Lucy Barbour: lucy@barbour.co

Resourcing these will be a challenge. We are particularly keen to begin with to recruit some help for Praise & Play on a Monday morning (9.30am) to set up, chat with the parents and help put away the toys at the end. Please let us know if you can help occasionally or be on the rota.

» For information about church activities, contact Church Office, St Michael’s Centre, School Road, Bishop’s Cleeve, Cheltenham GL52 8BA (tel 01242 673612.

Or go to facebook.com/groups/ stmichaelsbishopscleeve/; stmichaelsbishopscleeve.co.uk; achurchnearyou.com/church/14402/; Biblewatch – facebook.com/groups/ stmichaelbishopscleeve/; Children’s Ministry – cafministry.stmichael@gmail.com)

» Bishop’s Cleeve WI hosts meetings in the Tithe Barn on the third Tuesday of each month, 7.15pm-9pm. For more information about meetings, contact bishopscleevewi.org. uk or 01242 676647.

» Gotherington, Woolstone and Oxenton WI, host monthly meetings on Wednesdays, in Gotherington Village Hall at 7.30 pm.

New members welcome. For more details contact 01242 317276.

WOODMANCOTE

» For information about Woodmancote Cricket Club, contact mikejrobinson55@gmail.com or 07946 378244.

For information about the junior teams, contact 07948 094905, email woodmancotecricketclub@outlook.com

» Woodmancote Probus Club meets on Tuesdays at Woodmancote New Village Hall at 9.30am, followed by the talk at 10.30am. » Woodmancote WI meets at Woodmancote Village Hall on Thursdays at 7.30pm.

January 18: History of Cheltenham through Picture Postcards – speaker Philip Collins; February 15: Life on the Thin Blue Line – speaker Matt Johnson; March 15: The Pyrenees in June – speakers Sue Smith and Sue Dodds.