Gloucester

The Local

A NS W E R

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE

GLOUCESTER SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRA ATTING OUR 10th ANNIVERSA

MARCH 2019

The Loc al

ANSWER Gloucester – 46,000 copies Stroud District – 41,000 copies Cotswolds – 30,000 copies Cheltenham – 43,000 copies North Gloucestershire – 20,000 copies

Managing Director Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Editorial & Marketing Lois Kingscott editorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Helen Kingscott

Sport Roger Jackson sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Entertainment Tom Hadfield To entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Customer Services Kevin Vaughan-Spruce services@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Claudie Francis production@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Distribution John Overton – 01242 541075

leaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Louis Jordan distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Accounts Robert Kingscott accounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Unit H, Churchill Industrial Estate, Churchill Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7EG

Telephone 01242 510500 @thelocalanswer

www.thelocalanswer.co.uk

Weelcome l to March M ...

Here at The Local Answer we are extremely excite ed to be marking 10 years of the magazine! m Head over to the centre spread for a fe ew words from Dave and some exciting anouncem ments on how we w will be celebrating throughout the t year.

You may notice as you flick through tha Yo at most of our editorials e this month have a birtthday or anniversary theme. We hope that yo ou enjoy readin ng them and hopefully, if you have a special occasion coming up, up you you’ll ll find them m a great source e of inspiration.

One way in which we will be celebrating is with some special offers. We want to start relationships with even e more local organisations this year and beyon nd, so head inside to check out these offers and perhaps we could help you to promote your goodss, services or events in 2019.

Inside this month ...

Delicious Dish Sudoku Mirror Mirror on the Wall Medical Health Parenting & Guardianship Education & Employment Holidays & Travel TLA Offers Distributors Required Motoring TLA Entertainment What’s On Quick Crossword Leader’s Life TLA 10th Birthday Celebrations Homes & Gardens Word Search Wildlife Matters In the Garden Interior Design Save the Planet Gadgets & Gizmos Money Matters TLA Sport Index, Competitions, Solutions

5 6 7 9 13 15 17 18 20 21 22-23 24 26 29 30-31 32 36 39 41 43 45 47 55 56-57 58 Page 3

Le Pub & Restaurant Steak & Grillhouse 01452 309 340 www.Caf Ca eRene.co.uk

ReneGade Festival 2019 Our 9th annual showcase of Gloucester music, ReneGade Festival returns for 2019 with a jam-packed jump-up lineup!

Join us from 2pm for a glorious affternoon of open-air music on the Green Stage with outdoor bar and BBQ, and good vibes until late.

JPD L

itown Popes of Chill

PAGE 

Greyfriars Green on The Green Stage Saturday 27th April from 2pm: Prime Position Grove DSD Ital Sounds In

JPDL & Yogi Beats Gardna Popes of Chillitown

Free Entry • Outside Bar and Rene BBQ Support local everything!

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott

Birthday cake! c We couldn’t let our 10th Birthday pass without sharing a birthday cake recipe, could we?!

Ingredients: 225g caster sugar; 225g g butter or margarine, softened to room temperature; 4 large eggs; 225g sponge flour, fl sifted; if d whipped hi d double d bl cream and raspberry jam for the middle; icing sugar to decorate.

Method: 1 Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/gas mark 5).

Grease two 8 inch sandwich tins and then dust with flour.

2 In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until you get a creamy texture.

3 Add the eggs one at a time and beat the mixture until it is combined. If there is a bit of separation in the mixture, just add a tablespoon of flour.

4 Fold in the flour a few tablespoons at a time.

5 Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and make sure the surfaces are level. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sponges are golden and a skewer comes out clean.

6 Once the sponges are cooked, leave them in their tins for 5-10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Whilst THE LOCAL ANSWER

you are waiting you could whip the e double crea am.

7 Spre ead a layer of jam on the bottom sponge, follo owed by a layer of cream. Carefully place the second sponge on top.

8 Dust the cake with some icing sugar to deco orate and add the candles when you’re read dy to sing Happy Birthday!

Tips: 1. Don n’t open the oven to check your cakes until you are at least two thirds of the way through the to otal bake time. Yo You don’t want to risk the spong ges not rising properly.

2. Usin ng sponge flour instead of self-raising flour makess the cake extra light.

3. Beccause eggs can vary so much in size and weigh ht, you can weigh them together and then use th hat amount for each of the sugar, r, butter and flour measurements. m 4. Whether you like to smother your cakes with butterr cream, design magnificent creations using fondant icing, or prefer a simple dusting of icin ng sugar to finish your masterpiece, make sure you y have fun while baking and decorating!

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Sudoku Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

Improve your Lifestyle 100 Days to Change Your Ways Do you feel that you are ‘stuck in a rut’ and don’t know w h e r e t o s t a r t w h e n i t c o m e s t o i m p r o v i n g P hy s i c a l Health, Mental Health, Fitness and Wellbeing?

Are you: Obese or have a BMI of over 30+ Would you like to: • Improve your overall • Achieve the goals that you Health have set for yourself • Lose weight • Receive a tailored unique • Feel more confident program made just for you Do you need: • Help and Support • Mentoring • Guidance • Motivation

New Start, New Beginning, New You Contact: Jo your personal Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Consultant on 07474 838639 Email: start100days@yahoo.com www.100daystochangeyourways.co.uk

Don’t look until you’ve finished!

Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.

THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR NEW BATHROOM ...

Your local family business

PAGE 

MAGEE WEDDING SUIT PPA ACKAGE TO HIRE Excellent Quality ~ Internet Prices WINTER SPECIAL FOR HIRE BOOKINGS ~ Open Sundays by appo ointment ~ T h e G r o o ms R o o m M e n sw e a r 71 Northgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2AG www thegroomsroom net 014 www.thegroomsroom.net 452 520 644 enquiries@thegroomsro oom.net

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Mirror Mirror on the W Wa all with Val Starr

Anniversary jewelle er y The romantics among us will be aware of the age-old tradition of giving wedding anniversary gifts that have a different theme each year. Paper for the first anniversary, cotton for the second, leather for the third, and so on.

As the years go by, gemstones and precious metals come to the fore, which can result in some really beautiful gifts being exchanged. Different anniversaries hold special meaning for different p people, p but I will highlight three of the major milestones where precious stones can be given to remember that very special day.

Pearl – 30th Anniversary Pearls can be natural or cultured and it is often hard to distinguish between the two except in the price, natural being the more expensive. Pearls have historically been given to celebrate important milestones and they have rarely gone out of favour.

A fascinating story of o pearls dates back to 1918 whe en Lady Northcliffe, the wife of a press baron, had the wonderrful idea of a fundraising camp paign to support the war effo ort. She asked all her aristocraticc friends

THE LOCAL ANSWER

to donate a single pea arll – most ladies in that era e wore them. The donated pearls would be restrung and auctioned to ra aise much needed funds for wounded troops.

It became known as The T Red Cross Pearl Appeal. Queen Alexandra was one of th he first to donate and she was quickly followed by most off British society. The huge succe ess of the appeal pp inspired p women from all walks of life to particip pate and this extended across th he globe.

‘Pearls before Poppie es’ is a fascinating book by Rachel Trethewey about the Appeal and is well worth reading. Perhaps the book could accompa any your pearl anniversary gift.

Gold – 50th Anniversary The first evidence of go old dates back to ancient Egyptt. It was prized by pharaohs and even the capstones of th he Giza Pyramids were made fro om solid gold. California in 18 849 was known for the famed go old rush, so when you next buy an item of gold jewellery give a thought to the history.

Gold comes in severa al carats,

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

24 being the purest, folllowed by 18 carat at 75% pure and d 14 carat at 58.5% pure. The price of gold changes according to the t carat purity. Gold bars are se een as an investment in the uncertain u currency markets, ho owever I doubt if many of us are are buying gold bars as an anniversary gift!

Instead, perhaps a gold chain, cufflinks or earrings would put a smile on your loved one’s face.

Diamond – 60th Anniversary Diamonds are not called a girl’s best friend for nothing! They are a magnificent, hardy stone and come in so many brilliant settings; certainly there is one out there to suit every style and budget. It is worth bearing in mind the four Cs of diamonds; cut, colour, clarity and carat weight, which are all reflected in the price.

If you can afford the real thing then it can often be seen as an investment. For those on a tighter budget, simulated diamonds are now so well made that you’d often need a jeweller to distinguish the fake from the real deal. Many people often now travel with ssimulated imulated jewellery, which looks wonderful and eliminates the worry of losing an expensive item of jewellery.

Whatever anniversary y you are celebrating this year, r, nothing beats the magic of opening that special box and seeing someone smile!

PAGE 

Specialists in bathroom safe fety t and design We can help you with any bathroom makeover, large or smalll, but have particular expertise when designing roomss for customers with mobility issues.

• Wet rooms • Shower rooms • Bathrooms • Cloakrooms • Tiles • Wall boards

B ef o r e

ce e bathroom industry, and only offering well known brands, we can help you to achieve the bathroom you have always wanted.

We work with friendly, polite

Save 20%

After bathroom fitters w o are a le produce a high standard of finish We offer the full bathroom se and can supply ev rything y need to complete the job, in tiles, wa lboards and acc

VAT*

due to disability or a medical condition, we are able to supply your bathroom VAT free, s a v i n g y o u 2 0 % . P l e as e a s k f o r de t ai l s .

07496 057281 057281 or 01453 01453 884167 884167 Con ntact Rex on 07496 for a free home visit to discuss your need ds

rex@lifestylebathrooms.n n et

www.lifestylebathrooms.net

Medical Health with Holly Hannigan

Hypnosis for childbirth c As it’s A it’ our 10th birthday bi thd issue, i I thought I would discuss something many of us have celebrated at some point in our lives – the birth of a child.

Hypnotherapy for pregnancy and childbirth is now back in the public eye and gaining popularity. This is particularly thanks to celebrities such as The Dutchess of Cambridge, Jessica Alba, Gisele Bundchen and Fearne Cotton, amongst others, who have all openly p y discussed their personal, positive experiences of using hypnosis for childbirth.

Modern day advances in science and technology have been incredible, but have unfortunately led to inducing fear and the dramatisation of childbirth. It has almost become expected due to films, TV shows and word of mouth, that labour will be a long, painful and miserable experience, and you will need as mu much ch pain relief and interventio ons the medical staff can give you. y This is not the case fo or many people and we should remember that wome en have been giving birth sin nce we came into existencce and

THE LOCAL ANSWER

continue to do so everry single day around the world without medical intervention.

Focus your breatthing and use visualisa ation A woman’s body is designed d to grow a baby and give e birth to it, so using hypnosis rem minds us of this, and that insstead of fighting g g the contractio ons and viewing them as pain, it gets you to focus your breathing, use visualisation and see s each contraction as a natural pressure that is bringing your baby closer to you.

The main reason hypnosis h works in childb birth is because when you y are completely relaxe ed, free from fear and tension, your uterine muscles can n work as nature intended, helping you give birth more easily.

Without fear and stress, your body can produce more endorphins – a natural relaxant and pain killer – and replace the stress hormones that can cause your muscles to te ense up and tighten, which h can be the main source of pain.

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

The benefits of using hypnosis h in childbirth include: • Reducing anxiety and d stress • Shorter first and second stages of labour • Fewer surgical births • A high rate of succcess in assisting breech-presented babies to turn into the e appropriate birthing gp position with the use of posture and hypnosis • Hypnosis techniques work effectively with home births, water births, hospital births, birthing centres – wherever you choose to give birth it doesn’t make a difference • Reduced risk of postnatal depression • Baby benefits from a calm, gentle birth, reducing the likelihood of baby getting distressed There will be some situations where medical intervention is necessary for the safety of mother or baby, and it is always important to listen to health professionals. Remember, it’s your birth and your baby’s birthday, so make it memorable for all the right reasons.

PAGE 

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart

The Ultimate Kids’’ Party Guid de!

As we’re A ’ celebrating l b ti our 10th birthday this month, I thought it only right to give you my take on The Ultimate Kids’ Party Guide!

The room

Start with the room and your choice of decorations. Whether you’re hosting a party in your living room or a hired hall, the difference between a welldecorated room and one without trimmings is massive!

Simply adding banners banners, streamers, fresh flowers and simple yet bright table centre pieces can create a perfect ambience.

This element of the party does not need to be expensive, as long as it is cheery and slightly over the top – personally, I think madness makes a party and it is certainly not the time to be sensible or conservative in your approach! Think bright, colourful and a little bit wacky and you’ll be on the right track.

The cake

Birthday cake is a must and it must be large, heavily decorated to your children’s favourite theme, and taste ‘magical’! Whether you make your own or buy it from a shop or bakery, a beautiful yet delicious cake is the centre piece of any party. This is the place to invest – the rest can be built around your masterpiece.

The fun factor

For the fun factor, music is massively important, both as a background filler and for dancing. These days it couldn’t be easier to create your own playlist on your phone and plug into a Bluetooth speaker.

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Gone are the days of a disco DJ – these days we ca an all be MCs and Master Mixers!

Choose a range of classics, c sing-a-long favourite es and modern hits to keep everybody happy.

Games are just as im mportant to keep your child an nd their friends entertained thro oughout the party. You could combine c games and music, or come c up with your own activities. Just remember to have som me prizes on hand for the winners – edible prizes tend to go g down a storm with kids.

Refreshments

Of course, food and drink is crucial to keep energy levels up through the day, an nd must be delicious, fun and easy to eat. Finger food, nibble es and a lot of sugar seem to be the order of the day. I think birthday parties are the t one time it is OK to forgo yo our fivea-day and have a ‘golde en’ meal filled with pastries, sugar and a side of choice protein n.

You know your guestts and if TO ADVERTISE CALL  

some have dietary ne eeds it is completely acceptable to ask them to bring their ow wn food to ensure they feel we ell fed. In fact, bring and share is a popular way to go and you will find a wide range on o offer, especially if your guests are culturally diverse. diverse

Mocktails anyone?

To support the usual wine and beer offerings, a fruit punch, a range of fizz and some alcohol free beverages are a must.

Think of designated drivers, dry guests and parents caring for small ones, and make your non-alcoholic options as attractive as ‘the real thing.’

Personally, I am a fan of the Mocktail, served in fancy glasses with cherries, olives, fresh fruit, mint leaves – all the fancy stuff. They look and taste incredible, are fully inclusive, and the biggest bonus of all?

No hangover when you’ve got children to look after!

For more party inspiration, check out our Save the Planet article, in print or online.

PAGE 

A wa r d wi n n i n g n u r s e r y e x p a n ds i t s B a r n w o o d s i t e Chestnuts Day Nurser y in Barnwood has acquired the house adjacent to its main property on Barnwood Road. The former residential home is currently being refurbished to provide a purposely

designed area for under 2 year olds, including its own ‘baby garden’.

The existing Chestnuts property will then be able to offer additional spaces for 2, 3 and 4 year olds, which will enable the nurser y to cope with the growing demand for the 30 free hours.

Chestnuts opened its first nurser y in Longlevens 16 years ago and in 2007 they opened a similar under twos property next to the original nurser y.

The Barnwood nurser y opened in 2009 and last year a third nurser y was opened in Quedgeley.

In December 2018, Chestnuts

PAGE 

was awarded Business Development Award 2018 by Nurser y Management Today. The team were presented the national award by Blue Peter ’s Gethin Jones at a ceremony in London. This team is absolutely deser ving of this award, said the judges. They balanced warmth, heart and business which shaped their considered growth plan. They placed children and family at the centre. The result is a secure, sustainable and assured expansion.

Nursery owners Lucy Knibbs and L i z K e l ly ar e h op i n g t h at ta k i n g o n the extra property at the Barnwood setting will enable them to meet the

growing demand for nurser y education, whilst retaining the caring and warm environment for which Chestnuts has always been known. The new property should be open in the spring and bookings are currently being taken.

Chestnuts Day Nursery award winning team, from left to right: Gethin Jones, who presented the award, Michelle Fox, Carolyn Beard, Leah Peattie, Lynda Hopkins, Sam Rogers, Lucy Knibbs, Liz Kelly, Becki Sanders and Sharon Burrows, with the award sponsor representative from Redwoods, Dowling Kerr.

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Education & Employment with Alison Williams

Winter and summer babiess When is Wh i your birthday bi thd – winter or summer? As a child this affects the type of birthday party you have, but were you aware that the time of year that you were born could also have a significant impact on your academic, sporting and career success?

Anyone who has observed a baby growing up would have noticed a staggering difference between a baby of a few weeks old – a helpless little thing – and a baby of 11 or 12 months who is likely to be crawling around and may be actually walking, understanding and saying words.

Not as emotionally mature as older peers Even when kids are very bright and able to hold their own academically in the early years of school, you can often see that they y are not as emotionally mature as their older peers. This age difference, so noticeable at Primary School, rapidly becomes less noticeable as the years pass.

However, evidence shows that it continues to be a significant factor in later life.

A study by the Institute of Fiscal studies found that summer babies are 20-30% more likely to be considered below average by their teachers by age seven, and 7% more likely to report being always unhappy at school.

They are also 6% more likely to report bullying, perhaps because of their smaller physical size. Autumn born babies are 25% more likely to go to Oxbridge. There is also THE LOCAL ANSWER

evidence to show w that sporting success is similarly s affected.

The UK academic sy ystem is based around an Autumn A start date. date Nobody y really knows why it’s Autum mn but, anecdotally, this appea ars to be related to the harvest,, mostly finished by early September, but before which both h young and old were needed d in the fields. It suits institutio ons very well administrative ely for everyone to start and finish at a set point, rathe er than operating rolling adm missions, but it doesn’t takke into account the develop pmental differences between cchildren born up to twelve months apart.

In recognition of these factors, UK admission ns codes have changed in recent years so children don’t now have to start full-time education until the term after the eir fifth TO ADVERTISE CALL  

birthday. Some families now decide to delay their children’s entry to school if the ey don’t seem ready, and it certainly c seems that this cou uld help equalise their child child’s s life chances.

Every child is different and there are exceptions to every rule This could be yet another consideration for already guilt ridden mums, feeling the pull of getting their children into pre-school and getting back to work. Of course, every child is different, there are exceptions to every rule and your child may well be ready – you know them best. At least you now have the choice.

And just in case you are still worrying about all this, remember Warren Buffet, Barack Obama and Alan Turing were all summer babies – so there!

PAGE 

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Holidays & Travel with Al Hidden

Happy birthdayy holidays As you read A d this, thi our favourite f it Gloucestershire local magazine is proudly celebrating its tenth birthday. Asked to incorporate a birthday theme in this month’s column got me thinking about trips – in the UK and abroad – that my wife and I have made to celebrate our birthdays over the last decade.

Combine those memories Whether it was a weekend on the Quantocks or two-weeks exploring Hokkaido, Japan, the stand-out point has been how associating a trip with a birthday combines memories of both.

Sometimes they’re ‘big’ birthdays and sometimes they’re just ‘another year older’ celebrations. Whether you’re toasting the big day with frosted breath in Zagreb, Croatia or in Sicily Croatia, Sicily’ss su sunshine unshine, combining a birthday with a trip is the stuff of special memories. Isn’t that what holidays are all about?

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Birthday trips bring g perks Birthday travel often n brings nice little perks too – esspecially if you mention the cele ebration to airlines and hotelss! Unexpected treats such as sharing a free bottle of champag gne high over the Austrian Alps one year, or being given a celebratory room upgrade, are just a couple l off perks k tha hat we’ve ’ enjoyed over the yearss.

Even if, occasionally, birthday trips don’t quite go to t plan, unforgettable memories wait to be mad de. I’m particularly recalling r a horse na amed El Soberano, an ambulance ride, a hospital visit and a broken wrist on my y wife’s fiftieth in El Calafate, C Argentina, g , a couple of years ag go. And the birthda ay cake shared with w a delightful Canadian family when n we got back to the ranch at midnight. An nd being spoiled rottten by BA’ A’s crew on the TO ADVERTISE CALL  

long flight home fro om São Paulo!

Special places and a special timess From Buenos Aires to Kyoto, and Barbados to Totne es, every one of our birthday trips has provided an unforrgettable anchor to link specia al times with extraordinary places. places If you’ve ever done the same, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, maybe this is the year to combine a birthday and a holiday.

So where will I be as The Local Answer celebrates its decennial? Let me just say that it’s (very) cold there in March, steeped in magical legend and folklore, and the birthday drinks will be among the most expensive in the world – which rules out lots of places, including Adelaide, Australia.

You’ll just have to keep reading this column during 2019 to find out. In the meantime, here’s wishing The Local Answer a very happy birthday.

I wonder where they’re headed over the next 10 years!

PAGE 

FA F ANT TA ASTIC OF FERS

FOR OUR

10th ANNIVERSARY FREE ONLINE EDITORIAL

ADVERT DOUBLED IN SIZE

larger advertisement ffo or 6 months or longer.

size from a Sixteenth Page up to a Half Page for 6 months or longer.

FREE EVENT LISTING

10% OFF 12-MONTH BOOKINGS

A 40-word listing in one area for an event in April, May or June 2019 for 10 Customers.

commencing in the April or May 2019 issues.

BOOK BY WEDNESD DA AY 10TH APRIL AY TO BENEFIT FROM ONE OF THESE OFFERS Contact Claudie on 01242 510500 or email inffo o@thelocalanswerr..co.uk to arrange your campaign Terms and Conditions apply. Off Te ffe ers available to new and returning* customers only. *T To o qualiffyy, returning customers will not have advertised in The Local Answer since December 2017. One offer per booking. Not to be used in con njjunction with any other off ffe er or discount. Offers expire at midnight on Wednesday 10th April 2019.

Distributors Required

12,000 MILE/ANNUAL SERVICE with MOT is from inclusive of parts, labour and VAT

For various routes in Gloucester.

To T o see if a round is available in your area, please email John (below).

6,000/6 MON NTH THLY S SER ERV VICE ICE with MOT is now from

Each round is made up of 150-400 copies per month. The rate of pay is 6 pence/copy. Depending on property types, our current team of people average between 100-150 copies/hour (equivalent to £6-£9/hour).

Magazines are delivered to The Local Distributors’ homes towards the A NS W E R end of each month and we expect deliveries to be completed within four days between the hours of 7am and 9pm.

YYoou must be 13+ years old, flexible, reliable and sufficiently physically fit to perform the GLOUCESTER duties.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE MARCH 2019

SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRATING OUR 10 th ANNIVERSA

For details email John – distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk

PAGE 

MOT TEST ONLY £35! www ww ww w..julianrogersautoser vices.co.uk

☎ 01452 526778 or 308006

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Motoring with Toby Aiken

A veh hicle that tu urns heads I’ll be completely honesst, when I first heard that the ere was going to be a convertible version of the Evoque e, I was dubious to say the leastt. Range Rover were hailing it as the world’s first convertib ble SUV, and I couldn’t help bu ut think that perhaps the reason reason it was the first was that there wasn’t really a calling for it. In fairness though, I suspect the Research and Development department of Jaguar Land Rover probably knows its customers better than I do…

The design has been given a lot of thought So, preconceptions aside, when the Evoque arrived at my office, it immediately drew mixed opinions – some loved it, some were dubious, some were just confused. And for me, I was actually impressed.

I’ve always liked the Evoque (with a few minor reservations) and the design of the convertible has been given a lot of thought – it looks good with the top up or down. For a THE LOCAL ANSWER

real test, we took it to th he South Coast for a long weekend.

My review model wass a great looking dark grey with a matching dark hood and ebony leather seats, and had a great range of toys and gadg gets that you’d expect on an SUV costing close to £50,0 £50 000.

0 000 Full parking sensors, a great reversing camera, autto lights and wipers, heated d seats (which remain untestted as I reviewed this in the summer) and a much improved sat nav system all complime ented a very comfortable cab bin with room for a family trip away a for a long weekend. Boo ot space was slightly restricted d due to the hood, but that’ss to be expected, and as we’re past the need for a buggy now, now tthis was ample for our needs.

You don’t get five seats – there are just two in tthe rear due to the intrusion of the roof mechanisms at the sides.

However, you can seatt four in comfort and that’s with child seat in place, so it’s deffinitely a suitable family car. The three-

door arrangement didn n’t really affect rear access, and d getting kids in and out wasn’t w a problem, even when they’d fallen asleep!

Oh, and the roof mecchanism is virtually silent, which h considering the complex folding arrangement to fit into o a small space, was impressive indeed, as was the car on the whole.

The world does need a convertible SUV I’ve mentioned the improved sat nav – that was one of my issues when I tested the full size Evoque a few years ago, along with the gearbox. I’m pleased to say that the new TD4 engine and nine speed automatic box are a dramatic improvement, making for a much more pleasant experience all round. The engine pulls well, the gearbox is smooth and capable, the spec is great and it turns heads.

All in all, the car really grew on me. I’ve decided that the world does need a convertible SUV and the Evoque is it.

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Entertainment

If you have a story to share, please email full details to TToom. with Tom Hadfield ‒ entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Glouce ester band with w big dream ms The best bands often begin with a group of mates getting together and playing music music just for a laugh.

That’s how The Filthy Casuals began, but what started as a hobby has become a passion for four Gloucester teenagers.

Sam Harris and Scott McAlpine met at school and shared a passion for music.

Sam, Max Gregory and Dan Taylor all met playing rugby at Old Richians RFC in Gloucester.

“It was Sam and I that both played instruments at this time and decided to jam together for fun,” explained drummer Max. “It went quite well so we were able to get Scott and Dan involved and The Filthy Casuals were formed in late September 2017.

“We are all Gloucestershire lads – Longlevens, Newent and Huntley to be exact. Dan (bass

Pictured (L-R): Scott, Sam, Dan D and Max

guitar) and Scott (lead guitar) are at sixth form stud dying for A levels, while Sam and a I are studying Music Te Technology at Gloucester College.”

The boys formed the band aged just 15 and for th he last two years have been honing their performance skills covering some of their favourrite bands and songs.

Film Review – Joe Kennett Green Book

Based on a true story, pianist Don Shirley embarks on a tour of the Deep South in the 1960s with Tony Vallelonga serving as his driver/ bodyguard.

Viggo Mortensen (Vallelonga) and Mahershala Ali (Shirley) both earned Oscar nominations for this film and play two distinct opposites.

Don has no respect for Tony to begin with, and vice versa – they make an agreement that Tony is working for Don, and nothing more.

Every stop on the tour presents a different challenge for the duo, and they grow with each stop. Before they depart, Tony is given the Green Book, a guide to where is safe for blacck travellers to eat, drink and sleep. When Don strays from m the book’s defined path, he fa aces trouble.

The acting is superb and the pace e is perfect. The film has all th he attributes of an awardwinn ning picture.

Full review online.

Over the past few months lead singer Sam has bee en trying his hand at song writing, writing and w slowly but surely the band are finding their own so ound.

He continued: “It’’s difficult to describe exactly ass we have a wide range of influences. We are kind of an indie rock band but with an emph hasis on big guitar and big drum ms.

“We love a big pu unchy sound that gets people dancing d and tapping their feet – we want people to be able to t recognise us as soon as they hear h the first drum beat or guitarr.”

Max added: “We hope h 2019 is going to be a good d year for us with the release of o our own music. 2018 gave us so many great memories an nd we know how hard it is to be b liked and successful, but we e are determined to give it ourr best shot.”

Full story online.

Book Review – Aloÿse of Daylesford Book Club Educated by Tara Westover Tara a Westover Westover’ss memoir is a powerful p story of a Mormon upbringing in rural Idah ho during the 1990s.

Sh he realises at an early age that the only way to esca ape her extraordinary and brutal family is to leave hom me, get an education and find her own way.

Tara, the youngest of Ta seve en children, had no birth h certificate, no medical recorrds and no scho ooling. Her father, a religious fana atic who was conv vinced the world was g going g to end at the millennium, was controlling in the extreme.

She writes with compassion. Her prose is exceptional, the story compelling. There is no blame, just a sadness that in order to achieve her goal she must sever all ties with her family.

Tara was saved by the power of books or as she Ta herself puts it in the last line of the book – “an education.”

Full review online.

Above is a selection from local entertainment stories available online ...

Art • Events • Experiences • Film • Lifestyle Literature • Music • Reviews • Theatre • TV

Saint Cecilia Singe ers celebrate 70 years The Saint Cecilia Singers, Gloucester Cathedral’s chamber choir are this month celeb choir, celebrating 70 years since their formation.

The Singers are set to celebrate their landmark with a special concert at Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 2nd March.

Former members have been invited to return to sing Evensong with the choir, r, followed by a free concert in the Cathedral Nave.

The programme will be Duruflé’s Requiem accompanied by org ganist Christopher Allsop, along gside a selection of pieces origin nally performed at the Singers’ inaugural concerts on 17th February 1949 and 18th June 1950.

The concertt marks the start of a year of cele ebrations which will include a performance and

The Saintt Cecilia Singers in 1951

Evensong at the Three Choirs Festival in n July, and a new commissio on by composer Neil Cox to be e performed in the spring of 2020.

2 The Saintt Cecilia Singers were formed in 1949 by the 19-year old Donald d Hunt, then Assistant to the Direcctor of Music, Herbert Sumsion, at Gloucester Cathedral.

In March 2014, Jonathan Hope took t up the post of Assistant Director of Music at Gloucesster Cathedral, and is now Musical Director of the Saint Ce ecilia Singers.

He saiid: “Over the years the Saint Ce ecilia Singers has been a wond derful choral resource where Assistant Directors of Music at Gloucester can cut their tee eth.

“I’m p proud to be part of that tradition following in the footstepss of eminent musicians like Dona ald Hunt, John Sanders and Andrew Millington.

“I hop pe to meet as many former m members as possible as we celeb brate the choir’s role at the hea art of musical life in Gloucestter,” he continued.

“The concert in March will be our birthday present for supporters old a and new.”

Full story y online.

T society connecting The c po oets The Glouce estershire Poetry Society (GP PS) are the go-to group for am mateur and professional poets in the county, to share and discuss d their work with likemind ded individuals.

Founder Ziggy Dicks is Gloucestersh hire born and bred, living in Glou ucester and having studied in Cheltenham C for his Masters in Creative and Critical Writing.

“I got into poetry at a young age,” he sa aid. “But as with many, y it p piccked up p in school with a good teacher t introducing me to Te Ted Hu ughes and I haven’t looked back.”

Ziggy began the GPS in 2016, originally jusst for local poets in the county, but b now the group has both na ational and international mem mbers.

He continued: “The Glouces-

Ziggy Dicks. Picture: Cheltenham Poetry Society//Poetry Cafe Refreshed

tershire Poetry Society came about beca ause I realised there were many y poets separated and detached from f each other, and I wanted to o create a community where exp perienced and new

poets co ould link and showcase their work.

“I crea ated it to show how much talent there is locally and have nott been disappointed.”

The GP PS regularly gather for events, a and this month will be holding a special get together on Intern national Women’s Day, Friday 8tth March, called ‘Raised Voices’.

“It’s a celebration of female poets locally and beyond,” continue ed Ziggy. “In the GPS we are a an inclusive group and we wan nt to share as many successe es as possible.

“If in some small way we can highlightt the inequalities many women suffer in the UK and beyond to inspire people for positive change, it’s got to be good.”

Full story y online.

For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk

What s On The Local Answer Event Listings are compiled and pre esented in good faith with the kind support of many contributors. We recommend you use the contact details provided to check event information updates prior to planning your visit.

Farm Safari rides, Adventure Barn and Dolly’s Den soft play and much more! m For full details please visit www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk.

Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Pow wer,r, Cheltenham, GL54 5FL. 27 FEBRUARY – 16 MARCH CHELT LTENHAM FOLK AT AT CHAPEL ARTS

12 FEBRUARY – 27 MARCH STRIKE A LIGHT FESTIVA VAL

A festival to make theatre and performing arts more accessible to the everyday public. With high quality contemporary performances, from dance and theatre to poetry and spoken word. For full details of the f i l please festival l visit i i www.strikealightfestival.org.uk 16 FEBRUARY – 28 APRIL LAMBING AT AT COTSWOLD FA FARM M PARK

With the first bleats of new arrivaals and th anticipation the ti i ti off many more in i the th air, i lambing is our favourite time of year!

We hope you’ll come and share it with us; settle yourselves down in the Animal Barn and keep your eyes peeled. Join us for daily talks from our team, access to our lambing shed, bottle feeding our lambs and goat kids,

A portrait of Cheltenham Folk. A unique photographic study celebrating the diversity of people in Cheltenham.

By Marksteen Adamson. WedneesdaySaturday, 10am-4pm. www.thechapelarts.com 28 FEBRUARY & 3 MARCH ROCK AND A HARD PLACE A new play in aid of Stroud Wom men’s Refuge. Kayleigh, a talented teennager whose h lif is life i full f ll off promise, i experiences i a cycle of domestic abuse until Aunty Jan helps her find a way out. Stroud Subscription Rooms. 7.30pm. 28th February. www.subscriptionrooms.org.uk Chantry Centre, Dursley. 4pm. 3rd March. www.eventbrite.co.uk Students FREE.

3 MARCH CA ATTE CODY “I’m old-fashioned...” sings Cate Cody in a hauntingly beautiful voice. These days it’s rare to find a jazz chanteuse with such authentic phrasing, who genuinely understands the nuances, and is capable of capturing the idiomatic gradations and modulations required to swing. 2pm. £15. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org 6-9 MARCH AN EVENING OF TWO ONE-ACT PLA AY YS Without warning, two men named Kevin find themselves dead and in the waiting room of Afterlife Relocation Services (Earth Division). The problem is only one of them should be dead, but no-one seems to know which one.

And as if death wasn’t hard enough, there’s no way back and no practical way forward either. 7.30pm. Full details: kingstheatregloucester.co.uk.

The Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, Gloucester, GL1 1QX. 7 MARCH ROCK FOR HEROES Bringing the perfect combination of your favourite Rock and Pop artists across the eras, fundraising in support of Help for Heroes. Performed by a full live rock band and superb singers, complete with brilliant personalities and comedy value. Music from artists such as Queen, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, AC/DC and so many more.

8pm. £17.50 (£15.50 conc). Stroud Subscription Rooms, George Street, GL5 1AE. subscriptionrooms.org.uk

Our Readers – Y Yo our Audience Advertise your event to 100,000+ people in the Gloucester area!

£25+V VA AT A T

£40+V VA AT A T

£50+V VA AT A T

The Local

A NS W E R

GLOUCESTEER RSHIREE’’S BIGGEES ST LOCAL MAGAZZIINE MARCH 2019

Plus £30+VVA AT A T

for c.40 words for c.65 words for c.90 words imtaogiencwluitdheyaou3rcm t ex t

GLOUCESTER

SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRA ATT

ING OUR 10th ANNIVERS A

To list your event in our What’s On section, email production@thelocalanswer.co.uk To Online event listings coming soon! T To o keep updated send your name and business name (if applicable) to lois@thelocalanswer.co.uk stating ‘Online Event Listings’.

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

7 MARCH RANAGRI Alt folk band Ranagri are a combination of Irish and English musicians; Dónal Rogers (Vocals/Guitar), Eliza Marshall (Flutes/ Whistles), Ellie Turner (Electric Harp) and Joe Danks (Bodhrán/Guitar).

8.30pm. The Prince Albert, Rodborough Hill, Stroud, GL5 3SS. www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk 8 MARCH ROCK AND A HARD PLACE A new play in aid of Stroud Women’s Refuge. Kayleigh is a talented teenager whose life is full of promise. She finds herself in a cycle of domestic abuse from which there seems no escape until Aunty Jan helps her find a way out.

7.30pm. The Sundial Theatre, Cirencester. www.sundial-theatre.co.uk Students FREE. CHELLTTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE SPRING CONCERT The programme will open with three concerto movements performed by senior music scholars in their final year at College. The Symphony Orchestra will conclude the first half with Beethoven Symphony No. 5; and the 2nd half of the concert will feature Mozart’s Requiem, sung by CLC’s Choral Society. 7.30pm. £7.50. Pittville Pump Room, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham GL52 3JE. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk HARBOTTLE AND JONAS Together the husband and wife duo combine the rich traditions of folk music with original and contemporary interpretations through a blend of closely intertwined vocal harmonies.

Each song has been carefully written and researched, and is always accompanied with a great story and a good degree of humour; however macabre the content may be. 8pm. £11.50. Tetbury Goods Shed, Gumstool Hill, Tetbury, GL8 8DG. shed-arts.co.uk

Abbey Ab A b b ey ey Mill Mill Mi

9 MARCH LADY SINGS THE BLUES Lady Sings The Blues presents the music of Billie Holiday chronoloogically through the 1930s, 1940s and 19950s using many of the original arrangements. It is the closest that t any of us will ever get to hearinng that tremendous repertoire performed live, properly, just as it was when it was first performed all those years ago. a 7.30pm. p £18-£25. The Roses Theeatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 55NX. www.rosestheatre.org THREEPENNY BIT – CEILIDH Also known these days as a barn dance, Ceilidh has become the byword for a fun filled night of w wild dancing, good company and great music. This dynamic eight-piece band combines a group of diehard foolkies with some of the finest young jaazz and classical musicians of the southh. They play bold arrangements of tradiitional and original tunes with infectious stage energy for concerts and ceilidh dancing. 7.30pm. £11. Tetbury Goods Sh d Gumstool Shed, G t l Hill, Hill Tetbury, T tb GLL8 8DG. 8DG shed-arts.co.uk 14 MARCH AN EVENING WITH SIR GEOFF HURST Sir Geoff will talk amusingly about his illustrious West Ham and England Career. He will be joined by greeat friend and agent Terry Baker froom A1 Sporting speakers, who’ll be assking all the interesting questions, we arre dying to know! 7.30pm. From £227.

Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uuk 15 MARCH CIRCUS OF HORRORS 2019 Imagine a fangtastic Rock Show with amazing light effects and set combined with an amalgamation of bizarre, dare devil and astounding Circus acts, accompanied by a rock ‘n’ roll sound scape of mainly original songs and performed with a forked

tongue firmly in each cheek. If Quentin Tarantino had directed Cirque Due Soleil then you would be only half way there. 7.30pm. From £20.

Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 16 MARCH THE UKELELE FUNHOUSE ORCHESTRA – THE VICAR OF DURSLEY The new vicar faces greed and prejudice when she fights plans to frack beneath St Ukes church. She must unite the town in protest and action in a comedy musical which involves the audience in her struggle.

A great night out with great music from pop to opera, classics and even Bohemian Rhapsody! 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from Lister Hall or online from Ents24.com THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

Based on Carlo Collodi’s fantasstical children’s book, this magical story leaps off the page and onto thee stage in a vibrant re-telling of Pinocchio’s extraordinary adventures. Packked with comedy, audience interaction, andd a completely l t l original i i l scoree guaranteed to have you singingg along from start to finish, this high ennergy musical promises to be the perrfect treat for the whole family. 2pm.. £10 (£8). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherrley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP. P. www.bacontheatre.co.uk

Looook okin ngg foorr a Grea att Daayy Ou utt?

Visiit The Wye Va Valley & Forest of Dean

Ideall for Clubs, Groups & Societies 2019 Group ‘To Tour & Explore’ with Buffet Lunch & Discount Shopping Packages Wyye Va Valley Cream Te Teas & Salmon Lunches, Out Now! Tradittional Carvery Meals & Welsh Inspired Menus

www. w.abbeymill.com Email shelley@abbeymill.com Open All Y Ye ear Telephone 01291 689228 ~ For a brochure quote ‘2019 Special’ 7 Days a Week Te A b b e y Mi l l , W Wy ye Valley, Tintern, Monmouthshire NP16 6SE Daily from 10.30am THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Quick Crossword ACROSS 1 Most agile 5 Peel 7 Uncouth 8 Walke ed 9 Go by y (of time) 12 Aspiring actress 15 River of ice 19 Grills 21 Wired d message 22 Salute 23 Went on horse eback 24 Hearing membranes DOWN 1 Hospital workers

2 Paging device sound 3 Follow next 4 Front of neck 5 Big dipper, ... coaster 6 Subtract 10 Vocal solo 11 Sri Lankan robe 12 Male title 13 Ty Type of saxophone 14 Large amounts 15 Roadside channel 16 Dairy product 17 Come into view 18 Biblical prayers 19 More docile 20 Dislike intensely

© Lovatts Puzzles

Don’’tt look until you’ve finished! Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.

16 MARCH CARA DILLON Alongside a selection of favourites from her previous releases, Cara will perform material from her new album ‘Wanderer’ which is a collection of beautiful and moving songs recorded in an intimate setting with her husband and musical partner Sam Lakeman. Every note and word sung with a passion and confidence earned through a life of experience singing traditional songs. 7.30pm. £18-£25. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org 16 & 23 MARCH SERENADE TO MUSIC Highly acclaimed Cotswold chamber choir CANTORES along with regular String Ensemble and organist Julian Elloway, presents a varied programme of music conducted by John Holloway. Works include the Kyrie from Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Vivaldi’s setting of the Magnificat, Handel’s organ concerto – ‘The Cuckoo & the Nightingale’, 3 works by Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds as well as the title work by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Further details on our website: www.cantores.net. Holy Trinity Church Minchinhampton, Saturday 16th March, 7.30pm.

PAGE 

Cirencester Parish Church, Saturday 23rd March, 7.30pm. Tickets (£15) via www.cantores.net, Andrew on 07800 737078 and on the door. Concessions available.

17 MARCH GYPSYFINGERS A progressive folk-rock band from various parts of the UK. Together they fuse a range of influences including folk, rock, pop, prog, psych, americana and more to create a fresh sound of their own. 8.30pm. £8 in advance (£10 on the door). The Prince Albert, Rodborough Hill, Stroud, GL5 3SS. www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk 18-23 MARCH THE MOUSETRAP A group of people in a country house cut off by the snow discover, to their horror, that there is a murderer in their midst. Who can it be? One by one the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts until the last, nerve shredding moment the identity and the motive are finally revealed. Full details at www.everymantheatre.org.uk The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573.

20 MARCH DANTE QUARTET One of the UK’s finest ensembles, known for its imaginative programming and

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

impassioned performances. The quartet has been honoured with the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music and has also received international awards for its recordings.

The wide age-range of members helps to create a harmonious and exciting blend, marrying youthful enthusiasm with richness of experience and consummate technical skill. 7.30pm.

From £18. Pittville Pump Room, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham GL52 3JE. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 22 MARCH INSTANT WIT THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS The quick fire comedy improvisation show. To be held at Corse and Staunton Village Hall at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from Jane Cox – 01452 840355.

HERE COME THE GIRLS An exciting mix of individual performances and group numbers with their supporting dance partners.

The show will have a mix of Ballroom and Latin routines and has been choreographed by Patrick Helm. It promises to be fresh and innovative with amazing routines to dazzle and wow you. 7.30pm. From £26.

Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk

THE LOCAL ANSWER

23 MARCH THE ULLTTIMA ATTE COMMITMENTS & BLUES BROTHERS EXPERIENCE

Taking the greatest songs from two cult films, this show recreates all the iconic atmosphere of a live performance of The Commitments and The Blues Brothers, and puts them together to create two fantastic tribute shows in one memorable evening of foot tapping, sing-along entertainment! 7.30pm. £19.50 (£17.50).

The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP P.. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 23-24 MARCH TERRY PRA ATTCHETT’S WYRD SISTERS Tewkesbury Arts and Drama Society (T TA ADS) have always aimed high with their productions. Now they go further

THE LOCAL ANSWER

than ever before with Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters, adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs. Apart from being set on a flat planet carried on the backs b of four elephants who stand on a giant star turtle, everything is normal. The people are just like us: a king iss murdered, a lost prince returns to claim his throne, a boy and girl fall in love. Various times. £14. The Rooses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesburry, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.orgg 30 MARCH VIENNA FESTIVA VAL BALLET: GIS SELLE Giselle, a peasant girl, has falleen in love with Count Albrecht, who hhas told her he is a villager named LLoys.

Her discovery of his true identitty has devastating consequences. Witth its irresistible combination of a heartbreaking story and exquisite choreography, Giselle is the perfect way to discover classical ballett. 5pm.

From £14.50. The Bacon Theatree, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GLL51 6EP. P. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 30 MARCH – 6 MAY AY CELEBRITY DUSTY DUCK TRAILL A very different flock of ducks is landing this Easter! The 14 GIANT Dusty Ducks have been designed by celebrities including Steve Backshall, Joanna Lumley, Chris Packham and

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

Kate Humble. Included with admission.

9.30am-5.30pm. WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, GL2 7BT. www.wwt.org.uk/ w wetland-centres/slimbridge 31 MARCH HORMONAL HOUSEWIVES Join Vicki Michelle and the Hormonal Housewives as they blast their witty way through a catalogue of women’s bits: weight gain, weight loss, mood swings, moody teenagers, men, zumba, therapy, housework, men, homework, sex, working out, staying in, going out, bikini waxes, celebrity gossip, eating, not eating, chocolate, wine, more chocolate, social media, more wine, and all the other joys of being a 21st century woman! 7.30pm. £26. Cheltenham To Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 1-6 APRIL HAIR THE MUSICAL It’s 1967 and HAIR’s hippie “tribe” youngsters in the East Village of New York are yearning to change the world, questioning authority and the American fl Wild, flag.

Wild colourful, l f l sexually ll liberated lib t d and free, they are united in protest and song, under the shadow of the Vietnam war. Full details: everymantheatre.org.uk The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573.

PAGE 

6-22 APRIL THE BIG BATSFORD BUNNY HUNT! The Easter Bunny’s helpers have escaped and they’re hopping around the Arboretum – find them to win a prize! The Bunny Hunt costs £2.50 per child (plus Arboretum entrance fee) and all children must be accompanied by an adult. No booking required – just turn up and enjoy! 9am-5pm. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 9QB. www.batsarb.co.uk EGGSPLORE EASTER Do you know what happened on the very first Easter Day? Explore this amazing building to find the answer. £1 per copy from the gift shop. If bought with the Discovery Trail (£4.50), ‘Eggsplore Easter’ will be free. When you have completed the trail visit the gift shop and claim a tiny egg! (subject to availability) Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, GL1 2LX. www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk 13 APRIL LONGLEVENS CHURCH AUCTION Viewing starts at 10am and selling at 12 noon. No buyers/sellers premium.

Bargains galore! Refreshments available. Holy Trinity Church Hall, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 0AJ. Further details from Janet or Eric Chitty on 01452 500229.

14 APRIL OPEN GARDEN & RARE PLANT FAIR Join us in this beautiful spring garden by the River Coln, browse the specialist nurseries for interesting and unusual plants, explore the garden and enjoy light refreshments in the pool side Café in support of Cobalt. 11am-4pm. Entry £5 per adult, under 16s free.

Quenington, Cirencester GL7 5BN. 20 APRIL THE GREAT EASTER EGG TRAIL Come and join the fun! Explore the park, hunt for clues, meet the Easter Bunny and win a chocolate prize! Quiz sheets £2.50 from Sandford Park Café.

A joint event for Cobalt and Maggie’s.

1-4pm. Sandford Park, Cheltenham.

20-21 APRIL MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY The Bird & Deer Park is well known for hosting its Easter Mad Hatter’s Tea Party but this year it is going to be huge fun and totally different. So are you ‘Team Alice’ or ‘Team Mad Hatter’? No matter which team you join up with on the day, the two professional dance theatre artists will ensure that your children get into character and are transported to another world, with faces painted and raring to go in search of the curious caterpillar, bunny bobtails or pom pom bantams – and

Come and see, ffeeed and stroke our beautiful fallow deerr,, our wonderful collections of peacocks, waterffoowl, pheasants and the amusing pygmy goats ... all very tame and will ffeeed from your hand!

Open 7 da ayys a week 10am-5pm • 01452 812727

www.thebirdpark.com

The Bird and Deer Park, Prinknash, Cranham, Gloucester GL4 8EX

COMING SOON: EASTER MAD HAATTTER’S TEA PPAARTY

goodness knows what everyone will find around the park! 10am and 12.30pm.

For full details and tickets please visit thebirdpark.com. 01452 812727. The Bird and Deer Park, Prinknash, GL4 8EX. 19 MAY CITY OF GLOUCESTER 10K, 2K CHILDREN & FAMILY RUN AND 10K WHEELCHAIR RACE This event is for runners of all abilities. Whether it be for a healthy lifestyle, charity, recreation, club runners or elite athletes. This event is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support. The course is flat and fast, traffic free, taking place in the summer. The Children and Family 2K Run is a great day out for all the family and a chance for young, budding athletes to race for top spot. The 2k event sees children of all ages running with their mums, dads, uncles, aunties and grandparents. The Corporate Business Challenge is a team spirit friendly competition and all round fun. This event is open to all abilities and the aim is to bring work colleagues together for team building, strengthening friendships, as well as encouraging a little competitive spirit.

For more information and to enter online please visit cityofgloucester10k.org.uk

Vinyl Reco orrds LOCAL BUYER PAYS CASH FOR YOUR UNWA WANTED RE ECORDS

Most LPs, EPs & singles from the 1960 0s/70s/80s/90s considered. Especially large or small collections of Heavy Rock, Psych & Prog Rock, Punkk & 90s Britpop.

e-mail: vinyl@willowpitch.co.uk 01242 702947 or 07785 515987

Shipton Golf Course Shipton Golf Course, Nr Frogmill, Shipton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 4HT

S TICKET LE B A L IL I A AV NE ONLIIN

AYay AY & PL A AY Y COURSE IN THE Op“en eAn9eHve vO eLrEyPA d HEuAn RT R T FT E CO OT TSWOLDS” from 7am tiO ld uH sk

NO NEED TO BOOK – Open eevvery day from 7am until dusk

www.shiptongolf.co.uk Follow us on T Tw witter :

‘Shiptongolf ’

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

shiptongolf@tiscali.co.uk

Tel: 01242 890237

✉

☎

THE LOCAL ANSWER

1s t C h o i c e

Aerial & Satellites Digit ta al Aerial Installations Upgrades and Repairs

10% off with this advert Mark Hawkes

Tel: 01452 311511 Te

WE SELL Y YO OUR CAR

“Bett “B Beetttter er Cal Caallll Paul Paauull!!”

PA PA AU U UL LM MO ONT O NTA N TA T AG AG GU U

•CAR HELPERS• BUYING, SELLING, AD DV VICE WWW.CARHELPERS.CO.UK 01452 303850 | 07903 09774465

Home Help Agency Ltd Helping you get home. Helping you at home. Helping you stay home.

We W e of f e r h e lp with

• Housework • Pension/benefit • Laundr y, changing collection & bed linen & ironing general errands • Food preparation • Dog walking & • Shopping pet care

07 74 4 6 2 7 0 8 2 3 2 o r 07 74 462 709160 Fully insured your wayhomehelp@outlook.com an d www.your wayhomehelp.co.uk DBS checked

Give a little time and make a big difference Are you interested in becoming a Fosterer Cats Protection Gloucester & Cirencester Branch are looking for Fosterers.

Give hope to local cats and kittens looking for their forever home.

For more information please get in touch on 0345 260 3280.

For further information please contact: Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) SC037711 (Scotland)

THE LOCAL ANSWER

T: 0345 260 3280 W: www.cats.org.uk/gloucester : GlosCatsProtection

Leader s Liffe e with Councillor Paul James

10 years of the Quays As well as being The Local Answer’s 10th anniversary, 2019 also marks 10 years since the opening of Gloucester Quays. The outlet centre was opened in May 2009 by television star Gok Wan. I remember the mall being packed full of people wanting to see Gok, coming at the same time i as that h year’s ’ Ta Tall Ships Shi Festival.

F i l The development was, of course, many years in the making – probably around 15 years according to owner Peel Group’s multi-billionaire Chairman John Whittaker. He told me his motto is “determination, persistence and patience” to see developments like this through.

Construction started in 2007 and the credit crunch hit when it was half-built. Legend has it that it was only John Whittaker’s personal intervention that made the cash available to finish the construction. The centre opened just as the economy hit recession, so it struggled a bit to start with. The centre was barely y half full and the only y restaurants there on day one were Pizza Express and Nandos.

Major events have been critical to attracting visitors Peel’s approach, thankfully, wasn’t to retrench but to invest further in the scheme. New retailers were brought in through incentive packages and the relocation of the cinema from the Peel Centre to Gloucester Quays was central to creating the leisure quarter of restaurants and bars we see today.

Major events like the Food Festival and Victorian Market have also been critical to attracting visitors both locally and from further afield.

Some critics have argued that it has detracted from the historic city centre and we’ll never know the extent to which that is true, because of other factors in play like the rise of internet shopping.

What is unarguable is that it attracts people to Gloucester who wouldn’t have come otherwise.

And it has transformed a previously derelict and contaminated area of the city into one of its most attractive parts.

When we debated whether to grant it planning permission, the forecast was that it would attract 3 million visitors a year. It now brings in around 7 million. illi Th t is That i a success by b any standards. st d d Our O ongoing challenge is to better lin nk it to the city centre so that the benefits of itts success are shared even more widely. @cllrpauljames

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

e: paul.james@gloucesterr..gov.uk

PAGE 

e cele

1 th BI 10

e who has helped The Local Answer

writers, friends and family – there have been rise from 5,000 to 180,000 copies every ● ●

already become established as a powerful source of information, so it was a difficult time t o s t a r t t h i s t y p e o f n e w v e n t u r e. B u t I ’ m s o glad we did.

As we look forward to celebrating throughout our 10th Anniversary Y Ye ear by raising as much money for good local causes as possible, we can reflect proudly on what The Local Answer has brought to Gloucestershire since that first issue. T To o the benefit of people throughout the county we’ve created:

●

18 full and part-time jobs in our office and transport operations.

365 distribution jobs for a few hours each month – so important in providing a small income to help people in a variety of circumstances and, in many cases, helping young people understand the value of money through earning their own (and easing the demand on Mum or Dad to provide pocket money).

A massive, cost-effective platform for businesses to talk to potential customers, enabling hundreds of local companies to establish themselves and thrive.

We care about the environment Supporting forest management The paper used in printing The Local Answer is produced from wood sourced in an environmentally-friendly, socially responsible and cost-eff ffe ective manner.

Our printer – Precision Colour Printing Limited (PCP) – is an award-winning company whose management and staff are committed to good environment perffo ormance and the use of paper from sustainable resources. They are proud to be a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate holder, and The Local Answer is proud to have this publication printed on paper compliant with FSC demands.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, not-for-profit, nongovernmental organisation established to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s ffo orests.

The FSC vision is that the world’s ffo orests meet the social, ecological, and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations.

Delivering a fully-recyclable productt As well as the paperr,, the inks and varnishes used in producing The Local Answer are biodegradable. The process used by recycling companies to extract inks and coatings including UV varnishes from the paper render the paper suitable for pulping and recycling.

ebrating our

RTHDAY ●

● ●

A t r u s t e d m a r ke t i n g t o o l . A d v e r t i s e r s h a v e g r o w n i n confidence, and numbers, because our service can be relied upon – 75% appear every month, year afftter yearr,, and many more regularly use The Local Answer for seasonal campaigns. It’s extremely satisffyying to have played a part in the prosperity of so many local businesses.

A great source of inffo ormation for local people, continually enhancing the volume and variety of magazine content.

An even greater source of inffo ormation on our website – with further ma ajjor developments planned to be online so

We’re looking forward to improving our support to Gloucestershire over the nex 10 years and beyond, and we’re excited about our plans to help many within our communities during the next 12 months …

How are we celebrating?

Charity of the Y Ye ear

TLA Charity Giveaways

We’re delighted to announce that we have partnered with local charity Cobalt for the duration of our celebratory year. Cobalt support patients with cancer, dementia and other conditions, and invest in equipment, research and education to ensure as many people as possible have access to the best medical imaging ffo or their diagnosis.

We’ll be trying to raise as much money as possible for Cobalt throughout the next 12 months, as well as helping to raise awareness of the vital work they do in Gloucestershire and beyond.

Our charity giveaways are back and we’ll be running several competitions throughout our birthday year, giving Gloucestershire charities and not-for-profit organisations the chance to win £2,000 each time.

We will announce more details of the first giveaway in the April 2019 issue.

Gloucester Day Come and see us at Gloucester Day on Saturday 7th September where we’ll be running a tombola to raise money for Cobalt. Last year was a great success and we ‘sold out’ with three hours to spare, so this year will be even bigger and better!

Website Developments One of the main activities for which we would appreciate your support and donations is the Cheltenham Challenge in June, when Lois and her boyfriend will be taking on the 10k! Y Yo o u c a n ke e p up to date with Lois’ training progress in our online Sport section (thelocalanswer.co.uk/news/sport.aspx) a n d i f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o d o n a t e, p l e a s e v i s i t https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TheLocalAnswer 10thBirthday yY Ye Y ear

We’re currently working on new ffe eatures for our website to enhance your experience – providing an increasing volume of useful information for Gloucestershire residents. These developments also help in improving the support we deliver to local businesses and organisations through our digital platform. Stay tuned for more details soon!

Thank hanks agaiin for all ll your sup pport!

www ww w.thelocalanssw werr..co.uk

Dave Kingscott Managing Director

Homes & Gardens FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS Our range of services include: • Driveways • Patios • Resin Bonding • Artificial Grass • F en c i n g • Landscaping • Turfing • Garden Walls

GENUINE

FR E EE E Quotations, Advice, Samples & Brochures

5 Ye Year Guarantee with all works Many local references available

Prou ud members of

berudman@yahoo.co.uk

07843 277723 ~ 01242 255043 Covering Cheltenham & Gloucester

2an0y o% OFF rders during March 2019 T&Cs apply

• New roofs & repairs • Lead work • Tiles • Slates • Felt & battening • Repointing • Ridge tiles & chimney repairs • Flat roofs • EPDM rubber • Roof coatings • Dry verge systems • Gutter repairs & cleaning • External painting • Moss removal & fungicidal treatments • uPVC fascias & soffits ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED FULLY INSURED

47 Worcester Street, Gloucester GL1 3AW For a FREE QUOTA TION please call: AT

07786 058696 or 01452 348 487 84

(Please dial area code when calling)

CPPA G PAV AV A VING

LA L ANDSCAPING DRIVEW WA AY A YS PA PA AT TIOS

&

Block Pav aving • Ta Tarmac • Grav avel Drainage • Kerbs • Steps • Pat aths Turfing • Fencing & Decking Tu

NEW Resin Bound Drivewaayys

r 99le ca £r7singrive fo d T& Cs ap ply

PAGE 

5 YEAR

FREE quota tati tions

01242 801706 01452 341699

GUARANTEE

WITH ALL WORKS

Fully insured

ccandgpavinguk@gmail.com

w ww w ww w w..ccg gg---p p pa aav avi viin n ng gg...ccco o o...u u uk k WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

ROOFING & DRIVEWA AYY SPECIALIST NEW ROOFS & REPAIRS

FLAT ROOFS • CHIMNEY WORK • TILES & SLATES FASCIAS • GUTTERING • SOFFITS • UPVC

A QUALITY SERVICE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM S pr i n g S a l e

10% OFF TARMAC

BLOCK PAVING

REGULATED & INSURANCE APPROVED

TAT ATIONS GLOS BUILD 0FR1E2E4Q2UO5TA 00918 Professional & Reliable LTD

General Builders OVER 40 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE! THE LOCAL ANSWER

ALL MA AJJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

info@glosbuild.co.uk www w.glosbuild.co.uk w.

Court Farm, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Glos. GL2 9PX

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

JWG TILING PROFESSIONAL, AFFORDABLE

WALL & FLOOR TILING Covering all Tiling Services

FREE ESTIMATES

07912 442497

D a v i s is DRIVEWA AYS Resin Driveways • Block Paving • Garden Walls • Tarmac Paths & Patios

We’ll beat any ‘like for like’ quotation!

Fully Insured ~ All work guaranteed For a FREE ESTIMATE please call:

01452 341925 (aPrleeaasceoddeia) l 07895 503039 or email: Davisdrivewaysinfo@gmail.com

CARE Construction A family business delivering a professional and friendly service across Gloucestershire

• EXTENSIONS • RENOVATIONS • STONEWORK • BARN CONVERSIONS • PROPERTY MAINTENANCE • SPECIALIST RE-POINTING • LANDSCAPING Please email or call: info@careconstruction.online

Allll W Woorrkk FFuulllyy Guarraantteeed • Specialise in EDM rubber roofs • New Roofs G.R.P Fibreglass • Cerrttified CURE IT Installers • Roof Cleaning & Coaatting • RRooof & Chimney Repairs • Slate RReepairs • Dry VVeerges • Flat RRooof Repairs • uPVC • Fascias, Soffits & Guttering • uPPVVC Repairs • PPaainting & Decorating

01452 899903 07503 858963 ww w ww w..a1roofing.uk

Cheltenham Rd East, Gloucester, GL3 1AE

David Stevens

FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, REP PA AIRS & REFURBISHMENTS • Plumbing & Electrics • Wall & Floor Tiling • Kitchen & Bathroom Fitting • Roofing Repairs & Maintenance • General Building Repairs & Maintenance • Guttering & Upvc Cladding And much, much more

01452 617394 or 07790 816203

01452 649 754 • 07794 540 071 • 07834 728 778

dstevens999@me.com www.dstevens999.co.uk

www.careconstruction.online

GAS FOR HEATERS

GREAT WEEKEND HIRE OPTIONS

Turf Lifters Tu

£5 0

Lawn Scarifier

£40

Massive range of sale items including

Plate Compactor

£26.25 and

Long Reach Hedge Trimmer

£35

Post Hole Borer

£37.50

and all gardening and hand tools

Byard Road, Gloucester GL2 5DF ☎ 01452 526616 7.30am-5pm and 8am-12pm Saturdays

www.ermin.co.uk PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

& Sons Ltd

Paving & Tarmac Specialists Block Paving • TTaarmac • Landscaping Fencing • Patios • Driveways Garden Walls

ALSO

All our work is Guaranteed for 5 years!

Guaranteed to beat any genuine quote

esin Driveways, Patios & Paths

Maintenance • Choice of Colours • Durable & Long Lasting • Weed Free • Porous for Drainage

• Reduces Puddles • Firm, attractive Surface • Can be applied over Existing Surface • Cost Effective

Rectory Fields, Rudford, Gloucestershire GL2 8DT

Teel: 01452 668005 / 01453 297010 / 01285 238089 T

www.marshallsdriveways.co.uk

Company registration: 11415390

OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENC

SPEC IAL O FF on En ER CLEARA d of Line NCE UP TO 35 STOCK

DISCO % UNT *T&

Cs Ap ply

*

RESIN IVEWA AY YS & PA AT TIOS

Weed Free, No Maintenance, Porous Surrfface

ve yourself the cost of digging up your old drive and apply to your existing surface COST EFFECTIVE SO L U T I O N

LANDSCAPING • PA PATHS • PA PATIOS • DROP KERBS • GARDEN WA WALLS • FENC CING DRIVEWA WAYS • RESIN BOU UND DRIVEWA WAYS • HOT TA TAR SPRAY AY & CHIPPING GS SURFACE DRESSING • CAR RPARK REPAIRS RS, CLEANING & SEALING SERVIC CES DO OMESTIC & COMMERCIAL

FANT TA ASTIC OFFERS View our gallery at ww ww w.pave-drive.co.uk FA

0 14 5 2 7 5 7 83 6 • 0 78 6 7 9 1 03 7 7

ON FENCING AND ARTIFICIAL LA AW WNS

5 YEAR GUARANTEES, FREE NO OBLIGA AT TION WRITTEN QUOTA AT TIONS, FULL LY Y INSURED

THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Word Search Wo G H K C D O V O R T D G Y P I U H W W I S O S X

B A N N E R W L Y E J T T F F Q A C T N R Q Z A

J I V A I L V Z C H R I G L U G P U X V X K L R

J Y T E U C E O A M V L B R M N P V E I I I G V

J V P T B L R B H P N A A M C O Y E S T S H U Z

Q W O V Q A K E R D U S J C T A F T T A H Z G C

S V W J T N S T A A V H E X E W K J P T A X A U

L G K I H I D N J E T G P L J U Z E G I C G M Q

E R O C R C C H C A U E Y T D E K Y O O J J E R

E N N P V I D O C E H P W X P N X N J N B J S H

S G R K N M O E S J W N U I Z J A T N Q S D G X

D U I G P O O T R V V P M H C X T C N L I U M M

S P N O I Z F D V H P T V T A K B M H E N L A M

C A R D R E P A P G N I P P A R W K C J G L E S

G E D X J K V D K F K A X O S E K A W W I G Z F

W R C K F X L G J T A B V F K W C B Q P N K U R

B I R T H D A Y O Q E M K B V B T I K L G V B I

L Z E I A Y K T I Z B R I H D Y Z N S Y U T N E

W R T W O V F P P Z P O K L Q R H Y T U G G Y N

R Z H D A I B M X H T S E T Y L J R L P M K G D

V J G X G A Q O U G P Z Y R M K A W Z Q U L S S

Z Y U K V V P Y G R R N H Y K P C J E A W D L J

Z B A F P S D S E R O M J G K N I R D S M N R X

C L L U Q X D Q P L X S W K D C E G M C G H Q O

Birthday BANNER BIRTHDA AYY CAKE CANDLES CARD CELEBRA AT TE DANCING DECORA AT TIONS DRINK

FAMILLYY FOOD FRIENDS FUN GAMES GIFT GUEST HAPPY HA ATT

INVITTA ATTION A LAUGHTER MUSIC PARTY SINGING SURPRISE WRAPPING PAPER

Don’t look until you’ve finished! Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

E.P P..S Ellis Properttyy Solutions FREE

Fitted Bathrooms Fitted Kitchens Electrical Plumbing

Laminate Worktops on all Kitchens

JHD

ROOFING & BUILDING mobile

email Scott@epsuklimited.co.uk

07976 090247 landline

www w..eps‐glos.co.uk 01452 549213 Marrc and Aprrich

• Boiler servicing • Heating installations • Landlord gas • Complete bathroom safety certificates installations • Boiler breakdowns • Gas Safe and and repairs Oftec (oil) • Boiler installations registered • General plumbing • Free no obligation quotations and plumbing maintenance • No call out fee

Powerf il offfeer any sys fllush on te a maximm up ttoo 14 radiaum of torrss £

350+VAT

• Roofing Repairs & Full Replacement • Slate & Tiled Roofs • Lead Work • Skylights • UPVC Fascias & Soffits • Gutter Replacement & Cleaning • Roof Cleaning

Up to

30% o f f

• Chimney Repairs, Removals & Rebuild • Dry Verge Cops • Dry Ridge Copping • Fully Insured • All Work Guaranteed • Professional & Reliable • Free Quotes

all ranges of flat roof systems, UPVC fascias, soffits & guttering

Fully Insured ~ All work guaranteed We’ll beat any ‘like for like’ quotation!

For a FREE ESTIMA AT TE please call:

T: 01452 452002 E: Offffice@gloucesterplumb.co

www.gloucesterplumb.co.uk

01452 347643 (aPrleeaasceoddeia) l 07879 370178 or email: jhdroofingandbuilding@gmail.com

RS TD Rain Ra in Wa Wate terr Sy Syysstem ems

lists in d alll

Roof Repairs, Roof Repairs, Chimneys Chimneys, s, Slates Slates and and Tiles Tile s RS Cladding Ltd offer home owners qualitty uPVC fascias, soffits, guttering, dow wnpipes and cladding in a choice of colours c (white, rosewood, oak or blaack). They’re virtually mainte tenance ce -free and will neve ver ne need to be reeppaaiin intteed. Allll our products are guara guuaarraanntteee eeedd foorr 1100 year yeeaarrss for peace of mind.

RUBBER FLAT ROOFING

Whateveer th he weeather her, ClassicBon lassicBond EPD EPDM rooo oofin ofiin ng g membrane memb me em mb brraan ane neess pr prootteect you yoou ourr pr proop opeerrtty opert ty

When you need a sustainable, long lasting rooftop, look no further than the single-ply membrane with half a century track recoord of performance and durability

C Call now fo for a FREE F Quote F FREEPHONE: 080 00 747 1283 www. w.rscladdingandroofing.co.uk

email: rs.cladding.roofing@live.co.uk - 105/107 Bath Road, Cheltenham, Glos. GL53 7LE RS CLADDING L LT TD ARE PROUD SPONSORS OF GLOUCESTER RUGBY THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Redw woood Trreee Care

Specialist W Wo ork on All K Kiinds of Trees

• Planting • Topping • Pruning • Re Removaall (R Ro oots too!)

HEDGES PR RU UNED AND TR RIIMMED 25% ONE-OFF G GA AR RD DEN TIDY SER RV VICE DISCOUNT in March 2019 LICENSED W WA ASTE C CA ARR RIIER

HEA AT TING • PLUMBING ELECTRICAL Central heating Boiler ser vicing & replacement Electrical testing & rewiring Plumbing tasks & repairs

01242 323923 07912 662516

admin@pbtinstallations.co.uk www.pbtinstallations.co.uk

LA L ANDSCAPING: Fencing • Paattios PLUS Decking • Paths & Paavving • Steps

info@sarsenenergy.co.uk www.sarsenenergy.co.uk

Brick kllaying & Stoneew work • Laaw wn Layyiing Call Daavve ffo or a FR RE EE QUOT TA ATION AT Mobile 07900 015764 red dw woodtreecare91@g gm mail.com

O VEN & RANGAENCS •LMEICARN IN G OVENS • EXTRACTOR FFA OW WA AV A VES

Woodlands Landscapes Wo

Local independent oven cleaning special alist 100% biodegradable and non-caustic products Tidy, y, clean, eff fficient system!

All types of gardening work undertaken PAATTIOS•FENCING•TURRFFING For a FREE no obligation PRRU UNING•TOPPING•FELLLIING quote call: HEDGE CUTTING 01452 GA GAR AR RD DEN CLEAR RA AN A NCES 899771

01452 404600 • 07958 383366

A family run business – we won’t be beaten on price!

HOBS • AGAS • RA AY YBURNS

www.ovenandrangecleaning.co.uk info@ovenandrangecleaning.co.uk

leewoodlands@hotmail.com

or

07919 837765

Phoenix Gardens Let us do the groundwork ffoor you Le

◆ Fencing ◆ Tu urfing r ◆ Garden Landsca aping g ◆ Decking ◆ Pattios ◆ Plant Advice ◆ Complete C Gard den Makeovers ◆ Hedge Cutting & Planting

Master Sheds

Call Mark on MOB: 07979 421 501 TEL: 01452 549 286

www w ww.phoenixgardene phoenixgardene ersgloucesterr.co.uk ersgloucester. co uk

Each structure is custom built to your own requirements – perhaps to fit a corner of the garden or a difficult location.

0145 2 314011 07831 762644

• Tree W Woork • Garden Design • Garden Maintenance • Turffiing • Lawn Cutting • Hedge Trimming • Pond W Woork • Patios • Decking • Pergolas • Fencing • Sheds • Driveways Diip ploma in Horticulture ~ Established 1993

Free Quotes ~ Competitive Rates

01242 713800 / 07778 340485

www.markclifffoord-landscapes.co.uk PAGE 

www.mastersheds.co.uk Unit D, Sudmeadow Road, Hempsted, Gloucester GL2 5JA

Garden Sheds, Summerhouses, Home Offices, Garages, Workshops, Site Huts, Stables, Kennels, Aviaries, Pavilions or any large timber buildings!

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Wildliffe e Matters with Maxine Raggatt

The birth of a new w generatio on As with A ith every new year, springtime brings the arrival of many new baby animals born throughout the world. Farm life brings lambs, calves and chicks to name a few but alongside the agriculture, our woodland wildlife also births a new generation.

Spring is the perfect time of year for new baby animals to thrive, as the weather is getting warmer and fresh young plants are blossoming from the dampened floors to provide a nutrient-packed boost for growing tummies.

Fox cubs

Baby fox cubs, also known as ‘kits’ or ‘pups’, are born in March, usually in litters of four or five. By four weeks of age fox cubs will leave their den and start to feed on solid foods, and by six weeks they are fully weaned. Baby foxes will stay with their mothers m until they are 6-7 mon nths old, and by this time they are ready to be fully independent.

Frogspawn

embryo. After 2-4 we eeks the eggs will hatch an nd little tadpoles will emerge with w tails to help them swim. They will first feed on the fro ogspawn jelly and then move e on to algae. At around 16 6 weeks their legs will start to t grow along with tiny teeth – this is the time they will begin eating small insects.

Buzzards

Female frogs lay frogspawn Mating usually starts in March eggs, which look like a mass of for buzzards. Male and d female jelly protecting a tin ny black buzzards build a nest together t either in a tre ee or on a cliff, and the e female will lay 2-4 eg ggs with a 35 day inccubation period. She will p w then look after her babies while the male brings them food for the first two we eeks. At around fifty d days old her young w will start learning to fly and stay with he er for a final 6-8 weeks.

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Ladybirds

By April, ladybirds will w have come out of hibernattion and found a mate. The mother ladybird will lay her eggs e on the underside of a leaf,, and 3-5 days later they will hatch. hatc ch Baby ladybirds, known as larvae, have long bodies and are black with orange markings and little spikes on their backs.

The larvae stage lasts about 21 days, followed by the pupae stage which will last around one week. This is when the larvae become immobile and will attach itself to a leaf, still orange and black in colour. The body inside will breakdown and be reformed into an adult ladybird, usually emerging pale in colour.

Spring is a time to revel in the delightful sights that new wildlife brings. For some animals, this may be their year of birth, while for others it may be the first year they become parents.

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

CHOSEN LA AW WNMOWER SERVICES SERVICING & REPA PAIR of domestic lawnmowers

Mower collection and delivery For a reliable, friendly service please speak to Graham on

Need help in the garden?

• Lawn Mowing & Treatments FR E • Turfing QUO E T ES • Hedge Cutting • G ar d en C l ear an ces • C o m m er ci al G ar d en i n g • Pressure Washing • G en er al G ar d en i n g • Storm damage

01452 757307 07493 935088

07771 783528

or to leave a message call

01452 731967

www.jimsmowing.co.uk

LAWN MAN LA

& TREE FELLA Grass cutting and strimming.

Trees/ Hedges pruned, trimmed, reduced r ove Riin ng James on

Jim’s Mowing Gloucester

07830 646 544

www.lawnmantreefella.co.uk

Maak Mak ake ke yyou our Garde our Gar arde ard den en wort orth your Herita Heritage • Domestic/Commercial Maintenance • Decking •P Paatios/P Paaving • Fencing • Turfing • Driveways Ground Works • Garden Design • Planting Arrangements • Over 15 Years’ Experience • Fully Insured • Portfolio available • All Work Guaranteed • References Available

For advice and free quotations con ntac act Nick Rutter on 01452 751274 or 07796 146099

All Landscaping and Horticultural work undertaken All aspects of Tree and Garden work undertaken Hedges – reductions/trimming/removals Trrees – pruning/felling T Garden clearances – Waste removal W d hi S i FENCING • PATIOS • TURFING • JET-WASHING We are also registered waste carriers – Fully insured

JJO M IE OE E & JA AMI E

01242 851 941 01452 404 626

~ Established 25 years! ~

LLAN AND APEE G ARD D DSSCCAP GAR DEEN NEER RSS All garden work undertaken and guaranteed!

Fencing, Patios, Block Paved Drives & Gravel Surfaces Tree & Hedge Pruning, Trimming, Felling 10% OFF Turf supplied and laid ~ Lawns removed for OAPs Retaining Walls Built/Repaired

No job too small or too large ~ All waste removed For a FREE ‘no obligation’ estimate, call Joe or Jamie on

01452 500942 or 077724 159342 PAGE 

• Full Landscape Design & Consultation • Garden/Commercial Maintenance • Lawn Care & Treatment • Fencing • Patios • Shrub/Hedge Pruning PROFESSIONAL • TRAINED • COMMITTED

Call Garry on 07398 162908 or 01452 612379 www.gslandscapesolutions.co.uk

R o b Co c k b u r n

Tree & Hedge Services • T a k e do w n , r e du c t i o n s , c r o w n l i f t i n g & t h i n n i n g , b r ac i n g FIREWOOD • Stump grinding • T r e e an d h e d g e p l an t i n g • Hedge laying, trimming an d r e d u c t i o n s A L OAD • S i t e c l e ar a n c e & e x c av at i o n s

£60

ALL TREE WORK OPERATIONS UNDERTAKEN

Fully NPTC Qualified and Insured m: 07787 578845 t: 01452 700388 e: rob.cockburn16@gmail.com

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

In the Garden with Julia Smith

Celebration plants It’s March It’ M h already l d and d spring i has hopefully sprung! To To keep in the anniversary mood, let’s look at plants that fit the bill as gifts for various celebrations. If you wish to find a plant for a particular name you can use the RHS plant finder (rhs.org.uk) – just enter a name and see what different plants there are for you to choose from.

Roses for wedding anniversaries Th There are a range off plants l t for f wedding anninversaries. Roses come with all sorts of names including ‘Golden Wedding’; an upright floribunda rose with double, slightly scented golden yellow flowers from July to September, r, and ‘Silver Anniversary’; a Hybrid tea rose of pure white which repeat flowers all summer.

There is a lovely Clematis ‘Wedding Day’ which has large white flowers and pink anthers; very free-flowering f fl i a d will and ill grow in most aspects. This would be a lovely presen nt for the happy couple which wo ould give

Golden Wedding rose. Picture: David Austin Roses

years of pleasure. Kee eping on the wedding theme, there is also a Clematis ‘The Bride’ which w has white flowers and yellow anthers, and is suitab ble for a container, r, which could be b useful if the newly weds are in rented accommodation! d ti !

Rhododendron ‘Birthd day Girl’ can be kept in a pot and d flowers in May with clear pinkk flowers opening from de eep pink buds. It needs an accid soil to plant in the garden,, so a pot is probably your be est bet.

A new additio on to the family

Silver Anniversary rose. Picture: Dobbies

THE LOCAL ANSWER

A new addition to the family? There is a Narcissus N ‘New Baby’ which h is only 10cm high with a multiflowered head. If y you were well organised and had a spring baby due in your family, you could plant a potful in the autum mn ready for the happy even nt, which could then be plantted in the garden after flowerring.

The Hybrid te ea rose

‘Loving Memory’ can also be grown in a pot and is repeat flowering with blooms which w are crimson to scarlet and would w be a lovely comforting gift g for a grieving friend.

Time to prune prune On the subject of roses, now is the time to prune your bushroses (hybrid teas and floribundas) if you haven’t done so already. Cut off all the spindly twigs and anything dead, damaged or diseased. Cut to an outward facing bud, leaving about 2.5cm of last years’ growth on weaker stems and a bit more on stronger stems.

Shrub roses don’t need such drastic pruning, and with these if they are looking a bit congested, cut out about one third of the thickest, oldest branches at the base with a pruning saw, thus encouraging new shoots to emerge. Ta Take about 10cm off the top of the remaining stems to finish, and feed with a handful of rose fertiliser.

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Kerr rry y Bak ke er

rofessional qualified plumber Fully insured No job too small

Mobile:

07880 258158 kerry@thefemaleplumber.co.uk

FEMALE DECORATOR

RHODES CARPENTRY LTD Over 18 years’ carpentry experience

Kitchens & Bathrooms ● ● ●

Supply & fit all makes and models; we can even custom build to customer ’s own specification and available space.

Our serrvvice also includes plumbing, electrical, decorating, plastering, tiling etc., if required.

No hassle for the customer – we arrange it all.

General Building Works (Internal/External) ● ●

All types of works underrttaken.

Custom built wardrobes, lofftt conversions, door hanging, decking, pergolas, patios.

For a compe!!ve quote please contact: Home: 01452 533102 Mobile: 07870 586701 or Email: lee@lrcarpentry.co

YOUR ELECTRIC COOKER YO OR OVEN NOT WORKING? ES ES ST T 2004 l cal Te ell: 07955 295360

For morre Fo e iin nffoorrm matiioon plle lea asse viissiitt tth he w we eb bssiitte @

www ww w..fixfiix x--m my-ov ve en.c co o.uk

DIRTY COOKER OR OVEN? Tel: 01242 227067 Te

07891 194005 michellepowell81@hotmail.com

GR Electrical

TD

Fe m a l e Plumber

DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL

with external SECURITY LIGHTING • Rewires • Fault finding • Showers • Inspection & testing • Distribution board upgrades FREE ESTIMATES ES, S, NO CALL OUT CHARGE for work booked and carried out before 31st March 2019

01452 690650 • 01242 649642 www.grpelectricalltd.co.uk

www ww w..ove en nbu us stte errs rs-c s--c s ch c helte ltte enha en ham m.c co o.uk

ATTHERLEY HW HA WO W ORKTOPS LTD Your Local W Yo Wo orktop and Kitchen Specialists Cheltenham based Quartz & Granite Factory with Showroom FR* EEFFER O SINK & CONDIITTIIOONS S *TETERRM APPLLYY

■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Quartz & Granite Laminate Solid Wood Minerva®, Mirostone®, Mistral®, Corian® & Staron® surfaces Worktop refits Door replacements Full kitchens

Tel: 01242 523398 / 01452 290458 Te email: info@hatherleyworktops.co.uk web: www.hatherleyyw worktops.co.uk Units 18, 19 & 20 Malmesbury Road, Kingsditch Trading Estate, Cheltenham GL51 9PL

Opening Hours: 8am-5pm Monday-Friday 9am-1pm Saturdays PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Interior Design with Gill Greenwell

Celebrating at a home IIn our celebratory l b t i issue it’ an it’s opportunity to think about planning special get togethers with family and friends. There’s nothing nicer than entertaining in your own home, and while it can sometimes feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be if you plan ahead and keep it simple.

Follow my tips to take the stress out of entertaining and be sure that everyone has a good time – including you!

A warm welcome l Make sure your guests feel relaxed as soon as they arrive.

Light up the path to your door with solar lights and create a welcoming atmosphere in your hallway with tealights and candles. Add that extra decorative touch with fresh flowers – a seasonal flower arrangement will help set the scene.

A welcome drink never fails to get everyone in the party mood, so why not create a special welcome cocktail or hav ve a tray of glasses of fizz at the ready? I borrowed a huge silverr punchbowl for a housewarmin ng party

once, filled it with hom memade punch, and it really got the t party going.

check that you have enough plates, glasses and cutllery.

Set the stage

I’ve always thoughtt drinks trolleys are so cool and stylish – and they are currently on o trend.

I love the idea of creatting your own party drinks station as a focal point where gue ests will want to gather, r, and a drinks trolley y would be p perfectt for this.

Just assemble some colourful bottles and drinks paraphernalia and hey presto – you have your own relaxed cocktail bar!

Your house needn’t loo ok like it does on a daily basis – create a special party atmosphe ere. Light the fire, clear clutte er, r, light candles, and review w your seating arrangements. Now’s the time to replace p yo y our tired sofa or invest in that cool c new chair you saw, but remember your guests don’t all ha ave to be seated, they just need to o be able to move around easily. And always be sure to have plenty p of side tables available forr drinks.

A table dressed forr guests Keep things simple an nd stress free for your food prep; I always find buffets work best.

Presentation is everytthing so channel your inner sttylist by using interesting, differe ent sized serving bowls and pretty platters. A tablecloth re eflecting your chosen theme will anchor the look, and try addin ng some extra touches like bun nches of fresh herbs, flowers orr sparkly accessories. Don’t fo orget to THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

DIY cocktail bar

Create a party vibe To create a magical atmosphere, hang lots of fairy lights around the rooms in which the party will be hosted. And for that final touch, take a tip from the Chinese – they certainly know how to celebrate – and hang some colourful paper lanterns. I was in Singapore over Chinese New Ye Year and I loved the vibrant red Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere, it felt so exciting.

Now that your house is party ready, dim the lights, put on your special playlist, grab that glass of champagne, and let the fun begin!

PAGE 

Save the Planet with Lois Kingscott

Eco-friendly birth hday partiess Whether Wh th you’re ’ a parentt off young children, or just a big kid yourself, birthday parties can be a fun way to mark special celebrations. They can, however, r, be quite wasteful occasions, so how can you organise a birthday party while being kind to the planet?

Decorations

Instead of buying tons of balloons and plastic decorations, why not purchase some paper alternatives – or make them yourself. These come in all shapes, sizes and colours, often fitting into any theme you may have decided upon.

When the party is over, you can either recycle the decorations, or store them away for another event.

Party bags

I would suggest you have h two options: 1. If you’re not too conccerned about the odd dropped plate, use your existing kitche enware.

2. Buy a new set of plattes and cutlery that can be re-used for future parties. It’s alrigh ht to get ap plastic set if y you’re g go oing g to use it a lot of times.

If you’d like to give your guests a little something to take home with them, change up the usual plastic party bags for paper versions. Like your decorations, paper bags come in all sorts of designs – they don’t just have to be plain and boring.

When it comes to goodies to put inside, why not include a packet of wildflower or herb seeds? This will give something for your guests to grow at home that they can either enjoy with their food, or admire when they look out into their garden.

Bees and insects will be especially grateful for new wildflower patches.

Try to make as much of your party food from scratch to avoid excess packaging – thin nk homemade sandwiches, cakes and dips. If you’re not co onfident enough to make the birthday cake yourself, enlist the e help of a local bakery rathe er than running straight to a supermarket. They’ll be grateful for the business, and it’ll probably p taste better! b !

Cutlery and plates

Gifts

While paper or plastic cutlery and plates can be convenient, the waste they produce is really bad for the environment. There are billions of pieces of plastic in landfill and the oceans, so why add to that?

THE LOCAL ANSWER

Party food

If your guests will be b bringing gifts for the birthday bo oy or girl, encourage them to wrrap with brown paper or newsp paper, as opposed to glossy w wrapping paper that often ca an’t be recycled. This will further help TO ADVERTISE CALL  

to reduce the amount of waste your party produces.

If you’d rather not risk ending up with several unwanted gifts, you could ask your guests to make a small donation to a charity close to your he eart.

Get out in nature

Whether you want an activity activitybased party or just to enjoy nature for an afternoon, if the weather is good then get outside! Children are spending far less time outdoors than they used to, so this could be a great opportunity to get them out in some fresh air. Just remember to clear up any mess you make and take home rubbish to dispose of appropriately.

Have fun!

Eco-friendly parties don’t have to be boring – you can still have just as much fun, but be mindful of the impact you have on the planet. If you start organising these parties with young children, it could help to encourage them to grow up to be environmentally-conscious and less wasteful.

PAGE 

Follow us on

Q U E D G EL E Y C A R P E T S 01 1452 883113 www.quedgeleycarpets.co.uk

Why choose Quedgeley Carpets...

We stock:

We don’t pride ourselves on being the biggest independent flooring shop in Gloucestershire, we pride ourselves on being the best.

We believe the smallest things make the biggest impact.

Firstly we focus on providing extraordinary customer service. For example, unlike our competitors our expert fitting team can – • Move your furniture • Remove your flooring • Uplift your flooring • Ease your doors … And evve en vva acuum u up p beffo ore w we e lle eavve e!

Selecting your flooring couldn’t be easier!

Our salesmen do not work on commission, so we can ensure our customers are getting the right product for the right price.

If you can’t get to the shop then don’t worry.

We offer a free measuring, estimating and home selection service.

Finally, reviews speak for themselves, check ours out … we are ★ above the rest!

• Carpets • Vinyls

• Engineered Wood

• Laminates • Rugs

The Bumble Bee

Police Cussttody Suites

IIRRE RSH Y STE AR CE BUL OU TA GL ONS C

Holiday Inn Express WA TE RW EL LS DR IVE

Y AY D WA RD TELFOR

5 M

STTAANLEY COURT

LOSE EDISON C

A38

GLO UCE STE R

WE ARE HERE

TEL FO RD WA Y

• Luxury • Artificial Vinyl Tiles Grass

Unit 1, Stanley Court, T Te elford Way, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2AE info@quedgeleycarpets.co.uk

Gadgets & Gizmos with Laura Nicklin

Say Anything to these h gizmos i Whether you’re in the mood for recreating romcoms, or just into your gadgets and gizmos, these are a sure fire way to wake up your month.

As it’s our 10th birthday this month at The Local Answer, we’re very much in the mood for celebrating. If you know anyone marking their special d day soon, hopefully h f ll my recommendations will provide great inspiration for gift ideas!

Now shake off those postValentine blues with this roaring selection.

Retro Cassette Boombox with Bluetooth Since ‘Say Anything’, haven’t we all daydreamed about having John Cusack stand outside our window, serenading us with a boombox?

Well, perhaps not all of us, but if you have been fantasizing about snapping up a retro portable speaker, then continue reading!

This snazzy boombox might look like something straight out of the ‘80s, but it’s not just for any cassette tapes you

might have lying around; it also lets you stream music via Bluetooth, and via a USB! Combining the old with w the new, this retro boombox will have you feeling like e you’re strolling through an a ‘80s movie; just throw on o your shades and carry y your boombox on your sho oulder.

Although it runs off mains power, the boombox can run on 4 x D batteries, allow wing you to play your favourite tunes t as you strut around town.

Available from Menkin Av nd at just £29.99.

Hue LivingColourss Iris This wireless mood light can help set any scene in your home, from relaxing in n the tub after a long week, to some romantic mood lightting for date night. The Hue LivingColours Iris comes with w 16 million colour variattions to meet your needs, sim mply by connecting to your WiFi. It can set alarms and d timers, lighting up in the mornings to get you out of bed, or flashing when your dinner’s cooked.

You can also set your liights via remote control, so you don’t even need d to t be be in i the th house to turn them on or off. Availab ble from John Lewis at £69.99.

get yourself a comfortable spot; afte er all, you don’t know how long you’re g y going g to be p playing for, and cramp is not fun. So get comfy with the BraZen Shadow PC gaming c chair; its sleek black and white e design not only looks good, but it also allows you to fully en ngage in your game.

And with its sweat-rresistant material, it doesn’t m matter if things get a little he eated as you battle it out in the virtual world. Built for comffort and style, this faux leathe er model will make you feel like a King Ki (or Queen). Av Available from Menkind at £99.95.

BraZen Shad dow PC Gaming Chair One of the most im mportant parts of gaming, is that you THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

interior needs

01452 522 422 es@interiornee eds.co.uk

Luxurious curt r ains and styliish blinds...

10% Of Off Sh Shuttters, s, Bli linds ds & Awn nings gs th throug ughout March

Frrsoeneal

pe design interiorrvice se

Interior Shutterss are becoming more and more popular, timelless elegance. Good advicce is essential – we caan guide you th through our man any diff fferent options, fi finding the shutter to suiit your practtical needs and style.

• Curtains & fa fabrics b • Tr Tracks & poless • Interior shutterrs •A Aw wnings • Wa Wallpaper

• Lighting • Bay window treatments • Conservatory roof blinds

Opening Times: T Tu uesday – Saturday 10am – 3pm Open Mondays by appointment only y.. Sundays: Closed Eastern Avenue, Gloucester GL4 3BU (Next to The Weavers Shop, opposite SMYTHS)

www.interiorneeds.co.uk

THE LOCAL ANSWER

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER

ELITE LOFT FT LADDERS

Safe and easy access

LLO OFT LADDERS SUPPLIED & INSTTA ALLED LOFT HA LO ATTCHES ENLLA ARGED

01452 526040 07972 777876

mark@eliteloftladders.co.uk www.eliteloftladders.co.uk

L IT T L E W H IT E VVA A N MA N

Money Matters with Roger Downes of Andorran

Gloucestershire’s friendly, cost effffective r e m o va l s , co l l e ct i o n s an d d e l i ve r i e s se r v i c e!

Discounts for OAPs, students, NHS, emergency services

BI G V VA A NS A AV VA V A I L AB L E Great reviews on

07903 097465 01452 303850

hello@lit t lewhit evanman. co. uk

BM SERVICES Window, Door & Conservatory Repairs

A specialist repair service for windows, doors and conservatories with over 40 years’ experience.

Misted glass • Locks • Hinges • Handles Seals • Conservatory Roof Cleaning For free quotes and a reliable, friendly serv rvice: A member member of of Call: 07963 217998 Email: barrieminett@mail.com Web: www.bm-services-glos.co.uk VER RY Y COMPETITIVE PRICES

STEVEN Domestic stic and and Industria Industrial Skips Skips

What price loyyalty?

As The Local Answer celebra ates its tenth anniversary, in addition to pass sing them our congratulations, Money Matters wonders how many of its contributors and advisers a have been with them throughout tho ose ten years.

W suspect it’s We i ’ quite i a few. f We remember Dave Kingscott asking us for an article for one of its very early editions.

Naturally, Money Matters obliged, little knowing that this innocent first request would lead to a monthly contribution. Here we are happily working together ten years on.

Last year my firm celebrated twenty years in business. Whilst it was a fairly low-key celebration, we reflected on the loyalty shown to us by the many businesses and people who had been with us for these two decades.

A two-way commitment between employer and employee

ATTENTIO ON!

Let us lighten you ur load!

Stevens Recycling

Ham Villa Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL52 6NB

01242 522647/529397

stevensrecycling584@gmail.com THE LOCAL ANSWER

It isn’t just customers/clients that show loyalty to anyone providing the top class service that we all strive to provide, it’s also the staff, where two-way commitment between employer and employee adds greatly to the working experience.

Loyalty shouldn’t be misplaced or misinterpreted, leading to complacency, of course. I’m sure that most businesses are only too well aware of the need to encourage and reward their staff. A happy team is a loyal one! It’s only y when I g get on to the role of recruitment agencies that I wonder wheth her everyone believes this theory, but that’s an nother story…

Enough of that, let’s finish on a positive note.

Congratulations to The Local Answer and best of luck for the next ten years.

TO ADVERTISE CALL  

PAGE 

Sport

with Roger Jackson

WA W ANT TO SHARE YOUR SPORTING STORY ON OUR WEBSITE? Please email full details to sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Quad biiker Josh Bircch is a rising star s Rob Birch is, by his ow wn admission, a bit of a petrolhead petrolhead.

Anything with an engine, really, and if it goes fast so much the better!

So it’s no real surprise that his son Josh is into his motorsport as well.

And Josh is actually very good, so much so that he already has a British title on his CV, V, even though he is still only 16.

Josh, who lives in Hucclecote with his parents, is a quad biker and he was crowned the best in Britain in the junior age group in 2012.

And while that is prob bably his standout achievement so far, r, there have been many y, many other big-race successses over the past 10 years for the e former Shurdington Primary and d Chosen Hill School pupil.

“He’s been racing for 10 years but he’s been quad biking since

A football leader It has become more and more apparent over the past 20 years or so that you don’t need to have been a good footballer to be a good manager at the Rogeer Burden very top level.

The same applies on the administrative side. Certainly C that’s the case with Roger Burden, the man who has h done so much for football forr 50-plus p years in Gloucestershire and nationally as well.

Now 72, Burden is still chairman of the Gloucestershire Football Association and is a former vice-chairman of the Football Association as well as serving as acting chairman of the FA for nine months from May 2010.

Quad biker Josh Birch

he was three-and-a-h half,” said his proud dad, who was into motorbikes back in the day.

“He inherited a quad d bike from his sister Chloe who lo ost interest in it when she was fiv ve. It was a 50cc petrol engine Suzuki S and I took him on the hill with it.

Within a couple of da ays he was saying, ‘Can I go racin ng, Dad?’” But young Josh had to show patience – plenty of it – because the rules say that yo ou are not “I was never the best player, r,” admitted Burden.

Three sports in one…

It’s often said that varriety is the spice of life, so it’s no surprise that the multi-disciplin ne sport of triathlon is becoming more and more appealing.

It’s three sports in one of course – swimming, running and cycling – and as ssuch offers plenty for everyone.

And that is certainly y the view of Gill James, who o is race coordinator for Tri T Te eam Glos Y Young T i hl Triathletes.

It’s a position she’s held for just over a year – her husband Nik took on the role of chairman at the same time as she became race coordinator – and she freely admits that they got involved in the sport because of their children, Daisy and Jack.

allowed to race until you are six. It wa as worth the wait howeve er because Josh was soon making an impression in n grass track racing. “He g generally enjoyed himsellf,” laughed his dad.

By the age o of eight Josh, who works as a panel beater in the motor trade for a firm in Gloucester, was competin ng on a 100cc quad bike and had graduated from gra ass tracks to motocross.

These days he’s competing in the adult class, riding a 450cc Yamaha.

The new season starts at the end of March and there is certainly no shortage of ambition in the Birch household.

“We’d like to be on the podium in the British clubman championship at the end of the season,” said Rob. Full story online.

Festival challenge

Ask anyone to name a couple of National Hunt trainers in Gloucestershire and the chances are that they’ll come back with Jonjo O’Neill or Nigel Tw TwistonDavies.

But while they have been very successful over the years, there are others who are making names for themselves, including Ben Pauling who is based near Bourton-on-the-Water.

He’s been clocking up the winners consistently and with the Cheltenham Festival just round the corner he’s certainly looking for more.

“We’ll be taking a select team of four or five ho orses to the Festival,” he said. “Every “ horse that we take will ha ave a chance of getting a place.”

For fu Fo fullll versions of all theese stories and more vis isit www. w.thelocaalanswer.r.co.uk

Above is a selection from local entertainment stories available online ...

‘So lucky’ T To om Webb insists that it is it is all all about about Glouceste Gloucester City City Tom Webb has seen it, done it, got the TT-shirt. And in an age when loyalty in sport seems to be declining, that’s something that Gloucester City’s record appearance holder has got in spades.

And yet – and this is what really sets him apart – talk to Tom Webb for a few minutes and it’s never about what he has done for the club, it’s far more about what the club have done for him.

“I’ve been very lucky to have played so long at such a good club,” said the 34-year-old.

Close on 18 years and some 700-plus games later, r, it’s clear that Gloucesster City have been very lucky to o have had Webb in their midfield d for so long and, to be fair, r, there’’s no one at the club or among their supporters who is anything other than incredibly apprecia ative of all he has done for them m.

His playing g career was cut short after he sustained a knee injury at the end of last season, but he has moved seamlessly onto the coaching c side at Gloucester and again, as far as he’s concern ned it ned, it’ss all about what the club b have done for him.

“I’m very lucky to have gone into coaching g at the level I’m at,” said Webb. “I’m “ very fortunate that the club still wanted me.

“National League L South is a

Mike Cookk. Picture: Neil Phelps

very good standard s and I’m very grateful to the t club for giving me that opporttunity.”

And while it undoubtedly has been an opportunity, o opportunity it’ss also it been a ch hallenge because by early January the club were on their third d manager of the season following the departures of Marc Ricchards and Chris Todd and the appointment of Mike Cook.

That wasn n’t the plan at the start of the campaign, of course.

Indeed the plan was for Webb to operate as a player/coach for a couple of seasons s and continue to play around 20 games.

Ask him to compare p playing p y g and coaching and he’ll say “it’s chalk and cheese”.

“Not being able to play anymore shook me up more than I thought it would, there’s nothing quite like playing,” he admitted. “That feeling before a game, and when you win a game you get such a buzz… there’s nothing like it.

“Coaching is the nearest thing to it but it’s different when you’re coaching.”

And it’s tougher in many ways t too b becaus se once the th players l cross the white w line, there is a limit to wh hat a coach can do to affect a gam me.

Not thatt that relieves the pressure off course. If anything it only addss to it and with Gloucesterr struggling at the wrong end d of the table, Webb has certainly found it tough going at tim mes.

Avoiding relegation is obviously the e key objective this season and d when Webb spoke to The Local A Answer, r, the club had enjoyed three encouraging results following the appointment of Mike Cook.

The club continue to play their home matcches in Evesham but Webb is increasingly optimistic that they w will be able to return to Meadow Pa ark in January 2020, a ground tha at they’ve not played

Tom Webb W bb in i his hi playing l i days. d Picture: Neil Phelps

at since the devastating floods of 2007.

The smart money would be on Webb, who w will have a stand named after him, still being involved with the club but Webb himself admits a that that is not a definite.

The ma arried dad of two young children, a PE teacher at Chosen Hill Scho ool, said: “It’s a huge commitm ment and I’ve dedicated a lot l t off m my life to the club. As a captain a and a player you have to carry a llot with you, but as a coach it’ss even more.

“Hopefully we can stay up and then sit d down at the end of the season and talk about what needs to o be done and kick on from there.”

And if Gloucester fans are worried by those previous two sentence es, they should be more reassured d by the next two.

“It would be great to be part of it when the club go back to Meadow Park,” Webb added.

“I’m Gloucester born and bred and I’ve n never left the area, it will be terrificc for the club.”

And it will be terrific for the club if To om Webb, as he surely will be, iss still one of the driving forces at the club come January 2020 and d well beyond.

For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk

Index of Advertisers FOOD & DRINK Cafe Rene Tiger’s Eye

4 4

WHAT AT’S ON CLUBS & SPORTS Abbey Mill 25 Shipton Golf Course 28 Townswomen’s Guilds To 27 EVENTS & AT ATTRACTIONS Prinknash Bird & Deer Park 28

HEALT LTH & BEAUTY

100 Days to Change Your Ways 6 NHS Gloucestershire 10-11

HOLIDAY AYS & TRAV AVEL Norad Travel

16

PROPERTY & STORAGE Bovis Homes Park Home Life

RETA TAIL

Assured Mobility Ermin Plant Hire Morgan DeVere Menswear Vinyl Records

19 16 12 34 6 28

HOMES & GARDENS BAT ATHROOMS Lifestyle Bathrooms 8 Severn Vale Bathrooms 6, 48-49 BUILDING SERVICES A1 Roofing & Contractors 34

32 BE Rudman C&G Paving 32 Care Construction 34 Davis Driveways 34 Elite Loft Ladders 55 Ellis Property Solutions 37 Glos Build 33 Home Care Roofing & Building 32 JHD Roofing & Building 37 JWG Tiling 34 Marshalls Driveways 35 Pave-Drive 35 RS Cladding 37 Resindrives.co.uk 2 CARPENTRY Rhodes Carpentry 42 CLEANING SERVICES Ovenbusters 42 Oven & Range Cleaning 38 ELECTRICAL SERVICES GRP Electrical 42 PBT Installations 38 FURNISHING & APPLIANCES Bella’s Interiors 42 Dream Doors 59 Gloucester Carpet Outlet 44 Interior Needs 50 Quedgeley Carpets 46 GARDEN SERVICES Chosen Lawnmower Services 40 GS Landscape Solutions 40 Heritage Landscapes 40 Jim’s Mowing 40

Joe & Jamie 40 Lawn Doc 40 Lawn Man & Tree Fella 40 Mark Clifford Landscapes 38 Master Sheds 38 Phoenix Gardens 38 Redwood Tree Care 38 Rob Cockburn Tree & Hedge 40 Southwest Landscapess 40 Woodlands Landscapees 38 HANDYMAN SERVICEES David Stevens Maintenance 34 Your Way Home Help Agency 29 HEAT ATING & PLUMBING Gloucester Plumbing & Heating 37 KB Female Plumber 42 Sarsen Energy 38 KITCHENS Hatherley Worktops Lttd 42 PAINTING & DECORAT ATTING Michelle Powell Decorator 42 TV & AERIALS 1st Choice Aerials 29 WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVA VATORIES AJ Windows 52 Albany Windows 60 BM Services 55 C&L Windows 53 & 54 Clearway Windows 51 Inceil 54

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ANIMAL SERVICES Cats Protection CARE SERVICES Coate Water Care CHILDCARE SERVICES Chestnut Day Nursery MOTORING SERVICES Blade Skoda Gloucester Car Helpers Julian Rogers Autoservices REMOVA VAL SERVICES Little White Van Man SKIP HIRE & RECYCLING Stevens Recycling

29 12 14 20 29 20 55 55

The Loc al

ANSWER To advertise telephone:

01242 510500

Puzzle Solutions G H K C D O V O R T D G Y P I U H W W I S O S X

B A N N E R W L Y E J T T F F Q A C T N R Q Z A

J I V A I L V Z C H R I G L U G P U X V X K L R

J Y T E U C E O A M V L B R M N P V E I I I G V

J V P T B L R B H P N A A M C O Y E S T S H U Z

Q W O V Q A K E R D U S J C T A F T T A H Z G C

S V W J T N S T A A V H E X E W K J P T A X A U

L G K I H I D N J E T G P L J U Z E G I C G M Q

E R O C R C C H C A U E Y T D E K Y O O J J E R

E N N P V I D O C E H P W X P N X N J N B J S H

S G R K N M O E S J W N U I Z J A T N Q S D G X

D U I G P O O T R V V P M H C X T C N L I U M M

S P N O I Z F D V H P T V T A K B M H E N L A M

C A R D R E P A P G N I P P A R W K C J G L E S

G E D X J K V D K F K A X O S E K A W W I G Z F

W R C K F X L G J T A B V F K W C B Q P N K U R

B I R T H D A Y O Q E M K B V B T I K L G V B I

L Z E I A Y K T I Z B R I H D Y Z N S Y U T N E

W R T W O V F P P Z P O K L Q R H Y T U G G Y N

R Z H D A I B M X H T S E T Y L J R L P M K G D

V J G X G A Q O U G P Z Y R M K A W Z Q U L S S

Z Y U K V V P Y G R R N H Y K P C J E A W D L J

Z B A F P S D S E R O M J G K N I R D S M N R X

C L L U Q X D Q P L X S W K D C E G M C G H Q O

Competition Rules

1 Prizes are as stated and no cash or prize alternative will be offered. 2 Employees of The Local Answer and their families or households are not eligible to enter. 3 The first correct entry drawn at random after the closing date will win the prize as stated. 4 The winner will be notified by telephone after the closing date has passed. 5 Th Editor’s The Edit ’ decision d i i is i final fi l andd no correspondence will be entered into. 6 Entrants must be over 18 years, unless stated. 7 Proof of

posting is not regaarded as proof of receipt of entry.

8 The Local Answ wer accepts no responsibility for the provision of thhe prize, which remains at all times the full respponsibility of the prize donor(s).

9 By entering anyy competition you agree to have your name publishhed in the next issue of The Local Answer should yoou be drawn as a winner of the prize. i 10 By B enter t ring any competition you agree to have your details passed to a third party. 11 One entry per househoold.

BOOKING DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE – Monday 11th March 2019 PAGE 

WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK

THE LOCAL ANSWER