Glorious Gloucestershire Anthea Bircher took this picture of the view from Barrow Wake, Birdlip

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

» Our December meeting was a Dickensian Christmas evening provided by Mike Bottomley and Phil Collins. Mike and Phil had an advent calendar and invited us all to select a number. Each window led to a subject being explained, mostly in a fun way.

Did you know that turkeys used to be walked from Norfolk to London each year? One subject was bells and several of us were invited to play a Christmas tune on handbells. The high spot was a Mummers play with our members taking the parts of St George and the Dragon. We all had a lot of fun and really enjoyed our start to Christmas.

Our next meeting is on January 24. This will be a social evening with a short humorous play performed by our own ‘Blackbirds’. Do come along and join us, visitors and new members will always receive a warm welcome. For more information contact mhyett@virginmedia.com.of

» dotward99@yahoo.co.uk

ALL SAINTS CHURCH, CHELTENHAM

» The local Cancer Charity Cobalt is in need of used Christmas cards to be recycled in preparation for Christmas 2024. Cards can be brought to Thirlestaine Breast Centre from January 3-15.

Please note Christmas cards are not needed after those dates but birthday, anniversary, get well cards welcome throughout the year, also, we welcome used stamps. These can be brought to Linton House, Thirlestaine Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7AS.

» Sunday services at 8am said Mass. 10.30am sung Eucharist. Evening services on Sundays at 5.30pm, will be a Choral Evensong on the first and third Sundays and said service on the second and fourth. Thursday morning service at 11.15am, Low Mass.

Please note that Wednesday evening services will not take place until further notice.

» The choir is looking to recruit new singers. We are looking for sopranos and tenors particularly, but other voice parts are very welcome. Committed singers, please come along on Friday nights at 7.30pm to sing with us and see if you would like to join us. For more information please contact James via email at James@applehouse9.uk

» Books donated to swap, read, borrow or buy. At a loss to know what to with those books that you don’t think you will ever read. Bring them down to the All Saints Book Swap Shop.

» All Saints Church is open for private prayer and for visitors on the following days and times. Please be aware opening hours may vary , depending on the availability of volunteers. Some events occurring may mean restricted access, but visitors are welcome to sit and listen to concert rehearsals as and when they take place.

Tuesdays 2pm-6pm, Thursdays 2pm-6pm, Saturdays 10am-noon and 2pm-6pm. Sundays, Mass 8am & 10.30am, open 3pm-5pm, evening service 5.30pm.

» For information about all events in All Saints Church visit www.event brite.com/cc/ all-saints-churchcheltenham-events-445289

BISHOP’S CLEEVE

» Quiz Night: Enjoy a Cornish Pasty Supper. Friday February 2 in St Michael’s Centre, 6.30pm–7pm start. St Michael’s Centre will be holding their very popular quiz and Cornish pasty evening. Tickets cost £8 and are now on sale at The Cleeve Bookshop, and St Michael’s Centre (cash only) or contact 07852 549672 to pay by card.

» Cake & Company is a regular afternoon event held at St Michael’s Centre Bishop’s Cleeve. It is an opportunity to meet with a friendly group over tea and cake, cost is £3 on arrival. For further information please contact 07799 378121, transport is available for those with mobility issues.

» Beryl and Val’s Marvellous Marmalades (and Jams and

Chutneys) Beryl has been busy again and the shelves in the office are laden with homemade marmalades and jams for sale at the Church Office in St Michael’s Centre.

Most jars are £2.50, some are £3.00 (cash only) and proceeds raised are for St Michael’s Centre.

A plea – if you have any clean, empty jars, please bring these to the office so more jam and marmalade can be made.

» Volunteers needed, an opportunity to join our foodbank outlet team in Bishop’s Cleeve. We are open on Friday mornings at the St Michael’s Centre providing emergency food parcels to people referred to us. We are part of the Trussell Trust network of Foodbanks.

For more information go to www. northcotswold.foodbank.org.uk

» 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 donation.

» As well as the usual social activities hosted by The Methodist Church in Bishop’s Cleeve, that of the Friendship Club, every Monday 2-4pm, and the fortnightly 2pm Wednesday Fellowship, a new Film Club will take place on the first

Thursday of the month at 2pm, admission free to include refreshments, donations welcome. This and all social events are open to all in the Community.

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» Methodist Church Wednesday fellowship events. January 17, Ukulele Fun. January 31, Hosting foreign students. February 14, National Star Centre. February 28, Outreach Samaritans. March 13, Walking the South Coast Path.

March 27, Easter Crafts.

» Gotherington Singers meet for weekly rehearsals at Gotherington Village Hall on Monday evenings 7.45-9.45pm. 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: gotherington singers.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 7.45pm-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.

» New Life Group starting in the New Year. This is an opportunity for people who are relatively new to faith to study and pray together and look in more depth at what it means to be a Christian today.

We shall initially be following the Discipleship Explored series of studies in Philippians, looking at what it means to live in Christ.

The group will meet in homes on a fortnightly basis on a Thursday evening.

If you would like to register an interest in this group, please contact the church office on 07354 874617 or admin@stmichaels bishopscleeve.co.uk

» Baking Making and Shaking WI are an evening group, meeting at St. Michael’s Centre, School Road, (please note new venue),on the first Thursday each month. 7.45pm for 8pm.

February 1, games and resolutions evening.

March 7, Hair, how to make the best of it.

April 4, Spring Swishing. May 2, Trip to Garden Centre. Visitors (£3), and new members are always welcome. Please contact by email: bakingmakingandshaking@ gmail.com

» The Bishop’s Cleeve WI host meetings in the Tithe Barn on the third Tuesday of each month, 7.15pm -9pm,

January 16, Following the whispers.

February 20, The Great Train robbery.

March 19, Freewheelers/sales table.

April 16, Gloucestershire Events & Traditions.

For more information about meetings, contact www.bishops cleevewi.org.uk or 07871 993919.

» Gotherington, Woolstone and Oxenton WI, host monthly meetings on Wednesdays, in Gotherington Village Hall at 7.30pm. January 24, Humorous Readings. February 28, Life of a Town Crier. March 27, Just Gems. New members and visitors welcome. For more details contact 01242 317276.

WOODMANCOTE

» Woodmancote Probus Club host meetings on Tuesdays at Woodmancote New Village Hall.

Meetings start at 9.30am, followed by the talk at 10.30am.

Meetings resume on January 18, The Gloucestershire Regiment.

January 23, Uncle Bill, Britain’s forgotten hero.

January 30, H.H. Martin & Son, Gloucestershire’s fabulous industrialists.

February 6, A Royalist Highway man. February13, Life in the fast lane. February 20, Visiting Svalbard. February 27, Unusual cures & blood galore.

01242 702573 maggieann1949@hotmail.com