Cheltenham Standard 25th September 2014 by Cotswold Style Ltd

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Child neglect couple sentences increased A couple jailed for neglecting five of their children have had their sentences almost tripled by the Court of Appeal

HE pair from Gloucestershire had nine children who lived in bedrooms which smelled of urine, animal faeces and contained dirty, soiled mattresses. The parents were branded as “inadequate, stupid, stubborn and reckless” by a judge at their sentencing in June. The mother was originally jailed for two years and nine months; the father two years. Each will now serve six years. The Court of Appeal found the initial sentences given to the couple had been unduly lenient. The couple, who cannot be named, had pleaded guilty earlier at Gloucester Crown Court, to neglecting five of their children between 2007 and 2012. The ages of the children ranged from a baby up to a young teenager.

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The children were often reported as being dirty and smelly and suffered badly with head lice infestations, which the mother told police she had treated with mayonnaise. It was after the youngest child was admitted to hospital with severe nappy rash, which had left ulcers on the child’s skin, that police arrested the couple. When officers searched the house they found it in an unhygienic state. Carpets and walls were filthy, rubbish and clothes were strewn everywhere and even a plug socket was left hanging out of the wall. In one of the childrens’ bedrooms, ivy had come in from the outside of the building and was growing across the wall. Gloucestershire County Council is now conducting a serious case review.

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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

Cheltenham WeatherWatch THURSDAY 25th Sept Min 15ºC Max 18ºC FRIDAY 26th Sept Min 13ºC Max 19ºC SATURDAY 27th Sept Min 13ºC Max 19ºC SUNDAY 28th Sept Min 13ºC Max 19ºC MONDAY 29th Sept Min 13ºC Max 19ºC TUESDAY 30th Sept Min 12ºC Max 18ºC WEDNESDAY 1st Oct Min 12ºC Max 18ºC

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Teenager Aston Robinson strangled girlfriend court told A TEENAGER strangled his 16-year-old girlfriend in a ‘jealous’ rage, killing her and their unborn baby girl, a court heard has heard this week. Aston Robinson, 18, allegedly punched Kayleigh Ann Palmer before wrapping a scarf around her neck to make her “be quiet”. He pulled it tight before Kayleigh fell to the floor of his parents’ home, Bristol Crown Court heard. Robinson denies murder and child destruction. Prosecuting, Christopher Quinlan QC, said: “When he strangled her he caused the death of the unborn child, a girl she was carrying.” Robinson’s sister discovered Kayleigh unconscious at the house in Cheltenham shortly

after the attack on 2nd of April. She was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where medics tried to save her and her unborn baby, which was 24 weeks old. The baby’s heartbeat stopped the following day and Kayleigh was pronounced dead on 5th April, after doctors induced labour. The court heard on Monday of this week that Robinson handed himself in to police voluntarily and admitted he strangled her, but had not intended to kill her. He had held the red tartan scarf around her neck for up to 30 seconds, the jury was told. “He said he used her scarf and he did it because he was jealous and, in his own words, wanted her to ‘be quiet’,” Mr Quinlan

Man assaulted by group of teenagers A MAN was assaulted in Cheltenham by a group of teenagers in the early hours of Tuesday 16th September. Police are appealing for information about the incident, which happened on the outskirts of the town centre at around 2.30am. The 22-year-old victim was walking on St George’s Place towards the Lower High Street when he became involved in an argument with a group of around six young men walking in the opposite direction at the corner with Clarence Street. The victim was attacked by the group, during which he was kicked and he believes struck with a

shovel. The offenders, who are described as being white, in their late teens and wearing dark clothing, made off along Clarence Street when a member of the public stopped nearby. The victim was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with facial injuries including swelling to his cheek and cuts and bruises. He has since been discharged. Officers are carrying out CCTV and other inquiries in the area but need help from the public to identify the attackers. Anyone who saw the incident or has any information about the case is urged to call 101, quoting incident 33 of 16th September.

Old flames

It also emerged the Plan B is likely to be an ‘old friend’ who has always had feelings for the woman in question. This week a spokesman for online market research company OnePoll.com, which carried out the study, said: “For our research to establish that almost half of women in relationships have a ‘Plan B’ is a worrying sign. One of the most worrying elements of the study was the revelation that he will be ‘ready and waiting’ because of

NEARLY 50 percent of women have a ‘Plan B’ - in the shape of a man whose arms they can run into if their current relationship turns sour, it emerged this week. Research carried out among 2,000 women found a substantial 43% have managed to keep another man waiting patiently in the wings in case they find themselves single again.

said. The court also heard that Robinson later wrote to Kayleigh’s mother, Helen Bage, from his prison cell, apologising for his actions. A letter read to the jury said: “God took her away in peace, away from my accusations and

my controlling behaviour.” Mr Quinlan said Kayleigh was “besotted” by Robinson, who suffered from “paranoia” and “jealousy” when she was talking to, or in the company of, other boys. The jury heard the couple’s year-long relationship was marred with violence, with Robinson punching Kayleigh when she first told him she might be pregnant in October 2013. A post-mortem examination found she had died from brain injuries caused following her strangulation. The pathologist found 20 separate injuries to her body, from bruising to her cheek, arms and legs to ligature marks on her neck. The trial is continuing.

Plane crash due to faulty fuel gauge A LIGHT aircraft that crash-landed in a field in Ross-on-Wye had a faulty fuel gauge, an investigation has revealed. The Robin CEA DR400 suffered damage to its propeller during the crash near Gloucestershire Airport just before 16:00 BST on 15 April.

‘unfinished business’. The OnePoll spokesman added: “The saying ‘the grass isn’t always greener’ clearly isn’t deterring women of today. “They understand that anything can happen and are ensuring they have a solid back up plan should things go sour with their current man.” “With sites such as Facebook

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report said there was insufficient fuel despite initial checks suggesting otherwise. It said it was in the air about 10 minutes when the engine stopped. None of the three people on board were injured.

and Twitter, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch with an old flame. Men need to be aware of any ‘old friends’ that turn up out of the blue that’s for sure. “One thing is for certain, men across the UK today will be giving their partners that extra kiss goodnight this evening.’’

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

Older, but not overlooked organisations. “I am delighted to have been asked by Martin to coordinate the Older but Not Overlooked priority of his plan”, he said. “Having been involved in Policing in Gloucestershire over many years and more recently working in Community Safety at Stroud District Council, I look forward to using my skills and experience to the benefit of our communities throughout the County”. Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl said, “Phil has a wealth of knowledge from working with older people and I am delighted he has agreed to join my team”.

A MAN from the Bristol area has been charged with common assault and aggravated trespass by officers policing the badger cull. Culling is taking place in two areas - West Somerset and West Gloucestershire for a second year. The 30-year-old was detained following an incident at a farm in Bromsberrow Heath, near Ledbury on the HerefordshireGloucestershire border. He has been bailed to appear before Cheltenham magistrates on 23 October.

Fish and Chip Friday for Al Murray COMEDIAN Al Murray was spotted last Friday tucking into fish and chips at Simpson’s on Priors Road. Twenty years ago Britain’s favourite publican Al Murray, The Pub Landlord, embarked on his one-man mission as the King Canute of Common Sense, holding back a tide of bottled beer and ninnystate nonsense. Al was in town at The Everyman Theatre performing his new routine during his UK tour, ‘One Man, One Guvnor’.

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CRY has been working to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD). CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected by YSCD. CRY also promotes and develops heart screening programmes and funds medical research. Mike and Mary resolved to pull together and support each other in dealing with their grief, using fitness training as both a positive focus and a way to support CRY. Cheltenham’s Fitness First, their base for training, has supported the Haddrells in their backing of the CRY awareness campaign with events such as a 30-bike spinathon, which raised an impressive £1000. To donate visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Maryhad drell. For more information on CRY visit www.c-r-y.org.co.uk

MIKE Hadrell and his wife Mary are pushing the boundaries of their comfort zones in memory of their beloved daughter Leanne. In 2008, at only 21 years of age, the university student died suddenly following heart failure caused by the seemingly non-life threatening glandular fever virus. The couple have trained for an entire year to join up with Leanne’s university friends to take on the Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest 10k assault course this weekend. The notoriously challenging course, centred in and around Cardiff Bay, promises not only to hurl competitors over, under and through obstacles at every turn, but also to give them a good soaking too. They are taking part in the challenge to raise money and back an awareness campaign for CRY, (Cardiac Risk in the Young). Every week in the UK at least 12 young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. Since its formation in 1995,

A BADGER found shot in the abdomen inside the West Somerset cull zone suffered a “cruel and unacceptable” death, anticull campaigners have said. The female badger was taken to Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre where vets confirmed it was shot in the abdomen, not the target area of the chest. A second year of badger culling is under way in Gloucestershire in a bid to tackle bovine TB. A farmers’ union spokesperson said there was no evidence it died as part of the cull. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) did not want to comment on the matter. More than 26,000 cattle were killed in England last year because of TB.

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at Stroud District Council and was chair of a number of hate crime and domestic and sexual violence groups for Gloucestershire, Stroud and the Cotswolds. He has been a member of the Adult and Child Protection Boards for Gloucestershire and has also served as chair of Age Concern, Gloucester. In addition, he was chair of Help the Aged/Age Concern Gloucestershire and was instrumental in setting up this joint committee involving both

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RETIRED senior police officer Phil Sullivan MBE has been given a pivotal role in making Gloucestershire a better place for older people. He has been appointed as lead co-ordinator for the ‘Older but Not Overlooked’ section of Commissioner Martin Surl’s Police and Crime Plan which focuses on older people. Phil, aged 65, was divisional commander for Gloucestershire Police at Gloucester City and later, at Cheltenham and Tewkesbury. More recently he has been working in community safety as Head of Service

The badger cull saga continues...

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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

Quick draw

Hot stuff, hot yoga

By Jon Lock

ELLA and Fleur Hot Yoga was born on the back of Ella’s return from some soul seeking in Morocco. She arrived back in the UK with no home, no shoes, and not much hope. Her younger sister Fleur took her in and gave her something to wear on her feet and a few quid in her purse. Having both practiced hot yoga for ten years in various UK cities they came to the conclusion that the south west of England (where they were both originally from) needed to be introduced to this highly addictive and massively effective form of yoga. Taking the idea from the founder of Feel Hot Yoga in St Albans where Ella and Fleur used to work, they launched a mobile hot yoga company in Cheltenham and Swindon.

ONCE a month, artists of all abilities are gathering at the Boston Tea Party in Cheltenham for an evening of food, conversation and drawing inspired by similar events around the country. The Cheltenham Drink and Draw invites participants to put pen to paper in a friendly and welcoming environment. Artists can draw upon the theme of the month for ideas or simply let their imaginations run wild. Previous subjects have included dinosaurs, space and Lego, resulting in some memorable and inventive creations. There are no judges or prizes. Instead, the event is about celebrating creativity while socialising with likeminded people. The Drink and Draw is the brainchild of Ben Fardon, owner of the Proud Lion, Cheltenham’s very own comic shop. Speaking at the Proud Lion’s new premises in St George’s Place, Ben said: “The beauty of Drink and Draw is that it’s bringing fiercely intelligent and beautifully creative people together each month.” With the backing of the Proud Lion, the Cheltenham Drink and Draw has placed itself firmly at the heart of the ‘geek’ community, attracting local comic creators, game developers and even the organisers of the forthcoming Cheltenham True Believers

comic festival. Perhaps most importantly, the event has also proven popular with those would not normally have the opportunity to exercise their creative muscles. The simple act of picking up a pencil has proven strangely relaxing. Coupled with good company and the convivial atmosphere of the Boston Tea Party, the Cheltenham Drink and Draw will no doubt continue to be a highlight of the local calendar for a long time to come. The next event will be held at the Boston Tea Party on Clarence Road, Cheltenham from 6:30pm onwards on Tuesday 7th October. Families and artists of all ages and abilities are welcome. More information can be found on the Proud Lion’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/proudlioncomics. Highlights from previous events can be found on Twitter under the #cheltdraw hashtag.

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For over a year they hauled around heavy heaters and box of mats and introduced hot yoga to Cheltenham. All this manic activity was going on whilst Ella and Fleur were also producing their first children, Rocky and Rosie. Lots of people had heard of Hot Yoga in the press or had seen it in large city studios but never actually tried it. Before long they had the confidence to take their idea much further. Through a few hardships and some ups and downs they finally managed to find a studio in Cheltenham, enabling Ella and Fleur Hot Yoga to open its doors to welcome in the clients. To try some of the hot stuff…www.ellaandfleurhotyoga.co.uk

CHALKTALK

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Cheltenham gets vocal...

HE Union has survived. After weeks in which it seemed that our country was on the point of break-up, the Scottish people voted decisively to reject nationalism and separation. I was one of millions who breathed a collective sigh of relief as 55% of Scots voted to stay in the United Kingdom. I believe that ours is one of the most successful political unions anywhere in the world. To wreck it after 300 years would have been abject folly. Many people have emerged with their reputations rightly enhanced. Gordon Brown’s eve-of-poll speech was electrifying. He successfully snatched back the saltire from the nationalists and breathed patriotism and passion into the unionist vision. The Prime Minister too deserves immense credit for the courage and judgement he showed in facilitating the referendum in the first place. It was absolutely the right thing to do. As a result Scotland’s place in the union now has a renewed legitimacy that the nationalists had spent so many years trying to undermine. But with great swathes of new powers heading north of the border (over tax, spending and welfare) the so-called West Lothian question cannot be ducked any longer. That expression, first coined in 1977 by the then MP for West Lothian, Tam Dalyell, refers to the constitutional anomaly of Scottish MPs voting on matters that only affect England. Already, Scottish MPs can vote on the future of the NHS in England despite the fact that health has been fully devolved to Holyrood. In other words, they can vote to make changes that will not affect their constituents at all. This issue has caused rumblings for some time. As long ago as 1999,

William Hague said that ‘English MPs should have exclusive say over English laws’. I should know – I was working in his office as a speechwriter at the time. He pointed out then that unless the problem was addressed it would lead to resentment amongst people in England, which in turn risked unbalancing our United Kingdom. The position is even more acute now. The fall-out from this referendum means the issue cannot be ignored any longer. If tax-raising powers are to be transferred to the people of Scotland (and I believe the promises made by the Westminster parties should be honoured to the letter) that process must proceed in tandem with moves to restrict Scottish MPs from voting on English matters. To do otherwise would be a travesty of democracy. In short, David Cameron is absolutely right to call for ‘English votes for English laws’. Labour’s position on this is all too transparent. They fear that the loss of 41 Scottish Labour MPs could leave them unable to govern in England, even if they secure an overall majority in Parliament. But it would be unforgivable to trade a balanced constitution for narrow party advantage. To be fair, there are increasing numbers of Labour MPs who are brave enough to point that out to their leadership and Ed Miliband is now facing an open revolt on the issue. I am no English nationalist. I am a democrat. But democrats would be wise to heed the words of G.K. Chesterton who said “Smile at us, pass us; but do not quite forget; for we are the people of England, that never have spoken yet.” Now is the time for the voice of England to be heard.

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

Urgent checks needed on thousands of driveway gates WITH thousands in operation, the automatic residential gate has become the aspirational property accessory for homeowners. But dangers lurk at the end of the driveway, warn safety campaigners. It is estimated that more than two thirds of all automatic driveway gates do not meet current safety standards and are potentially dangerous. In recent years, six people have been killed in dangerous gate accidents, three of them children. Campaigners are holding a Gate Safety Week to alert homeowners of the possible risks, and make it easy for them to have their driveway gates checked. The event is being held on 13th-19th October (www.gatesafety week.org.uk) and is being organised by the Door & Hardware Federation Powered Gate Group. In the run up to the event, any homeowner can contact the gate safety helpline

on 01827 52337 to locate the nearest DHF Powered Gate Group member who can carry out a safety check on their automatic driveway gates. Virtually all powered gates can be brought up to the current safety standards which will help ensure that accidents and injuries cannot occur. A skilled engineer will advise the householder on what measures

(if any) are needed to ensure safe operation of the gate. Neil Sampson, chairman of the DHF Powered Gate Group said. “Homeowners want the increased security, exclusivity and privacy provided by automatic gates on their driveway, which is why we are seeing more and more gates being installed. In addition, many new apartment blocks

have automated car park gates. “But gates are machines not playthings. It’s not enough to warn their children to keep clear of the gates, parents need the assurance that the gates are as safe as they possibly can be. “As the industry that makes, installs and maintains powered gates, were absolutely determined to do everything we can to ensure no more tragic accidents happen. “This is why were focusing public attention on the dangers posed by badly installed and maintained gates and have set up the phone advisory service to help homeowners.” Extensive advice on what action to take if anyone is worried about the safety of a gate, tips on how to spot a potentially unsafe gate, and guidance on how to find a qualified company who can carry out a gate safety check are available from www.gatesafetyweek.org.uk 01827 52337.

Join the Mayor for a night of local entertainment LIVE music, food and a night at local pub, the Somerset Arm’s is the latest event set to raise money for the Mayor’s charities on 26th September. Local band, ‘Onyx’ are set to perform at the pub on Moorend Street, where the Mayor will be raising money for his two chosen charities: The Butterfly Garden and The Aston Project. Tickets are available at £5 per person and the event takes place on Friday 26th September from 8pm until late. There will also be a disco after the live performance from Onyx. Councillor Simon Wheeler, Mayor of Cheltenham, said: “It would be great to see as many people as possible on Friday 26th September at the Somerset Arms. Not only will visitors be experiencing the fine local music Cheltenham has to offer, but they will also be contributing in helping two fantastic and really important charities.” Tickets can be purchased from the Somerset Arms or from the Butterfly Garden on 01242 713068, or email info@thebutterflygarden.org

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

Citizens Advice Bureau office moving After 75 years, CAB have much to celebrate. As part of the Gloucester & District Citizens Advice Bureau they are now moving to new premises FROM 1st October the CAB will be opening its doors at its newly refurbished office at 3 St George’s Place Cheltenham. The CAB will offer a drop-in and appointment service from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday. Additionally a telephone and email inquiry service will be available for those looking for extra convenience. Nationally the Citizens Advice service, supported by over 21,000 volunteers, annually provides advice to over 3 million people with a further 22 million visits to the website. In Cheltenham alone, the local CAB has helped over 2,000 people in the last 12 months. According to Manager, Norman Gardner, “People from all sections of society are facing increasing challenges as the UK continues to navigate its way through a substantial period of change. Whether the problem faced is one arising from welfare reform, pay day or log book loans, rising energy bills or issues concerning employment their team of fully trained volunteers will be on hand to

assist you or to seek to point you in the right direction.” He went on to add, “As the town continues to grow in size it is appropriate that the CAB should seek to re-establish itself in Cheltenham. Life is getting more complicated, almost on a daily basis, and consequently the need for people to be able to access relevant, impartial, confidential and free advice is of paramount importance. We are

Celebrating Black History Month NEXT month will be the first ever Black History Month (BHM) in the town. Black History Month has grown in Britain in recent years, and over 6,000 annual events currently take place throughout its towns and cities, including Bristol, Birmingham, London and Manchester. Now, it is set to become one of Cheltenham’s eagerly anticipated annual events, alongside the town’s other highly popular festivals. BHM is designed to celebrate the contributions and achievements that Black, African and Caribbean communities have made locally in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire, as well as the world over. The aim of the month is to promote knowledge of Black history, culture and heritage; to disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British society; and to heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people to their cultural heritage. October is an exciting time for the Black community and other communities that live in Cheltenham to join together and share ideas about how to overcome some of the challenges each of them may face – such as racism, access to education, housing, health, business and much more. A programme of events will shortly be listed on the council’s events calendar on their website. They will include films, talks, music, street performances and exhibitions. Black History Month in

Cheltenham is jointly organised by the African Community Foundation, West End Partnership and Cheltenham Borough Council. Florence Thomas, Chair of Gloucestershire African Community Foundation, said: “Black history is important to us, as it embraces diversity and a cultural heritage that is often forgotten.” Tanya Stacey, social inclusion worker at Cheltenham Borough Council, added: “We were very supportive of the idea as we want to highlight and celebrate the achievements of Black people in Cheltenham and the UK. It is also important to remember the challenges that Black communities faced here in Cheltenham and across the UK.” Councillor Rowena Hay, cabinet member for healthy lifestyles, commented: “Black History Month has been celebrated widely for many years honouring the achievements, culture and the history of Black people. I’m delighted that Cheltenham is joining in the celebrations this year with a programme of exciting and inspirational events.” For more information on BHM visit this website. The events will shortly be listed on the council’s events calendar on their website. For more information on the events taking place in Cheltenham contact Tanya Stacey on 01242 775205 or email tanya.stacey@cheltenham.gov.uk or visit the Facebook page.

grateful to the Borough Council for the support they have given us especially in these times of increasing demand and shrinking funding.” The Gloucester & District CAB is always looking for new volunteers in its Cheltenham office and all of its other outlets. For more information on volunteering call into 3 St Georges Place, or telephone the Gloucester office on 01452 527202. As a fitting celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the CAB in Cheltenham. An open day is being organised at the Bureau on Friday 31st October. The bureau will be officially opened by the Mayor of Cheltenham at 11am and from 12 noon to 3 pm, there will be an exhibition of wartime archive material showing how the CAB helped with problems during the war years. The exhibition will be open to the public and refreshments with a wartime theme will also be served.

Cheltenham Wise and Well Event OLDER and vulnerable members of the community in Cheltenham are invited to come along to a free event being held by police and partner agencies. The “Wise and Well” day is happening at St Matthew’s Church Hall in Clarence Street between 10am and 4pm on Thursday 2nd October. The event will give people the chance to consult with the police and engage with over 30 agencies about issues of health, safety and nutrition. There will also be refreshments, music and armchair aerobics as part of the day. Sergeant Adam Bundock said: “The Cheltenham Wise and Well Event is a fun and informative one-stop-shop aimed at giving information and support for those people who want to make the most out of their later lives, bringing together agencies from throughout the county to offer advice on such things as; available support, home safety and staying healthy.

AgonyAunt Kimberley Wall HELLO, my name is Kimberley Wall and I work for Relate Gloucestershire and Swindon; please contact me on office@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk or @LooksLikeLove (#agonyaunt) if a relationship, family, friendship or sex problem is causing you distress or worry. We empower people to find their own unique answers and solutions to problems that may otherwise keep them awake at night. As this is my second week writing the column I am yet to receive a specific enquiry (and we would never make up a false one to sound good!) so while I wait for the postman (or email ping) I thought I would talk about a subject that is commonly brought to us at Relate: Infidelity. What is infidelity? The answers may at first seem obvious but actually we set our own boundaries in relationships and what some may interpret as cheating, others define differently. For example, how do both you and your partner feel about masturbation and/or pornography? Do you both feel secure with your partner watching pornography on their own or is it something you would prefer only to share together, if at all? If topics like these haven’t been discussed it could cause feelings of

insecurity, shame or shock if you find out later that you didn’t share the same perspective. Another example is that social networking sites are increasingly being cited as reasons for divorce. What happens if a past fling contacts one of you online; would contacting them be perceived as a betrayal? Is an on-line relationship, that doesn’t involve sexual intercourse, seen as an affair by either of you? It might be important to clarify whether you share the same understanding before someone accidentally crosses the relationship line. It might be worth establishing your mutually agreed relationship dealbreaker before someone accidentally crosses the line; do you both define a full-blown affair as sexual intercourse? Or do either of you perceive other behaviours such as ‘sexting’, visiting a lap dancing club or kissing someone else as infidelity as well? Alternatively if you are struggling with an issue such as infidelity, you or you and your partner, could talk through an issue face-to-face with a Relate counsellor. Book an appointment by calling 01242 523215 (charges apply).

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

Three businessmen arrested in Winston’s Wish spoof AS part of the Winston’s Wish Ransom and Release fundraising campaign Winston’s Wish, the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK, arrested and locked up three Gloucestershire businessmen and threw away the key until they raised £1,000! Fred Harbottle (Managing Director, KoOrd), Leanda Bickley (Managing Director, Colour Connection) and Cheltenham man Miles Greenslade (Director, Adjacency Recruitment) all took part in the Winston’s Wish Ransom and Release fundraising campaign. All were ‘arrested’ at their respective workplaces on Tuesday last week. The participants were read their rights before being detained in jail at The Old Prison, Northleach. They were then tasked to encourage friends, family, colleagues and contacts to stump up the ransom for release. Miles Greenslade, Director of Adjacency Recruitment in Cheltenham, raised the magnificent sum of £1130. He

commented: “This is certainly not something I have ever been asked to do before! I’m very pleased to have raised money for a wonderful and very worthwhile charity. I was concerned that my family, friends, colleagues and clients may have actually preferred for me to stay in there!” Monies raised through this Ransom and Release event will go towards funding the charity’s work with bereaved children.

The Big Brownie Birthday

Liz Thatcher, Community Fundraiser at Winston’s Wish, added “This is an old fashioned fundraising idea which is a lot of fun. Winston’s Wish organised a similar event eight years ago and participants really enjoyed it. I am so thankful that the wonderful businessmen who signed up for this eccentric idea and grateful for the fantastic sum raised for our work with bereaved children and families”. Winston’s Wish helps children and young people rebuild their lives after the death of their mum, dad, brother or sister, enabling them to face the future with confidence and hope. The charity gives practical support and guidance through a national helpline 08452 030405, individual and group work with families including residential weekends, specialist publications and training for professionals to support children who are feeling angry, confused and isolated after the death of a loved one.

BROWNIES from all over Gloucestershire have held an extra-special birthday party to mark the 100th birthday of Brownies. The last year has seen hundreds of thousands of Girlguiding members from all over the UK celebrate The Big Brownie Birthday – and Gloucestershire Brownies chose to hold one last party to bring the celebrations to a close. The girls took the lead in planning the festivities, by voting to have a weekend away at PGL Liddington in April this year and a giant birthday party taking over Cattle Country near Berkley. They welcomed 390 Brownies and 70 leaders from across the county to the party on 20th September and festivities included indoor play barns, soft play, drop slides and tubes, canoeing, a climbing net, inflatable jumping pillows, swings, trampolines, zip wire, a castle,

Becky, Isobel and Kathleen of 3rd Hucclecote Brownies

meeting the animals and, of course, birthday cake for everyone. Brownie Chloe, 10, said: “Cuddling the guinea pig was the best bit of the party.” Brownies Loretta and Millie, 9 and 10 said: “Today we’ve done drop slides and trampolines. Brownies is really fun, we’ve both done our swimming badge.” Brownies Tabitha and Daisy said: “The best bits have been the bouncy pillows and the big slides in the barn.” Leader Ali McEwan said: ‘This was an opportunity for all Brownies to enjoy a finale to the 100 year celebrations, – this year is all about the Brownies, so it was right that they chose how to celebrate.

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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

BUSINESS Lodders joins in Will Aid

Editor’sDESK

HEN Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 he was reportedly going to utter ‘ahoy’ as his first spoken word on answering for the first time. I like that. He would I’m sure, be amazed how telephone technology has raged through the last five years, especially with the onslaught of the smartphone and all that it entails by way of accessibility and the various platforms/APPS that are now available. He would also I feel, be frowning about why we can’t get a decent signal in some parts of dear old ‘Chelters’. It’s like stepping into the black hole of Calcutta, or disappearing round the bum end of the moon. The mighty four networks; 02, Vodaphone, Orange, T Mobile and EE can’t seem to make their phone signals work in some parts of this town. It beggars belief that in this day and age I can’t get a signal in the back streets of Tivoli, when NASA easily chat away to the ISS every day. I remember the days without mobiles and the culture of ‘not being contactable’, say for instance… in a pub when you should be home? That old chestnut of ‘has anyone seen Bob?’ as it’s shouted out across the hostelry for the unfortunate wife or partner to hear.

When in fact ‘Bob’ is cuddling his fourth pint and his second mistress in a shady corner of the boozer. Vodaphone recently spent £900M on new technology to gird their technological loins against the onslaught of demand as consumers now voraciously gobble up smartphones and APPS with appetite of drunks facing a late night curry. So why is it in this town we receive a poor signal in some areas? Oh they’ll tell you it’s because we’re surrounded by hills and the like, or it’s the atmospherics or some such nonsense. Rubbish. How about the alltoo greedy networks investing some of their ill-gotten loot (the overcharging for years) on putting up some more masts? Not too challenging I should think. In a local ale house, The Jolly Brewmaster in Painswick Road they have an appalling signal. It’s not the pub’s fault. In fact it’s a constant source of amusement to some, as quite often you’ll see some poor unfortunate soul almost slow waltzing round the bar holding up their mobile in a futile attempt to connect with the outside world. Some say it’s only a mobile signal and not that important. Or is it? I don’t know anybody that hasn’t got a mobile. Fact. And some even say that worse things happen at sea. Well at least at sea you’ll be able to say and hear ‘ahoy’.

Got a comment? Contact us at editor@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

BIG-HEARTED lawyers at the Natalie Smith Cheltenham office of Lodders Solicitors have embarked on a charity fund-raising effort by agreeing to take part in Will Aid. Every year many firms across the country get behind the event backing nine deserving causes – ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, SCIAF, Sightsavers, and Trocaire. The intention is also to highlight the need for people to make a will, dying intestate can cause all sorts of problems and issues. Natalie Smith, an associate in the Private Client department, said the effort was part of the ongoing push to build the profile of the Cheltenham office which launched last autumn. “But it is also a great opportunity for us to make a contribution to charity and the local community – it is so important to put something back,” she noted. “Having your will written professionally can give great peace of mind. If you do not have a will to make a donation to charity. The you cannot be sure that your loved ones suggested voluntary donation is £95 for a are provided for after your death. You may basic will or £150 for a pair of basic also leave them the stress of coping with mirror wills. Miss Smith, who specialises legal complications. “Although it is in wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, possible to write a will by yourself, it is probate and tax planning, recently became advisable to use a solicitor to make sure a fully qualified member of the Society of that it is valid and properly reflects your Trusts and Estates Practitioners, passing wishes. There are many things to consider four exams over a period of two and a half when making a will, so professional advice years. is highly beneficial.” Throughout Anyone wishing to take up the November applicants can use a local Lodders’ offer should in the first instance solicitor who has signed up to Will Aid contact Farah McLoughlin – and, instead of paying a fee, will be invited farah.mcloughlin@lodders.co.uk

Barrington Ayre tackle Gloucester Rugby GLOUCESTER Rugby Club will look as good off the pitch as they do on it this season as they announce they have brought in Cirencester tailor Barrington Ayre to look after suits and tailoring. Already known for producing the clothing for sports stars such as footballer Robbie Savage and ex England cricketer Michael Vaughan, Barrington Ayre have now turned their attention to the oval ball as the official supplier of formal wear for the next three seasons. The sister company of Barrington Ayre, the online shirt bespoke shirt service - ShirtSmart, will be making the players shirts. “As a Gloucestershire-based tailor we

are incredibly proud to have been asked to get involved with such a great club,” explained Barrington Ayre tailor Tom Wharton. “We have designed with the players a stunning suit and this will be available to buy to show your support for the boys.” Commercial Manager and Gloucester spokesperson Mike Turner added “It’s great for the club to be working with Barrington Ayre, a business that is growing and going from strength-tostrength. Barrington Ayre have been really responsive and reactive to the design process and everyone at the club cannot wait to be dressed in the new clothing.”

Cheltenham Standard is published weekly by Paul.Bates Publishing Ltd is registered Cheltenham at Suite 104, Eagle Tower, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA. Reproduction of any material, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without the prior written consent of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Paul.Bates Publishing Ltd will not accept liability for loss or damage. Dates, information and prices quoted are believed to be correct at time of going to press but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. Neither the editor nor publisher accepts responsibility for any material submitted, whether photographic or otherwise. All rights reserved. ISSN no. 2055-2092. Terms and conditions at www.cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

Standard

New chief executive for The Cheltenham Trust A NEW CEO for The Cheltenham Trust has been appointed. Julie Finch will join the newly formed Trust on 20th October, bringing with her a wealth of experience across both the cultural and leisure sectors. Further positive news received today is that The Cheltenham Trust has now received charitable status. Julie said: “There has been a tremendous amount of work by both the council and The Cheltenham Trust which has made both this role and the transfer possible. I am thrilled to join the trust; everything that we do will place people at the heart of The Cheltenham Trust. The team is very experienced and the public are already well connected to

our services. We will work hard to contribute to Cheltenham as a great place to live, work and visit.’’ This appointment comes at an exciting time for the Trust with cabinet agreeing this week to award the contract to The Cheltenham Trust from 1st October 2014 to oversee the management, operation and development of some of Cheltenham’s key cultural venues and community services. These include Cheltenham Town Hall, The Wilson and Pittville Pump Room, Leisure at Cheltenham, the Prince of Wales Stadium, our tourism services and the Tourist Information Centre, as well as the Sport, Play and Healthy Lifestyles outreach service.

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

BUSINESS Local businessman launches ‘Business Doctors’

(Right to left) Simon Offord launches Business Doctors in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire with founders Rod Davies and Matt Levington.

LOCAL businessman, Simon Offord, has launched ‘Business Doctors’ within Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, the UK’s fastest growing support service for small and medium-sized businesses (SME’s). Simon, who is based in Stroud, has joined the Business Doctors’ team to provide support and strategic advice to owners and directors of SMEs within the region. Having previously developed his own business from grass roots level, to a successful and profitable company, Simon feels that he is well placed to offer support and advice based upon personal experience. “My own career path has taught me about the highs and lows of running a company, and I am keen to support others to realise the potential of their businesses, across a broad range of sectors”. Simon adds “I am excited about working alongside the other Business Doctors within the South West. We have a huge range of experience between us and offer a comprehensive service, covering every aspect of business that an SME will need”. Rod Davies, founder of Business Doctors, states; “We are delighted to welcome Simon into the network of top

class advisors in the South West. He is a great example of all our Business Doctors around the country”. Davies concludes; “His commercial track record and experience are

remarkable and he can give top class support to SME’s, helping them to grow and achieve their ambitions”. For more information visit www.businessdoctors.co.uk

Growing strong THE Gloucestershire Growth Deal aims to develop a local workforce with the skills needed to benefit from the region’s growth in engineering, nuclear and low carbon industries. GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been awarded funding and will get greater influence and freedom to deliver locally tailored services to help businesses start and grow, to improve the transport connections in and around the M5 corridor and to open up new sites for employment and housing. The Growth Deal, subject to a satisfactory conclusion of the funding agreement, will bring together local, national and private funding as well as new freedoms and flexibilities to focus on three key priority areas as identified in the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan. It’s a formidable offer in providing a highly employable and economically productive workforce that meets the needs of local businesses by attracting, retaining and developing successful businesses. It will also exploit opportunities to open up new sites for development and providing the transport infrastructure to accelerate growth. “The Gloucestershire Growth Deal is an ambitious project to attract inward investment and make our county an even better place to do business”, commented Michael Ratcliffe, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce, “The Growth Deal should help to create up to 5000 jobs and generate up to £40 million in public and private investment. This deal is part of a wider Strategic Economic Plan that will lead to 34,000 jobs.” GFirst LEP has secured £62.5m from the Government’s Local Growth Fund to support economic growth in the area, with £11.7m of new funding confirmed for 2015/16 and £16.6m for 2016/17 to 2021.

The perfect boarding house for your canine A UNIQUE dog home boarding business has been launched in Gloucestershire offering dog owners an alternative to boarding kennels. PetStay was the idea of a dog lover in Hull almost ten years ago and now has a branch in Cheltenham, providing one-to-one care for dogs in a home environment across the county. The dog sitting service has been brought to Gloucestershire by Emma Levings, where dogs are placed with a vetted carer for the duration of the owner’s holiday. Emma says, “Our research shows that many dog owners aren’t happy putting their family pet in boarding kennels. They’d go on holiday and worry about how their dog was coping. As dog lovers we came up with the idea of PetStay as the

reassuring service we would want for our dogs. Now dog owners of Gloucestershire have a choice of care.” Dogs are fed and walked by the carer at the instruction of the owner. Prices start at £19.00 per day. Emma continued, “We also

have opportunities for people who are at home during the day and want to home based and flexible or even coming up to retirement age but still want to be in the jobs market. Our carers are licenced and insured. We interview the carers in their own home. They have to match our criteria and abide by our guidelines but most importantly be dog lovers. Our carers can earn between £80 and £175 per week.” “This fantastic safe and friendly alternative to kennels has really taken off since it’s launch in May so if you would like to be a part of this success story either as a customer or carer then please get in touch!” Call Emma on 07815 497632 Email: emma@petstay.net www.petstay.net

“Cheltenham – a signal free town”

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

HEALTH&LIFESTYLE

ThePulse By JO BETTERIDGE

jo@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

Surging through the veins of Cheltenham Life

Caitlin Moran

Musings of a Cheltenham Wannabe IT’S my favourite time of year… Cheltenham Literature Festival is upon us. Having been a fervent devourer of all things readable since an early age (including cereal packets in lieu of anything more substantial), I’ve booked an exceedingly eclectic smorgasbord of events. First up is my ‘literary’ hero Caitlin Moran, who’s ‘How To Be a Woman’ had me LOL-ing like a loon, and who had

my poshest, least potty-mouthed friend utter the vilest of Anglo-Saxon words (the ‘c’ one, no less!). I’m anticipating a feast of acerbic wit and caustic sarcasm as Ms Moran discusses her coming-ofage novel ‘capturing the terror and joy of trying to discover exactly who it is you’ll turn out to be’. Haven’t actually discovered that myself yet except, of course, that I wanna be Caitlin Moran. So on to two greats: The Great

Outdoors, and The Great War. In truth, I can’t remember what attracted me to ‘The Great Outdoors’ event, but I imagine it was the fact that it promises to divulge which butterflies can tell you how far it is to the pub. And as those who know me will testify, they’re two of my favourite things. Another of which is the Great War – or the study of it, not the actual carnage, of course. As a lover of social history, this promises to be particularly fascinating for me, offering contemporary accounts of the Great War and its impact on soldiers and the home front by way of rare material from The Times archive. And from one form of suffering and pain to another; I’ll also be party to Jason Webster’s and James Woodall’s exploration of the origins and traditions of flamenco, apparently an art form born of pain and suffering, to be brought to life with guitar and dance performances. Sounds rather fiery and passionate. That choice was inspired by the (hideous) flamenco gear my daughter insisted I buy her on our last four Spanish holidays (err, I’m definitely never taking her to Brazil.). But I am taking her to Tony De Saulles’ Horrible Science event, which promises to teach kids all the dreadful details the teachers won’t in a fun and fact-filled activity-led event.

This brings me to my next choice: ‘A Good School for All’. Education excites the fiercest arguments: should schools promote British values? Should we teach facts or learning skills? What defines a good school? Camila Batmanghelidjh, Caitlin Moran, Nick Gibb, Stephen Drew, and Tony Little join Alice Thomson of The Times to thrash out the big questions about the future of British education. And last but not least, the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction event. I’m not sure I agree with her debut title ‘A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing’ (not least because many a man I know is barely even quarter-formed) but I’m sure I’ll find out why it’s so called when this year’s winner Eimear McBride is interviewed by novelist Kate Mosse, cofounder of the Prize. A busy, culture-filled October for me then!

Beauty from the inside out WOMEN are waking up to the benefits of affordable red light therapy as an alternative antiageing treatment thanks to a study by Kinetik. Until now, products harnessing red light technology have been the reserve of salons and high-income earners. Now, however, Kinetik’s Love My Skin anti-ageing compact and anti-ageing pen offer people access to this therapy in their own homes, in a discreet and portable size, and without breaking the bank. Cheltenham beauty therapist Lucy Mclelland of Ella Hair & Beauty on Bath Road, who uses specialist salon-quality red light

therapy equipment, was invited to the London preview of these innovative new products. The study that launched them saw 40 per cent of women record an improvement to the overall condition of their skin after just ten days of using both products for just one minute twice a day, rising to 73 per cent after 28 days. Lucy therefore advocates the Love My Skin products as an affordable alternative to, or for use between in-salon red light appointments. Red light therapy stimulates skin cells to produce collagen, a crucial element in anti-ageing treatments. The foundation of

youthful, healthy looks, collagen provides structure, flexibility strength and firmness to the skin. From the age of 20 we naturally lose collagen at a rate of 1.5 percent a year, and the turnover of new skin cells also decreases with age, making fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging more obvious. Bad habits such as late nights, drinking, smoking and UV damage also speed up the ageing process. Red light therapy can also be used on burns, scars, acne, wrinkles and has even been piloted at oncology units in

America to help stop mouth sores develop in chemotherapy patients. The Kinetik Love My Skin range includes the AntiAgeing Compact (32 LED lights) at £99.99 and the Anti-Ageing Pen (six LED lights) at £39.99.

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

HEALTH&LIFESTYLE I’LL admit to having thought that migraines were headaches for drama queens until I was rendered immobile by my first migraine. With nausea and no vision in my right eye, I was reduced to lying stock still in a darkened room, begging my mother for help. If you’re a sufferer, this will sound all too familiar. Migraine is a severe headache affecting the front or one side of the head, accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms that vary in time-span depending on the individual. The exact cause remains unclear, but it’s thought that either abnormal brain activity affecting the nerves, or a disturbance in brain chemicals are to blame, and it’s believed that the throbbing sensation experienced during a migraine is due to the vessels within the brain dilating. There are three main categories: Migraine with aura: ‘Aura’ refers to the

warning signs of an impending migraine attack, including vision loss, flashing lights, sensitivity to light and nausea. Migraine without aura: Migraine occurs with none of the aura warning signs. Migraine aura without headache: Aura

HealthMatters Your essential guide to staying healthy and enjoying the best life has to offer By NATALIE NEALE

Migraine Misery are experienced without headache. The World Health Organisation (WHO) have adopted a more detailed and sophisticated system (originally developed by The International Headache Society) to classify the various types of migraine. There are approximately eight different recognised types of migraine. Certain triggers of migraine have been identified, including: dehydration, diet, stress, hormonal changes and exercise. I

could fit any of these categories, as could most. I have also recently discovered that a personal training session is sure to have me suffering by the end. There are several products on the market for the treatment of migraine, but when reviewing the active ingredients, one can obtain a similar, less expensive product (without the anti-sickness element) by buying outside the brand. According to my local pharmacist and to various migraine specific websites, the

recommended treatment for migraine is ibuprofen and co-codamol (codine and paracetamol); both can be brought over the counter. (Be warned – codine causes constipation, so you could be exchanging one misery for another. Drink plenty of fluids and maintain a fibrous diet). Taking soluble analgesia can make for more rapid pain relief as it is absorbed faster. I have also discovered a supermarket own-brand migraine tablet containing ibuprofen and lysine. The lysine salt apparently aids speedier pain relief. However, when over-the-counter remedies fail, a consultation with your GP is advised as there are prescription-only medicines that can be effective in the treatment of migraine. For those wishing to avoid medicinal products, a variety of alternative treatments can be found including acupuncture, hypnotherapy, cold compress and natural remedies available from health food stores. I haven’t ventured in to alternative medicine, but there’s been many an occasion when I’ve said I’ll try anything. The Migraine Trust is a charity providing information and support for suffers and is a useful resource for healthcare professionals www.migrainetrust.org

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

QUIRKY NEWS

Something a bit different...

Commuter races tube in London

Spoof Scottish border control checks

A COMMUTER staged a race against a London Underground train to prove that travelling on foot can be just as fast as taking the tube. James Heptonstall filmed his 380m sprint from London’s Mansion House to Cannon Street station while his friend Noel Carroll took the Circle Line tube for the same journey. He made it back on to the train with seconds to spare and was applauded by his fellow passengers. The pair created a video of the stunt which has notched up more than half a million hits on YouTube. It shows Mr Heptonstall, 30, climbing 75 steps and passing through two ticket barriers and sprinting through the streets. The environmental consultant, who lives in Hampstead, said they had

been inspired by similar challenges in other European cities. He said: “I usually get the Northern line to work in the morning – it is not an enjoyable experience so I sometimes run or cycle if I can.” Describing the stunt, he added: “I got some quite strange looks from people in the carriage because I was in my sportswear and a camera attached to my head. “While I was running someone asked Noel what I was doing – they said they did not think I would make it, but then I dived on the tube and they were applauding.” Both men are trained athletes – Mr Heptonstall is an open touch rugby player for England and Mr Carroll is a coach at the Arsenal FC academy.

MOTORISTS couldn’t believe their eyes when a passport checkpoint sprung up on the border between England and Scotland. A guard and barrier were spotted on the Scottish border with a sign suggesting it would be opened officially on 19th September, 2014, the day after the referendum last week. The ‘Scottish Border Agency’ signs looked realistic, but the checkpoint, at Carter Bar, near Jedburgh, was actually an elaborate prank. Jon Parker Lee, organiser of the mock border control, said he wasn’t taking sides in the vote but hoped both countries would be ‘united’ in laughter. “We’ve staged this together as a group of

Scottish and English. We’re simply united in having a laugh,” he said. “We all love a wind-up, and maybe this will give everyone a laugh and a break from the ever-increasing heat of the debate.”

Free hamsters with your pizza A PIZZA restaurant has been slammed in Australia for offering free pets to customers who place big orders. The Pizza Hut store, in Mount Waverly, Melbourne, had a sign in its window promising: “Buy any ten large pizzas and get one free small animal from Pets Story.” The promotion, which was not condoned by Pizza Hut Australia, was immediately

slammed by animal lovers. One Twitter user accused the store of giving “away animals like toys” and local animal rights group Oscar’s Law demanded the sign the taken down. Pizza Hut Australia apologised, and insisted that no animals were actually given away by the rogue franchise. Good job they weren’t actually on the menu!

VENTING SPLEEN… Local man about town, Tom Thurlow lets loose

EN DIAMONDS, hundreds of cashstrapped Cheltonians and two of the tackiest wedding proposals ever. Yeah let’s talk about that treasure hunt. Firstly I want to acknowledge that Beards Jewellers did pull off an amazing piece of PR the other weekend. The ‘Great Diamond Rush’ secured phenomenal local and national press coverage for the store. I’ve no doubt the response will drive a huge boost in sales for the business and their presence in Cheltenham is now glistening. Whoever came up with the diamond hunt campaign deserves a cheeky slap on the arse. Perhaps even a pay rise too. Right, now let’s get on to the real issue at large. Cheltenham is widely regarded in the UK as an affluent and prosperous place to reside. We’re business leaders and we’re also deeply immersed

in culture; so much so, sometimes I find it hard to breathe with the assortment of books and saxophones I am being forcibly fed on a bimonthly basis. But to my horror, thanks to this month’s activities, images are being sprawled across the media of desperate, wide-eyed Cheltenham residents holding maps and dashing over the town to lift up plant pots in the hope of finding a tiny diamond that might be substantial enough to make up one earring? We looked poor and we looked needy. This was nothing for our regency town to be proud of. If these were war times I’d say Gloucester

could’ve bent us over and conquered us that weekend. What made it even worse were the couples that needed to use the diamond hunt to make their wedding proposals seem exciting. If I popped the question on one knee with something I found in a champagne bucket at the Daffodil, I’d want my better half to slap me round the face. I mean come on guys - if you love your lady that much to propose marriage couldn’t you have at least gone down to Argos and picked something out? An engagement ring is supposed to be precious. It should also take a massive chunk out of your savings

account. But if that’s not possible I’m pretty sure Argos offer credit for poor people. My point is I just think it’s embarrassing to propose immediately after finding a free diamond and having the imagination that stretches no further than to pop the question there and then on the high street whilst fuelled up on free Prosecco and cupcakes. Aside from these tragic displays of romance and the town’s reputation taking a

bruising I’d say it was truly a great thing that the event raised £6,500 for the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre. It’s just a pity that we can’t raise some more money for the real charity at hand here, which of course is the poor men who can’t afford to pay for their own diamond rings.

Get more of Tom’s insights by following him on Twitter @thurlow

The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these articles are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of The Cheltenham Standard

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

CoffeeBreak

Kevin Spacey breath for sale A JAR allegedly containing the breath of actor Kevin Spacey has been put up for sale online in Canada. The seller claims to have worked with the actor on the set of American Beauty, where they asked him to blow into the jar as a gift for his mother. “She was a huge Kevin Spacey fan before she passed away, I think because he resembled her first husband that loved woodwork,” the seller wrote on the sale ad on Craigslist in Vancouver. “I don’t know

if Kevin Spacey knows anything about dovetail joints or how to work an auger, but apparently he likes breathing into jars.” The seller is asking possible buyers to make their best offer for the jar, which they promise is legitimate. “This is real, it’s his actual breath in there,” the seller wrote. “If I recall correctly, we had some sort of chicken pasta for lunch before I asked him to blow in the jar. The jar hasn’t been opened since.”

Your Weekly HOROSCOPES ARIES (March 20 – April 18): You’ll have zero tolerance for people’s excuses today, but things really are as wild and crazy as they say. They couldn’t make this stuff up if they tried. TAURUS (April 19 – May 19): You’re trying to hold on to what used to work and that’s the problem. Let go of old rules and expectations. GEMINI (May 20 – June 20): You’d love to be anywhere but where you are right now. The sooner you tie up loose ends, the sooner you can move on to greener pastures. CANCER (June 21 – July 21): A crisis is no time to reinvent the wheel. Support structures in place. It’s because they weren’t being followed that things are unraveling. LEO (July 22 – Aug 21): An older friend or relative provides a safe harbor. S/he may not understand everything you’re going through, but the advice is still solid.

Foul mouthed Barbie doll TOY MANUFACTURER Mattel has launched an investigation over claims that one of its Barbie dolls blurts out a four-letter word. Talina Evans, 25, who gave her seven-year-old daughter Demileigh the doll as a treat, claims it clearly blurted out: “What the f***!” It is believed the doll is actually programmed to say ‘Off the hook’ but has been misheard by a number of customers as uttering the foul-mouthed exclamation. Hear the doll for yourself at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=5rqEvZHnFSs. WARNING contains allegedly offensive language. Ms Evans, from Caernarfon, North Wales, attempted to return the toy but was told there was nothing the

store could do because she had lost the receipt. She said: “We’ve taken it off her now. We just told her that the doll had been bad and was swearing so it had to go. “She was disappointed, of course, but she understood that it is wrong to swear and so the doll had to go.” “I’m not the only one who has heard it. You can hear it loud and clear, it definitely says ‘what the f***’.” The doll, based on Barbie’s web reality series, Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, is programmed to say 15 different phrases including ‘I love a makeover’, ‘There is no substitute for glitter’, and ‘To the salon!’. A spokesperson for Mattel confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the swearing doll but refused to comment further.

LIBRA (Sept 22 – Oct 22): You finally see what a colleague tried to warn you about. Move quickly and you’ll stave off disaster. Then thank this person in person. SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 21): Identifying with the underdog isn’t the same as being one. It’s all right to champion a "lost cause" but avoid getting personal about it. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 20): It isn’t easy being forced to painstakingly master details. Nevertheless relearning what you do gives you a new lease on talents. CAPRICORN (Dec 21 – Jan 18): You’re always there to lend a hand but do you stay long enough for the thanks? Work without appreciation is like taking half a breath. AQUARIUS (Jan 19 – Feb 17): In truth you must go forward with what’s already in play. You can’t afford to back out now and changing course won’t save anything. PISCES (Feb 18 – March 19): You catch the other party in an inconsistency, but don’t play your trump card yet. Let this person continue. You’ll take in a bigger haul.

Word Ladder Convert the word at the top of the ladder into the word at the bottom of it, using only the three steps in between. Every word must be a valid four-letter word.

BELL

HOME

MAIL

TIME

CRYPTIC Crossword

8 9 10 11

15 16

19 21 23

20 22 24

25 26 27

VIRGO (Aug 22 – Sept 21): The more you try to be reasonable, the louder loved ones become. Listen to what they have to say. That – in and of itself – will allow tempers to cool.

ACROSS 3. Access to a confession (9) 8. Bird alters the rent (4) 9. Determine the outcome of sectarian troubles (9) 10. Express sorrow at mental problems (6) 11. A good start for the airman (5) 14. Let it change the name (5) 15. The remainder take it easy (4) 16. Gets rid of outbuildings (5) 18. The price of company on the street (4) 20. Lance is broken, but not dirty (5) 21. The team-leader requests jobs (5) 24. Ring the artist to get the right speaker (6) 25. Unusually attentive but hesitant (9) 26. It’s good to have a dress (4) 27. Cry about barren conditions for producing fruit (9)

DOWN 1. Various lithe acts (9) 2. Playwright was a tot at first (9) 4. Clean up the stud (4) 5. I do business - perfect! (5) 6. A model you shouldn’t miss (6) 7. Leave out some indomitable characters (4) 9. And get bearings on the mountains (5) 11. Insects can be wickedly false (5) 12. It may be thrown after a wedding (9) 13. IRA intent on upsetting the traveller (9) 17. The total number of points is twenty (5) 19. Sailor getting a brown sailing vessel (6) 22. The girl I take around (5) 23. Look at the Lord (4) 24. More than six balls? (4)

Last week’s solutions (18th September 2014): Across: 1 Tick; 3 Obscured; 8 Also; 9 Compound; 11 Slot machines; 13 Pastry; 14 Bistro; 17 Constabulary; 20 Interest; 21 Otto; 22 The ropes; 23 Trek. Down: 1 Transept; 2 Customs; 4 Brooch; 5 Capricious; 6 Route; 7 Dodo; 10 Impresario; 12 Copy book; 15 Toaster; 16 Hassle; 18 Outre; 19 Gist.

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

TELEVISION Your one-stop guide to the best tv over the four-day ‘weekend’

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

HAVE long had a pet name for Gloucestershire Highways, the County Council body that looks after the roads and pavements in Cheltenham; ‘Arthur Job’. It is a moniker not based on affection but rather the frustration at seeing highways do yet another half-a-job when they repair our roads. Amey took over the contract for Gloucestershire roads in April this year; unfortunately so far things seem to have gone from bad to worse. Since 2007, when the County Council took back responsibility for looking after Cheltenham’s roads and pavements from Cheltenham Borough Council, there has been a sharp decline in the quality of any road works that are done. Getting the simplest job done like clearing drains can take weeks, even in flood-prone areas like College Road. If you need a road resurfacing that can takes many years, if you are lucky. There are many potholes around the town that have a life worthy of being in a soap opera. The pothole appears, gets bigger and is filled. The dodgy road surface around the pothole is left, as are the smaller potholes nearby. A few months of English weather later and the County is baffled that the pothole is back, bigger

RECRUITMENT

ON MY

Soapbox By COUNCILLOR KLARA SUDBURY than it was before with many more pothole friends nearby. Surely it is in everyone’s interests and costs less money overall for the entire section to be patched properly whilst the contractors are there. Up Hatherley Way is one of the worst examples of this; the County now seem to have given up and have left the ‘uneven road surface’ signs in place for many months rather than fixing the road. The recent excitement of the Tour of Britain coming through our lovely town was matched by the anticipation that roads on the route would be improved. Ideally the cyclists would have spent several hours here meandering throughout our pot holed highways and byways, maybe the prospect of this would have been enough to rouse Arthur Job into action. Then again perhaps not.

In the summer of 2012 the County Council amended parking bays in Montpellier Grove following a consultation on residents parking. New parking spaces were added right at the narrow junction where Montpellier Grove meets the busy Montpellier Terrace. As a result vehicles have to drive on the wrong side of the road as they approach Montpellier Terrace, something that has caused concern to many local residents. Over two years later, following many complaints from me and other frustrated local residents (along with the Traffic Regulation Order consultation needed to remove the bays) there is still no firm date for this to be put right. I will keep raising this issue with council officers; it would be a revelation if they could actually get on with it instead of furnishing me with excuses.

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25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

CULTURE THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES LIKE a dog with a bone, Jenny Wren Productions return to the Everyman Studio with this entirely irreverent version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic tale. Born and bred at the Everyman, Jenny Wren Productions’ previous astounding productions in the studio include The Canterbury Tales; A Child in the Forest and The Pickwick Papers. Three actors work like dogs to play all the characters in this fast-paced, barking comedy that will leave you howling with laughter! When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on his estate, with a look of terror still etched on his face and the paw prints of a gigantic hound beside his body, the great detective Sherlock Holmes is summoned from Baker Street, with Dr Watson in

tow, to unravel the mysteries surrounding his death and investigate the ancient curse of the Hound of the Baskervilles. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover in this wonderfully inventive adaptation by Steven Canny and John Nicholson. Packed full of verbal and visual ingenuity and offering abundant opportunities for a spot of slapstick, this is a wonderfully wacky take on one of the great archetypes of English literature.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES Everyman Studio Theatre Friday 3rd – Saturday 4th October Evenings 7.45pm, Saturday matinee 2pm

‘Brassed Off’ band guarantee highly polished show THE award-winning Grimethorpe Colliery Band, who catapulted to world-wide recognition through the 1996 hit movie ‘Brassed Off’, will play at the Cheltenham Town Hall on Saturday 25th October at 7.30pm as part of their UK tour. This concert will provide a rare opportunity to see and hear the cream of brass instrumentalists’ and what is still regarded as the UK’s premier brass band. The band was seen in action by a worldwide TV audience of 2.5 billion during the outstanding 2012 Olympic opening ceremony alongside the London Symphony Orchestra in Danny Boyle’s epic production. Grimethorpe were part of the spectacular ‘Isles of Wonder’ presentation that saw the vast green and pleasant landscape inside the stadium turned into the era of the industrial revolution, with the band’s performance having echoes of its own famous industrial and film heritage. When Edgar Howarth joined the band in the 1970s he transformed the entire repertoire to give Grimethorpe a unique sound and a style that has helped secure their position in the hearts of fans and newcomers alike. Fame and recognition engulfed the band in 1996 when they

THE D A TING DIARIES…. a collection of short stories from the heart By KAREN PERRETT

Long Distance love… Part 2 THE book carries on the story of Stacey and Marcus, as they meet each other again in his hometown of Perth, Australia. Marcus is not very well and has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. His parents are worried about him and as they have followed his blossoming friendship with Stacey, they invite her out to Australia for a family Christmas. There is a motive in their plans as they are keen for Marcus to be admitted to their local private mental hospital, ‘Hollywood’, as he has not acknowledged his illness as such, they fear that his health situation is becoming dangerous and they hope that Stacey will be able to persuade him to admit himself to hospital rather than having to have him sectioned under local mental health law. Stacey and Marcus have become solid friends, and not long after arriving in Australia, Stacey is able to help Marcus see that he needs help. What she doesn’t envisage is a romantic interlude with a handsome doctor from the hospital next door and events unfold into a rather different holiday than expected. The Dating Diaries is due to be released as an e-book on Amazon kindle, priced at £1.99 on September 30th 2014. A follow up collection is due to be released next year.

Karen Perrett A modern day Bridget Jones Karen Perret, formerly of Cheltenham and now living in rural Herefordshire has compiled collection of short stories under the name Stacey Ingal. They’re based on her real life experiences – playing the dating game over a seven year period.

featured on the soundtrack of the British-made film ‘Brassed Off’. Starring the late Peter Postlethwaite, Ewan McGregor and Tara Fitzgerald, it told the story of a brass band from the fictional Yorkshire mining town of Grimely who, faced with the closure of their pit, went on to triumph at the National Brass Band Championships. In 2004 the band topped the classical music charts with a CD featuring a selection of their most popular numbers. On several occasions Grimethorpe have been crowned National Brass Band Champions of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Tickets for the concert are available from the Town Hall Theatre Box Office. Tel: 0844 5762210 or www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk

COMPETITION To have the chance of winning a pair of tickets for the 25th October performance at the Town Hall by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band just answer this simple question:

Q. Where is Grimethorpe? A. West Yorkshire B. North Yorkshire C. South Yorkshire

Johnny Kennedy at the Town Hall THE Cotswold Male Voice choir announced that Johnny Kennedy will be the compère and guest soloist for their concert at Cheltenham Town Hall on Saturday 27th September. Johnny is a renowned tenor and all-round entertainer. Currently hosting the weekday morning programme on Radio Wirral, he is one of the best known personalities in the North West. He has numerous theatre credits and has appeared in many plays and musicals as well as TV shows. In their 65th Anniversary concert the Cotswold Male Voice Choir welcome The Sydney Welsh Choir, from New South Wales Australia, to sing with them in Cheltenham for the first time. Saturday 27th September 2014 at 7.30pm Tickets £12.00 from the Town Hall Box Office: 0844 576 2210.

Answers by email to:

editor@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk The winner will be chosen at random.

Closing date 1st October 2014

david evans director in

call:01242 222292 online: www.kingsleyevans.co.uk email: info@kingsleyevans.co.uk

Lansdown Villas, Lansdown prices ranging om £600,000 to £1,150,000 A ChoiCe of 2, 4 And 5 bedRoom bRAnd new homes in this stunning LoCAtion. Lansdown Villas is a truly unique development of just ﬁve contemporary town houses in the historic area of Lansdown near to fashionable montpellier with its speciality shops, boutiques, restaurants and wine bars. built to meet the most discerning standards of quality and comfort whilst providing great practical accommodation for day to day living. the accommodation at Lansdown Villas ranges om 1290 sq. . to 2678 sq. . for more information please call 01242 222292 or visit www.lansdownvillas.co.uk

Leckhampton Road £995,000 A beAutifuL exAmpLe of An imposing edwARdiAn home on this sought AfteR RoAd. the elegant rooms are set over four ﬂoors comprising Reception hall drawing room sitting room Kitchen/breakfast room dining Room study six bedrooms four bathrooms basement area Lovely gardens oﬀ road parking for several cars.

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Cleeve Hill

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sited on A quiet, privAte roAd witHin wAlking distAnCe to town.

A bArn Conversion sited in tHe most glorious spot witH breAtH tAking views over tHe vAlley.

this charming family home offers well-proportioned living space and occupies an enviable position, tucked away to offer privacy yet a short stroll to Cheltenham’s centre. the spacious accommodation comprises reception Hall sitting room study spectacular kitchen/breakfast and Family room Four bedrooms lovely gardens off road parking garage.

this unique homes offers a real sense of rural living yet within easy reach of Cheltenham, the flexible and spacious accommodation is set over two floors comprising reception hall modern kitchen/ breakfast room dining room sitting room Four/Five bedrooms three bathrooms garage/Family room lovely gardens that surround the property off road parking.

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£695,000

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An impressive And beAutiFully renovAted town House witH its own one bedroom ApArtment CreAting A rentAl inCome.

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the elegant residence is sited over four floors comprising reception hall Family/dining room drawing room kitchen garden room Four bedrooms three bathrooms self-contained one bedroom flat with its own entrance pretty gardens off road parking.

Apartment 4, devonshire House is renovated to the highest specification with a wealth of character. the spacious and elegant accommodation briefly comprises reception Hall dining room beautiful kitchen/breakfast room drawing room three bedrooms three bath/shower rooms off road parking own private courtyard garden.

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Bamford Cottage, High Street, Kemerton, Tewkesbury A LOVELY VILLAGE COTTAGE WITH EXTRAORDINARY SPACE

Entrance porch, Dining room, Kitchen & breakfast room, Family room, Sitting room, Conservatory, Shower room, Utility, Boot room, 5 bedrooms, Family bathroom, Double garage building with carport, Garden, Further garden, Large parking area and private driveway. In all about 0.43 acres

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A STYLISH AND WELL PRESENTED SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT OVERLOOKING IMPERIAL SQUARE Communal Landing, Entrance Hall, Kitchen, Drawing Room, Dining Room/Occasional Bedroom, Two Bedrooms both with En Suite Bathroom/Shower Rooms, Family Bathroom. Allocated Underground Parking Space, Communal Gardens, Lift, Video Entryphone.

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Sophie and Daren “The service given by Oliver and his team at Elliot Oliver Sales and Lettings is simply first class, they made the stressful experience of buying a house simple and smooth. We are both extremely grateful for the attentive, professional and honest manner in which they do their business and would strongly recommend them to anyone.” Buyers, 2 July 2014

Stephen “Thank you again for all your time and effort, you were certainly the best estate agent we came across in Cheltenham.” Applicant, 22 July 2014

Marc “I highly recommend Elliot Oliver, they operate a professional service with a smile, always happy to go that extra mile. My properties have been let with minimal turnaround and ease. A pleasure working with you all and thanks for the Peroni from the fridge.” Landlord, 12 July 2014

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

MOTORING

best wheels, best deals...

Drivers missing out on best insurance deals DRIVERS in the UK are failing to save £2 billion by not shopping around for the best insurance deal and are simply going with their automatic renewal instead. This means, on average, 8.2 million drivers in the UK are each missing out on savings of up to £222.66. A study has found 36% of drivers have been with the same insurer for three years or more and less than half of all drivers (46%) check their new quote against the previous year’s to make sure they are getting the best deal. Many drivers assume the cheapest quote from the previous year will still be the cheapest when they renew. Other reasons cited by drivers for not changing insurer or seeking a better quote include it being too much hassle (21%), not wanting to change a Direct Debit (18%), and the fact their current insurer was good to deal with (12%). Some drivers also said they lacked confidence to get a better deal (8%) and some also worried they might lose their ‘no claims’ discount (8%).

The research was carried out by Gocompare and their spokesperson Lee Griffin said: “September is always a busy time for insurance renewals and while not everyone will be changing their car this year, there will be millions of renewal notices already sitting on the nation’s coffee tables and ‘to-do’ piles. Now is the time to be shopping around to try and get a better deal, as many insurers will happily renew your insurance automatically unless you contact them to tell them otherwise’’. He went on to add, “Millions of drivers are potentially overpaying for their car insurance to the tune of nearly £2 billion a year, in the mistaken belief that an insurer offering the cheapest premium one year is bound to offer the same good value for the next year. However, loyalty counts for very little when it comes to insurance and many drivers would be better off switching rather than sticking with the same insurer.” So, the tip of the week is…shop around!

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

SPORT Cheltenham Youth Football League Results and Weekend Fixtures RESULTS GFA County Uunder-14 Cup Bishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cleeve Colts 0 Longlevens 6; Charlton Rovers Reds 2 FC Barometrics 3; Churchdown Panthers 8 Painswick Youth 0; FC Lakeside 1 Newent Town 8; Gotherington Juniors w/o Cirencester Town; Leckhampton Rovers Whites 3 Tuffley Rovers 3 (41 on pens); Lydbrook 2 Leckhampton Rovers 6; Lydney Town (Youth) w/o Sevenside Nuclear.

CHELTENHAM YOUTH LEAGUE Under-11 Arthur Stiley Trophy Bishops Cleeve Colts 7 Southside TIgers 0; FC Lakeside Reds 2 CHuchdown Panthers 2 2 (0-1 on pens); Leckhampton Rovers Harriers 14 Charlton Rovers Red 0.

Under-12 Ted Croker Cup Bisops Cleeve Colts Rovers 0 FC Lakeside Blues 4; Broadwell Amateur YOuth 8 Churchdon Panthers Reds 0; Charlton Rovers Blues 0 FC Lakeside Whites 8; Charlton Rovers Reds 19 Longlevens Youth 2; Forest Rangers 0 Worcester Colts 3; Leckhampton Rovers Eagles 0 Tuffley Rovers 1; Leckhampton Rovers Predators 0 Chelteham CS Youth Blues 0 0 (4-5 on pens); Longlevens Lions 0 Abbeymead Rovers Reds 3; Prestbury Phantoms Falcons 0 Leckhampton Rovers Lions 0; Prestbury Phantoms Spirits 5 Leckhampton 0; Quedgeley Wanderers 2 Cheltenham CS 4; Southside Sharks 2 Bishops Cleeve Colts 4; Swindon Village Bowmen 0 Abbeymead Rovers Yellows 8.

Under-13 C & G League Cup Bishops Cleeve Colts 0 Charlton Rovers Reds 4;

Charlton Rovers Blues 1 Tuffley Rovers 16; FC Lakeside Blues 5 Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers 2; FC Oakwood 4 Kingshill Lions 1; Fintan 1 Bishops Cleeve Colts United 6; Shurdington Rovers 6 Cinderford Town 1.

Under-13 Division One

Under-11 Division One

Under-14 Division

Cheltenham Saracens 0 Southside Panthers 2; Sothside Lions 8 Leckhampton Rovers Spitfires 0; St Marks Juniors 4 Tuffley Rovers 3.

Quedgeley Wanderers 0 Shurdington Rovers Wolves 1; Worcester Colts 1 Gotherington Juniors 4.

Under-11 Division One Under-13 Division Two Leckhampton Rovers Falcons 10 FC Lakeside Reds 1.

Cheltenham Spa CS 3 Leckhampton Rovers Cheetahs 4

Under-15 Division

Under-12 Division Three

Cashes Green Youth 9 Gotherington Juniors 5; Charlton Rovers Blues 2; Cheltenham Saracens 3 Bishops Cleeve Colts United 3; FC Lakeside 3 Rodborough Youth 1; Under 15 Fintan 0 Lydney Town (Youth) 2; Painswick Youth 1 Cinderford Town 2; Southside 0 Leckhampton Rovers Cougars 2.

Winchome Town 9 Southside Tigers 2.

Under-16 Division One

Under-11 Division Two Churchdown Panthers Colts 6 Gotherington Juniors 3; Leckhampton Rovers Meteors 2 Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers 7 Swindon Village Bowmen 7 Charlton Rovers Blues 3.

Vipers v Cheltenham Saracens; Prestbury Phantoms v Charlton Rover Reds.

Evesham United 8 Chuchdown Panthers 1; Ruardean Hill Rangers 2 Tuffley Rovers 0 St Marks Juniors 2 FC Lakeside 3; Whitecroft FC 1 Quedgeley Wanderers 7; Wotton Rovers 2 Fintan 2.

Under-16 Division Two Bishops Cleeve Colts 3 Painswick Youth 1; English Bicknor v Abbeymead Rovers, post FC Highnam 1 FC Oakwood 0; Gotherington Juniors 3 Charlton Rovers 1; Harvington CC 0 Cheltenham Saracens 5.

Under-18 Division Cheltenham CS Youth 2 Hucclecote Youth 4; Bishops Cleeve 2 Fintan 5; Churchdown Panthers v Tewkesbury Town Colts, post; Gotherington Juniors 2 Whites Southside Galaxy 2; Shurdington Rovers 2 Gotherington Juniors 1; Southside 3 FC Lakeside 4.

SATURDAY FIXTURES Under-9 Development Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers v Gotherington Juniors; Charlton Rovers Blues v Leckhampton Rovers Cobras; Churchdown Panthers v Winchcombe Town; Southside Tigers v Leckhampton Rovers Mambas; Bishops Cleeve Colts v Longlevens Infants Lions; Leckhampton Rovers

Cheltenham Saracens v FC Lakeside Blues; Churchdown Panthers v St Marks Juniors; Southside Lions v Leckhampton Rovers Harriers Tuffley Rovers v Southside Panthers.

Under-11 Division Two Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers v Southside Tigers; Bishops Cleeve Colts v Swindon Village Bowmen; Charlton Rovers Blues v Gotherington Juniors; FC Lakeside Reds v Churchdown Panthers Colts; Leckhampton Rovers Meteors v Charlton Rovers Reds.

SUNDAY FIXTURES GFA Under-12 County Cup Abbeymead Blacks v Leckhampton Rovers Jets; Forest Rangers v Cheltenham CS Youth Reds.

Under-15 Matthew Wyatt Cup Charlton Rovers Blues v Cheltenham Saracens; Cinderford Town v Bishops Cleeve Colts United; Gotherington Juniors v FC Lakeside; Leckhampton Rovers Cougars v Cashes Green Youth; Painswick Youth v Southside; Rodborough Youth v Lydney Town (Youth).

Under-16 C & G League Cup English Bicknor v Churchdown Panthers; Harvington CC v Cheltenham Saracens; Ruardean Hill Rangers v Fintan.

Under-18 League Cup Churchdown Panthers v Gotherington Juniors Whites; Gotherington Juniors v Blues Bishops Cleeve; Hucclecote Youth v Tewkesbury Town Colts; Southside v Shurdington Rovers.

Under-12 Division One Cheltenham CS Youth Blues v Abbeymead Rovers Reds; Longlevens Lions v Leckhampton Rovers Lions; Prestbury Phantoms Spirits v Southside Sharks; Worcester Colts v Broadwell Amateur Youth.

Under-12 Division Two Abbeymead Rovers Yellows v Bishops Cleeve Colts; Charlton Rovers Reds v Longlevens Youth; Leckhampton Rovers Predators v FC Lakeside Whites; Tuffley Rovers v Leckhampton Rovers Eagles.

Under-12 Division Three Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers v Churchdown Panthers Whites; Southside Tigers v Charlton Rovers Blues; Swindon Village Bowmen v Churchdown Panthers Reds; Winchcombe Town v Prestbury Phantoms Falcons.

Under-13 Division One FC Lakeside Blues v Kingshill Lions; FC Oakwood v Quedgeley Wanderers; Gotherington Juniors v Shurdington Rovers; Shurdington Rovers Wolves v Worcester Colts U13; Tuffley Rovers v Charlton Rovers Reds.

Under-13 Division Two Bishops Cleeve Colts Rovers v Bishops Cleeve Colts United; Bishops Cleeve Colts v Hardwicke Rangers; Cinderford Town v FC Lakeside Reds; Cotswold Rangers Youth v Charlton Rovers Blues; Leckhampton Rovers Falcons v Abbeymead Rovers; Northleach Town v Fintan.

Under-14 Division Bishops Cleeve Colts v Lydbrook; Churchdown Panthers v Charlton Rovers Blues; FC Barometrics v Leckhampton Rovers Cheetahs; FC Lakeside v Leckhampton Rovers Sharks; Gotherington Juniors v Cheltenham Spa CS; Leckhampton Rovers Whites v Lydney Town (Youth).

Under-16 Division One Evesham United v FC Lakeside; Quedgeley Wanderers v St Marks Juniors; Whitecroft FC v Tuffley Rovers.

Under-16 Division Two Abbeymead Rovers v Bishops Cleeve Colts; Charlton Rovers v FC Highnam; Painswick Youth v FC Oakwood.

Under-18 Division FC Lakeside v Southside Galaxy; Fintan v Cheltenham CS Youth.

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

SPORT Lakeside go joint top GRASS ROOTS FOOTBALL

FC LAKESIDE joined Whaddon United at the top of Cheltenham Division One with a 4-1 win at AC Olympia. Gala Wilton Reserves moved to within two points of the top team with a 5-2 away win at Hanley Swan. James Beale and Adam Webb scored Hanley Swan’s consolation goals, as they suffered their first defeat of the season. Substitute Sean Cole scored the only goal as Newton FC claimed their first win of the campaign against Bishop’s Cleeve Thirds. In Division Two, Southside FC jumped to the top of the table with a 3-1 win at Andoversford.

Tom Mounsey opened the scoring on twentyminutes, before Tommy Wright and Michael Teague added two second half goals for Southside. Whaddon United Reserves ran riot at Northleach Town, winning 11-1. Four players scored braces, but it was Lewis Peters who shone brightest with four goals for a free scoring Whaddon side. It was a high scoring day in the division, Tewkesbury Town thrashed Prestbury Rovers 5-0, Gloucester Elmleaze won 7-0 against W.M.K helped by Martin Wherat’s hattrick, and Shurdington Rovers and Staunton & Corse shared the points in a 4-4 draw.

Local cricketers recognised for national awards CRICKET

SIX of Gloucestershire club cricket’s unsung heroes have been awarded a NatWest OSCA (Outstanding Services to Cricket Award). The winners have been recognised for their efforts to develop the game at grass root level. The volunteers – who vary in age from 18 to 84 – have been invited to celebrate their achievement at a star-studded ceremony at Lord’s next month. Gloucestershire Cricket Board clubs and programmes officer Lisa Pagett said: “The NatWest OSCAs are a wonderful way of honouring the

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people whose hard work and dedication is the driving force behind recreational cricket. “Too often their work is taken for granted but the OSCAs allow them a chance to get the recognition they richly deserve. “Once again our Gloucestershire winners are an inspiring group of people who have made significant and lasting differences to recreational cricket whether through our clubs, leagues, committees or associations.” Jim Downes has been involved in the organisation of cricket leagues and umpiring associations for over 40 years, earning him the Leagues and Boards award. Jim was a founder member of GACUS, served on the committee of the Gloucestershire Cricket Association (the forerunner of the GCB) and on the steering committee that launched the Gloucestershire County Cricket League. Jim’s most notable achievement is the creation of the Cheltenham Indoor Cricket which he singlehandedly organised for over 30 years. The competition now runs with 24 teams across four divisions – all with neutral umpires and scorers. In between his work on behalf of cricket in Gloucestershire, Jim has also been a popular umpire, standing at a variety of levels from club leagues to county Second XI. Elliott Robertshaw claimed the Young Volunteer prize. The 18 year-old has already become a key member of Carsons and Mangotsfield CC. Having completed his coaching qualifications during the winter he has coached the under 7s and

under 15s. He also spent three days helping prepare the ground before the club’s fundraising match versus the world famous Lashings CC. “He has taken responsibility to coach the Under 7s on a Friday, coming up with new ideas and coaching drills to engage very young children who are the lifeline of the club,” said Andy King from Carsons and Mangotsfield, who nominated Elliott for the award. “He has shown great patience with them and has made the sessions fun. I have seen him demonstrate different skills when coaching the older children, for example observation, questioning skills and feedback.” The NatWest Cricket Force award will be received by Phil Purnell, who can claim to have built up Winterbourne CC. “Just over ten years ago when the Winterbourne junior section was launched and quickly started to expand, Phil had a vision to improve our existing rented facilities.” Club secretary Liz Bracey said. “Phil has tirelessly laboured as a roofer, floorlayer, carpenter, painter and decorator combined with being the unpaid project manager. “All this has resulted in our fantastic new home.” Zia Ullah’s tireless work has seen him receive the Behind the Scenes Award for his part in the success of Pak Bristolians over the last 12 years. From preparing the pitch to coaching the under 9s he is a key figure in every aspect of club life. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he is one of the integral links in our club,” Pak Bristolians’ Mohammed Razaq said. “He’s the type who doesn’t let on how much he does, when in reality, despite having a full time

job and a big family he dedicates hours, day in, and day out.” But his incredible work ethic, love of the game and attention to detail ensure that the ground is always ready to host the next match. Brian Morris was the winner of the Building Partnerships category. Morris has had many roles since joining Winchcombe Cricket Club 50 years ago as a player and has gone on to work as a fundraiser, an umpire and coach to groundsmen. He takes time out from working on the ground to offer batting tips to the junior players. Winchcombe secretary Ann Willemstein said: “Without Brian we would find it impossible to operate during the summer season and he wholly deserves this award in our humble opinion. We simply could not manage without him. The Lifetime Achiever Award went to Buzz Pockett, of Cranham Cricket club. Having been involved with the club for almost 60 years, he has scored over 10,000 runs and taken over 1000 wickets – the only player in the club’s 127 year history to do this. Buzz has been heavily involved in promoting youth cricket, running countless coaching sessions. As a committee member he was a leading voice in proposing league cricket at Cranham and he has also been groundsman for more than 25 years. “Every success that Cranham has had on and off the cricket field can be traced back to Buzz Pockett and the tireless work that he has put in,” said James Pockett from Cranham CC. “He is synonymous with cricket at Cranham and truly deserves a lifetime achiever award.”

BE THE NEW FACE OF

Here at The Standard we’ve teamed up with our sister publication Cotswold Style, House of Fraser and rugby icon Phil Vickery’s clothing brand to find the new male face for Raging Bull. This is an amazing opportunity to get noticed and be the face of the brand. Simply send us an image of yourself or your partner to enter this fabulous competition. The winner will model in a fashion shoot for Cotswold Style Magazine and will also have the chance of winning £300 of Raging Bull clothes, together with an overnight stay at the stunning Ellenborough Park with a meal for two. House of Fraser is featuring a special window display (on The Everyman Theatre side) during our search for the Raging Bull Star, displaying some of the images sent to us on a large screen. The winner will be chosen from an invited short list at the store by a panel including the House of Fraser store manager and Phil Vickery. Images can be emailed to office@stylemagazines.co.uk with your contact details by October 21st 2014.

25 SEPTEMBER 2014 CHELTENHAM STANDARD

SPORT

SportsEye.... By MATTHEW THOMAS

PHOTO: THOUSAND WORD MEDIA

AT least the Whaddon Road crowd didn’t witness Cheltenham Town’s third straight defeat at the weekend. Although they came close to it. Joe Hanks 87th minute equaliser must have felt like a win after the recent run they’ve been on. But yet again Town will be ruing the missed chances in that match. And that has been the story of the last four matches for me. The manager has pointed it out as well, they just haven’t been clinical enough. The loss of Koby Arthur has been felt. When Birmingham City recalled him from his loan spell, Cheltenham lost their most potent goal threat of the season so far. Mark Yates has entrusted his other

mattthomas@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

loan star, John Marquis, with replacing Arthur in the side. And from what I’ve seen, the guy looks a real threat. It’s that old cliché that when he finally puts the ball in the net, his confidence will rise and you think he will start to find the target more regularly. Overall the team has been playing quite well, at times you can point to some bad luck that the results have not gone their way in September. And one player who has epitomised the work ethic and commitment, is Joe Hanks. The teenager started the season as a bench player, having made his way through the club’s youth system. The midfielder has two goals to his name this campaign, only a goal

short of Arthur’s tally of three. And he is now a regular in the side, featuring in all of Town’s games so far. It ain’t going great guns at Kingsholm at the moment. Gloucester’s 22-25 defeat is their second defeat in three league games. And what seems to be noticeable is that the team tend to start slow and then come strong later on in the game. Sometimes those slow starts can prove costly, and at the weekend that was evident. Of course the club are in transition at the moment, with changes to the squad and backroom staff, but it’s not a great start. Yet they have a chance to right the wrongs, as they face bottom of the table, London Welsh, next week.

Gloucester succumb to Chiefs RUGBY UNION

ANOTHER Gloucester comeback was not enough to deny Exeter Chiefs a 25-22 win at Kingsholm. Trailing 12-22 at half-time, the Cherry and Whites managed to fight back but Exeter managed to add three more points to make sure of the win. Exeter’s Gareth Steenson opened the scoring with a penalty on three minutes. But then Gloucester edged ahead with a sensational try from Jonny May. The winger burst down the left and chipped ahead to beat the retreating defence to cross over. A poor 22 clearance from the Chiefs then led to Gloucester’s second try. Dan Murphy touching down after a rolling maul. The home side held a nine point lead, which was cut to three after Steenson added his second and third penalty kick. Suddenly Gloucester found themselves on the back foot and Exeter pulled level with a fourth penalty for Steenson. The Chiefs then went ahead after Ben White finished off a well worked move to claim the visitors first try of the match. Steenson kept up his kicking form by landing the conversion. Another kick, this time from Exeter’s Henry Slade saw Gloucester trailing by ten points at the break. Exeter looked like they had scored another try just after the break but were denied when a forward pass was spotted in the build-up. The job at hand got harder, when Matt Kvesic was dismissed for a tip tackle, reducing Gloucester to fourteen men. Slade added another three points for the visitors. With the match looking like it would peter out in the closing stages, Gloucester grabbed their second try with sixteen minutes left. Sione Kalmafoni forced his way over and James Hook converted to move the hosts to within a converted try of Exeter. A 72nd minute penalty from Hook increased even more hope amongst the crowd. But it was not enough as the Chiefs held on expertly in the final eight minutes, leaving Gloucester tenth in the Premiership table while the Chiefs sit fourth.

GOT A LOCAL SPORTS STORY? Contact our Sports Editor via mattthomas@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

CHELTENHAM STANDARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

with MATTHEW THOMAS, SPORTS EDITOR

SPORT

mattthomas@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk

Hanks rescues point for Robins

“A point gained” FOOTBALL

CHELTENHAM TOWN DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE

1 1

PHOTO: THOUSAND WORD MEDIA

OE HANKS’ equaliser rescued a point for Cheltenham Town against Dagenham & Redbridge at Whaddon Road. Former Cheltenham striker Jamie Cureton has put the visitors ahead just short of the hour, before Hanks scored three minutes from time. After going six games unbeaten at the start of the league campaign, it has turned into a miserable September so far for the Robins with only two points from four games and only one goal scored in four league games. It was another fast start for the home side, and it was John Marquis who was making all the running for Cheltenham. His early volley was tipped away by Dagenham’s goalkeeper Mark Cousins. And the visiting stopper saw Lee Vaughan attempt to chip him but the effort couldn’t find the target. Marquis looked destined to score his first league goal for the Robins when he saw a header tipped wide by Cousins, with the ball seemingly destined for the bottom corner. Cousins just kept thwarting the striker and had to save a stinging shot from Marquis. The striker then dribbled round a couple of Dagenham players before firing wide. It took a while but the visitors finally had a meaningful effort at goal close to half time, when Trevor Carson produced a fine double save to keep the score intact. A deflected Ashley Chambers shot looped over the goalkeeper, who managed to track back and keep the ball out, before denying George Porter. Despite another couple of efforts from

Marquis at the start of the half, it was on the hour mark that the deadlock was broken. And on his return to Whaddon Road, Jamie Cureton came back to haunt his former club. Ashely Hemmings sent a long ball for Cureton to chase and the striker latched on to the pass to poke past Carson. Substitute Zack Kowitca went close to an equaliser, when he was denied by the woodwork. Jordan Wynter fed the winger who smashed his effort against the crossbar. However with 87 minutes gone, Cheltenham finally managed to fashion a leveller, with the aid of the woodwork. It was Wynter’s turn to wobble to bar this time but it was the rebound that caused the damage. After the initial effort bounced clear, Hanks followed up to curl the ball into the back of the net. “I’m pleased for the team and the supporters that they stuck with us and we managed to get that goal,” said manager Mark Yates.

“We didn’t want to be talking about not scoring. We’ve had numerous chances, John Marquis looked a real threat every time he got in the box. Plus he hit the bar a couple of times.” Hanks’ second goal of the season is the team’s first league goal of September. “I'm delighted we managed to get something out of the game, I thought it was the least we deserved. The substitutes came on and made an impact. Zack (Kotwica) was excellent, Joe Hanks got the goal and Terry (Gornell) was part of the build-up for the goal. Physiologically it’s very important. The one thing we’ve had massively is energy and tempo, the lads showed at the end when we do that people won’t be able to live with us." Sitting in seventh place at this early stage is still a good start for the team, and hopefully the late elation will inspire them when they travel to second placed Burton Albion next weekend.

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PHOTO: THOUSAND WORD MEDIA

FOOTBALL

JOE HANKS believes his late equaliser against Dagenham & Redbridge, must be taken as a point gained rather than two lost for Cheltenham Town. “It was nice to get a second one this season,” said Hanks. “It’s good to score. Disappointed not to win but I guess a point gained in the long term. We’ll just look forward to next weekend now.” Hanks’ goal was the first league goal for the Robins in September. After an unbeaten six-game start to the season, the team have picked up two draws and two defeats so far. “We had a good start but it was a bit sloppy in the middle, but to come back and not lose the game was a positive for the boys. That shows the group we’ve got, bit unfortunate in the last two games, hopefully we can get a win next week.” The 19 year-old first made his debut for the senior squad in 2012, having come through the club’s youth set-up, but he featured in all of their fixtures of the current campaign. “Every one of us wants to be out there playing every week. It’s good for the manager that we have that competition for places, I think we’ve definitely got that this season. I’m enjoying it and hopefully I can push on.” Joe Hanks

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