Councillor Linda Cohen - Wotton, Kingswood and Berkeley Vale

Kingswood Parish Council (KPC) and Cllr Linda Cohen invite the people of Kingswood to attend a public meeting in respect of the safety of pupils walking to KLB and Kingswood Primary school. Both KPC and Cllr Cohen have been raising this issue with Highways but have got nowhere.
We believe it is time for the people of Kingswood to put this issue directly to Gloucestershire Highways and to help them understand the dangers facing children walking to school.
Representatives from Gloucestershire Highways, the Police, the schools and the bus companies have been invited to attend and listen to your concerns.
Please attend if you can, we need your help to get this matter sorted once and for all. We are aware that this is the summer holidays, but this matter cannot wait any longer.
Meeting to be held on Monday 14th August 2023 at 7pm Kingswood Village Hall, Wickwar Road Kingswood GL12 8RF

🔔 New Blog Post 💻 ✍🏼

Our regular blogger shares their thoughts on what it means to 'lift where you stand', and the amazing difference a team can make for both a young person and their foster carer- and you could join that team!

Read it online here: https://orlo.uk/MyiMp

Before you all get ready for the weekend, don't forget that you can drop-in and speak to our fostering team on Mondays from 12-2pm.

The lovely Fiona will be in Shire Hall foyer, ready to support you in finding out more about fostering with GCC 💙

How are you? Out of 10?

Talk Club tonight at The Hog.

A friendly and welcoming men’s talking and listening group. No therapy, no judgments, complete confidentiality.

Meet at the back door between 7.45-8pm.

Note: the pub is not currently open to the public on Tuesdays.

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW: Do you know any budding local artists, aged 4-19, who might like to see their artwork up in a gallery? Check out this exhibtion coming up at Three Storeys, Nailsworth in February. Closing date to apply is 16th January, and application is simple and FREE. For more details please check out https://www.threestoreys.co.uk/nextlevel

From our volunteers - Reading, the gift that keeps on giving

It’s Christmas Eve, a perfect time to reflect on the enormous number of gifts of time, energy and commitment that have been given throughout 2022 by our growing team of volunteers and supporters and what their sustained giving will mean to the thousands of children who have read with them in school.

We know that quite often the least shiny or costly gift – the one that is never on the ‘wish list’ - turns out to be the most enduring – we’ve all witnessed the power of the robust cardboard box which is more entertaining to a tiny child than any toy – I recently went to a first birthday and watched with satisfaction as a book about a naughty pig and the opportunity for a story on a lap trumped everything else on offer.

Every week our volunteers give several hours to hear a number of children each read for ten or fifteen minutes, that time is hugely precious to not only improve reading skills but also as an opportunity for children to let off steam, share news and build a relationship. Vitally it’s also a happy time on which the children can depend and helps to develop social skills and above all confidence.

Learning to read well is a gift that will play a huge part in determining the outcome for these children and helping to ensure that they have a life with real choice and possibilities and will allow them to make the most of their talents. Every day spent in school demonstrates to us the extraordinary potential of our children.

Our work is only possible thanks to the huge Read With Me community that underpins everything we do. Our volunteers not only hear children read but also: turn up in parks and open spaces every school holiday throughout the year to run our Not So Secret Book Clubs; run singing workshops; direct our Pop Up Pantos; make mountains of cake and gallons of soup and man stalls at our fundraisers; create hundreds of bookmarks and collect and sort thousands of pre loved books to ensure that every child can have their own books at home.

We’ve also benefited from extraordinary generosity from personal donors, charitable trusts and grant organisations. Hundreds of Cotswold Book Room customers bought books for children they will never meet as a gift this Christmas.

We have a tiny but terrific Read With Me team which work round the clock, bravely agreeing to scale the operation and taking on more schools (25 at the last count) – we try never to say ‘no’ – saying ‘thank you’ to them just wouldn’t be enough.

If you’d like to join us and give a child the gift of reading in 2023 by volunteering please get in touch.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and time to share with your nearest and dearest.

Linda
([email protected])

⛄️ Christmas Food Boxes - Order form now open! ⛄️

❄ These are difficult times for our community, and some of us have been hit harder than others. Due to the generosity of some local donors, we are now able to offer a one-off Christmas food box to anyone who is finding it hard to make ends meet at this difficult time. There is no need for a referral.

📦 If you would like to order a Christmas food box, please fill out this form here: http://bitly.ws/xEXL

We will be accepting orders from Monday 12th December until Thursday 15th December 2022, 4pm.

📦 Pre-ordered boxes can be collected from The Keepers on Symn Lane in Wotton on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th December between 10.00am and 4.00pm. We will call you in the week before to remind you of your collection day and time.

📦 Please note that the food boxes will be heavy so please bear this in mind when making your plans for collection.

📦 If you need support in completing the order form then please give us a call on 07585 466418

📦 If you'd like to donate something towards the boxes, then you could consider donating some 'special treat' items. Just drop them off with us at The Keepers at any point before Friday 16th December.

❄️ Your information will be kept confidential and only shared with The Keepers' Volunteers - as and when necessary.

Are you alone, or caring for someone by yourself, on Christmas Day? Then come and join us for lunch at The Keepers’ Table.

Book a place by popping in, calling 07585 466418 or emailing [email protected] by December 18th.

It is Pay As You Feel so if you are able to pay towards your meal, you cover the costs of those who cannot afford to pay at this time.

Please share this post so no one eats alone if they want to join with other people.

Why not print out the poster and put it up for neighbours to see?

Happier Christmas!

Warm Wotton ☕️🍰🔥
The weather is very cold but there is somewhere to call in and get a warm welcome and have refreshments. Everyone is welcome ☺️

Baptist Church (has tea/coffee, light lunch, free wifi, tv, hot shower, disabled access):
Monday 9am to 4pm
Tuesday 9.30am to 12 noon - art group
Thursday Toddler Group 10am to 11.30am
Sunday morning service, and tea/coffee between 12noon and 1.30pm
Sunday evening 6.30pm to 8pm - Youth Club

Library (has newspapers, magazines, books, audio-books, CDs, use of computers, tea/coffee, free Wifi, disabled access):
Tuesday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm
Wednesday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
Friday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 1pm

United Church (has tea/coffee, cake, light lunch, disabled access):
Wednesday 12noon to 4.30pm

The Keepers Community Hub
Open every day to pop in anytime. Highlights are:
Monday 9am to 4pm (After School Club 3.15pm to 4pm to help with homework and provide toast and drinks)
Tuesday 9am to 4pm (Cafe from 11.30am and hot lunches served at 12.30pm)
Wednesday 9am to 1pm (Cafe from 10am to 12noon)
Thursday 9am to 4pm
Friday 9am to 1pm

I am putting together a leaflet and creating a web page on the Town Council website of all the places people can go to have a warm welcome. Please let me know of any places and activities that I have missed so I can keep the information updated.
It is good to look after each other and our lovely community.
Town Clerk. [email protected]

Times are difficult but please do consider shopping small and local this Christmas. The choices you make this Christmas will shape the future of the high street.

🍰We are hosting Town Hall Teas on 30th October, all monies raised will go towards the new play equipment. Hope to see lots of you there 🍰

VOTE CAROLINE COURTNEY FOR TUFFLEY

Caroline is the best choice for our new councillor today.

Polls are open from 7am till 10pm.

New Headteacher at Hillesley Primary School | Wotton Directory Article and Photography by Matt Bigwood Lucy Chandler is Hillesley Church of England Primary School’s new headteacher and tells of her plans for the school, including new, educational after-school clubs. “I am delighted to be the new head teacher of Hillesley Church of England Primary School. T ...