Cheltenham Your FREE local community magazine FEBRUARY 2020
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THIS MONTH: Unique Valentine’s Gift Ideas Your essential local ‘What’s On’ guide Big Interview with Martin Surl, Gloucestershire’s PCC
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PAGE 15
IT IO N
This month: FOOD & DRINK
10 & 11
THE BIG INTERVIEW
12 & 13
QUIZ TIME
14 & 15
VALENTINE'S DAY
16 & 17
HOME & GARDEN
18 & 19
TECHNOLOGY
22 & 23
LOVING LOCAL
26 - 29
A note from the Editor NEW YEAR, NEW US Welcome to the February issue of your local community magazine! As you will notice we have made a few changes to the magazine to give it a new look and fresh feel. We’ve made it easier for you to navigate through the pages, included some new and improved regular content features alongside the usual local news and events, and there will be some exciting prize giveaways (see page 15). You’ll also find in this edition our new monthly big interview feature where we interview a prominent local figure and ask them the questions you would like to be answered. If there’s someone, in particular, you would like us to interview, then let us know at info@lovelocalmagazines.co.uk. We hope you enjoy our new look magazine! We have many more exciting new features and plans for the coming months to make sure the magazine is informative, of value to our readers and always provides great local news and features, so keep an eye out and enjoy the read!
Best wishes, Anne www.lovelocalmagazines.co.uk GENERAL ENQUIRIES: anne@lovelocalmagazines.co.uk T: 01242 388 366 TO ADVERTISE liberty@lovelocalmagazines.co.uk T: 01242 388 367 Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in the publication. Love Local Magazines do not officially endorse any advertising/ editorial material included within the publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systen or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise - without the prior consent of the publisher. The use of this magazine for canvassing or direct marketing is strictly prohibited.
12-13
THIS MONTH'S BIG INTERVIEW: Martin Surl, Gloucestershire's PCC Page 3
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Page 9
FOOD & DRINK
Cheesy Vegetable Gratin A warming one-pan family supper packed with winter vegetables and topped with a rich cheese sauce. Serve with toast or crusty bread.
Ready in: 55 minutes | Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 350g small cauliflower florets 1 large courgette, roughly chopped 100g mushrooms, sliced 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped Large handful baby spinach leaves, chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 350g tub fresh four-cheese pasta sauce 150ml passata 100g Red Leicester cheese, grated Freshly chopped parsley, to garnish
METHOD Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan (see TIP) over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the cauliflower, courgette and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, spinach and oregano. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the pasta sauce and turn gently to coat the vegetables. Drop spoonfuls of the passata on top and scatter over the grated cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve straight from the pan with toast or crusty bread, if liked.
TIP If your frying pan is not suitable for use in the oven, transfer the vegetables to a large shallow baking dish before pouring over the cheese sauce.
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FOOD & DRINK
THE PERFECT VALENTINE'S TREAT!
Raspberry & Vanilla Panna Cotta Ready in: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 75g fresh raspberries, pureed 1 sheet leaf gelatine
PANNA COTTA
600ml double cream 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 pared strips lemon rind 50g caster sugar 2 sheets leaf gelatine Few drops pink food colouring
TO SERVE
2 ready-made chocolate brownies, halved horizontally Fresh raspberries
METHOD To make the raspberry jelly hearts, line a small 6cm square dish with cling film. Soak the gelatine in a shallow dish of cold water for 2-3 minutes. Heat the raspberry puree in a small pan with 1 tbsp water. Remove the gelatine leaf from the water and stir into the hot puree until dissolved. Pour into the lined dish and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until set. When the jelly is set, use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out 4 heart shapes and place each one in the base of a small heart shaped ramekin dish (each about 150ml capacity). To make the panna cotta, place the cream, vanilla extract, lemon rind and caster sugar in a pan and bring slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves as in step 1. Remove from the water and stir into the hot cream until completely dissolved. Leave to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the strips of lemon rind and divide the mixture between two bowls. Stir a few drops of pink food colouring into one bowl. Spoon the two mixtures into the ramekins, to give two with colouring and two without. Chill for 6 hours or overnight until set. To serve, cut and trim the halved brownies to make four heart shapes the same size as the ramekins. Dip each ramekin into a bowl of hot water for a few seconds to release the panna cotta then turn each one out onto a heart-shaped brownie. Decorate with fresh raspberries.
Page 11
THE BIG INTERVIEW Martin Surl has been Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner since 2012. Love Local Magazines met with him to see how he's making Gloucestershire safer.
■ What made you want to become
the PCC for Gloucestershire? It's a job that I thought would be really interesting. I was actually following the green papers through parliament when I was working in London for ACPO which was the terrorism branch of chief officers. The job looked tremendously interesting, but I never really thought I would win the election. I knew it was a fantastic opportunity, so I had to get involved. I'm a local person, I understand policing and I seem to have the right skill set for it, so I thought I’d give it a go!
■ If you weren’t the PCC for
Martin Surl
Gloucestershire Police & Crime Commissioner
"Gloucestershire is the third-safest place to live in the whole of the UK"
Gloucestershire what would be your ideal job? This is my dream job! I’ve had some great jobs in the past within the police service – I got to work abroad in Estonia to help modernise its police service after the country left the Soviet Union; I got to work in the capital after the London bombings on counter-terrorism for five years; I’d always wanted to be the police commander in Cheltenham – and I got to do that – I’ve had a great career, but there’s nothing else I really want to do.
once a week to discuss how the constabulary is doing – always taking the position of the public, not the police. I’ll ask the questions that the public wants to ask, but isn't always able to and ultimately hold the chief to account. I’m also responsible for the finances of the police service to make sure the money is spent efficiently and have a lot to do with the priorities in the Police and Crime Plan, which includes things like ensuring that the constabulary becomes more environmentallyfriendly; improves its performance around burglary and always provides a good service.
■ What does the PCC do and what
■ How does Gloucestershire rank in terms
does a typical day look like for you? There really is no typical day. I must dispel one myth though, which is that my job is part-time – it's very much full-time! My duties include meeting with the chief constable, Rod Hansen, 12
of national crime and safety figures? Despite a general rise in crime across the whole country, Gloucestershire is the thirdsafest police area to live in in the whole of the UK. It hasn’t always been that way though, the situation has consistently improved
THE BIG INTERVIEW
since I took office in 2012. Undoubtedly, there is still work to be done, but this is a fantastic county and a safe place to work and bring up a family.
■ Antisocial behaviour accounts for
tax by 5 per cent, and last year by 10 per cent. It was a difficult decision to make, but it allowed us to recruit another 74 officers and about 20 police staff. Local people in Gloucestershire are the ones paying for improvements to policing now, so I believe it’s really important for them to have their say on the kind of policing that’s relevant to them. In addition, the government has realised that the cuts went too deep, and has promised 20,000 new officers nationally. If they keep their word then we think that equates to 143 new officers for Gloucestershire.
nearly a third of all crimes in the county, ■ What is your biggest single priority what is being done to reduce this? for the safety of Gloucestershire Antisocial behaviour is a problem. The residents in 2020? force in Gloucestershire lost over 300 There isn’t one single priority, but it’s my officers in the last few years, which is a job to ensure that every priority of my huge number, so they’ve understandably Police and Crime Plan is met been focusing on really harmful by the constabulary during my "Antisocial crimes. But now that austerity time in office. A full list of my is over, I’ve been going back to behaviour, priorities is available online them to say "you need to focus (www.gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk). requires a change on the volume crimes now’"; this It includes things like focusing in society" includes burglary and retail crime. on providing a safe and positive By reintroducing community policing and working with our friends and agencies through The Commissioner’s Fund we’re hoping to achieve this. You can’t just police your way out of antisocial behaviour, it requires societal change, and that’s why we need to work together with local people to change the culture within communities. Every crime matters, because every victim matters.
environment for children and young people to grow; ensuring the police are accessible and accountable in all they do; making sure that no one is overlooked and that Gloucestershire is a green and pleasant county; and that those enjoying the county’s night-time economy feel safe.
■ What is the PCC doing to increase
police numbers in Gloucestershire? We lost a lot of police and staff over recent years and we’ve had no increase in government funding since 2010, but two years ago I was able to raise council Page 13
QUIZ TIME
Pictograms
PICTOGRAMS
4 words
PANTANTANTPANT 3 words BOO!
QUIZ
NEON 2 words
ABC
13/05/2020
26/10/4040
WORDWHEEL Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.
E
T
A
L
T P
E
M
TARGET Excellent: 41 or more words Good: 36 words Fair: 32 words 14
SUDOKU
Puzzle Page
1. The 2010 film Easy A, starring Emma Stone, was loosely based on which 1850 novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne? 2. How many points is the letter “B” worth in Scrabble? 3. In the equation E = mc2 that was devised by Albert Einstein, “E” represents “energy” and “m” represents “mass”. What does the letter “c” represent? 4. What is the only American state to have a name beginning with the letter “a”, but ending with a letter other than “a”? 5. Commissioned to mark the 2002 Commonwealth Games, in which British city would you find a sculpture called B of the Bang? 6. Known by the stage name Mr. C, Richard West was the lead singer of which charttopping group? 7. What letter begins the names of more elements in the periodic table than any other letter?... A, B or C? 8. Which is larger?... an AA battery or a triple-A battery? 9. In the lyrics of the Chuck Berry hit single, Johnny B. Goode lives “deep down” in which US state? 10. The “Four Cs” is a term used to refer to what four characteristics that diamonds are commonly judged by? Answers on p. 20
QUIZ TIME
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www.lovelocalmagazines.co.uk Page 15
VALENTINE'S DAY
Unique Valentine's Gift Ideas Our story cushion Capture your most memorable moments with your other half on this gorgeous personalised cushion! From your very first date, your first anniversary, to your first romantic holiday together. £16.99. findmeagift.co.uk
Birth Flowers (Grow Your Own) Each month of the year has a birth flower which represents qualities inherited by those born in that month! There are 12 flowers available for the months of the year, which the recipient can grow. £9.99.
gettingpersonal.co.uk
Date night bucket list At this point in your relationship, you both feel like you've seen and done it all. This handy jar of 25 date ideas will prove otherwise. Once you complete one of the ideas (create a piece of art together, for example), note the date on the back of the stick. £13.99.
uncommongoods.com
16
Love Tiles Poster
Create a personalised love tiles poster, with your names intertwined with one another. You’re also able to add a special date and a personal message. £19.99. findmeagift.co.uk
VALENTINE'S DAY
Bathtub Caddy Tray This is one of our favourites. The only thing that beats breakfast in bed is a candlelit bath at night. Fill the tray with sweets, flowers wine, candles and books for the perfect romantic bathing experience. From £29.99. amazon.co.uk
Special Location Map Map out your love story with this customizable print. Choose the exact location where you got engaged or married, and then add your names, anniversary date and a heartfelt message. £29. notonthehighstreet.com
The ‘start of us’ star map Take it back to the beginning with this custom map print that shows what the night sky looked like at the exact moment that you first locked eyes, kissed, or fell in love. Choose from four colour foil overlays for the stars for that extra special personalisation. £24. notonthehighstreet.com
What’s the history of Valentine’s Day? The origins of St Valentine’s Day are said to have begun as early as the third century and were possibly influenced by the Roman fertility feast of Lupercalia held on 15th February, By the eighteenth century, handmade Valentine’s cards had become popular and were very elaborate with flowers, ribbons and lace. They would often feature Cupid, the mischievous winged son of Venus, Roman goddess of love. He also appeared in much romantic verse as the bringer of often unrequited love – hence a missive was necessary to let the object of your desire know of your affections! With their sentimental notion of romance and the language of flowers, the Victorians elevated Valentine’s Day to the popular celebration it has become today. In 1858, The London Journal wrote of St Valentine’s Day that it was both “natural and proper that at the start of spring the predominating sentiment in the human mind should be the sentiment of love; and to this accordingly the anniversary of our saint is directed”.
HOME & INTERIORS Open plan living may look great, but is it really practical for everyday living?
Open Plan or Broken Plan?
Welcome to Broken Plan
By Katherine Sorrell Although everyone loves open-plan living, sometimes we need a quiet, separate space. Huge open spaces can be difficult to heat, too, and noise can sometimes be an issue. ‘Broken plan’ is a practical evolution of open plan, retaining the elements we love, particularly good light and a feeling of openness, but with subtle elements to divide large spaces into more manageable ones, with different zones for different activities. Spaces may even be opened up or closed off as desired. Broken plan aims to be the best of both worlds. Temporary dividers are convenient and less expensive: a screen, for example, a large floor-standing bookcase, or even simply a slender console table. They can be easily moved around or removed as necessary. An open-plan space can be divided visually, using simple tricks such as changes in paint colour or floor finish and mini ‘rooms’ are easily created by grounding furniture arrangements on a rug or in an area of contrast flooring. Finally, employ lighting as a powerful tool to delineate space. Form zones of different lighting types, including pendants and wall lights, and carefully position floor and table lamps. If possible, install different circuits (controlled by switches or dimmers) to break down the 18
spaces and illuminate different parts to suit your needs, whether it be a living area or bedroom, a kitchen or a dining area.
Great ways to introduce a broken-plan feel: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Changes in floor level Lowered ceilings to create cosy areas Glass walls Steel-framed internal floor-to-ceiling windows Pocket doors Sliding/folding doors Hinged, panelled doors Screens Large bookcases Console tables Lighting zones Changes in paint colour Differences in flooring Rugs to create mini ‘rooms’
HOME & INTERIORS
Cosy up your home this Winter
By Katherine Sorrell
Spring may still be a while off, but there are ways to make your interior more inviting, even in the midst of winter. Make long, dark nights and chilly mornings more bearable with some clever thinking. To start, make sure your lighting is up to scratch. A well-designed lighting scheme reinforces a sense of security, comfort and vitality, and making dramatic improvements could be as simple as adding a floor lamp in a dark corner or a reading lamp next to a favourite armchair. For the best effect, layer lighting so that it comes from a variety of sources and directions. Add the leaping flames of a log burner or a few pretty tea lights or candles for an atmospheric evening in. Colour can make all the difference to a room’s feel, and a quick paint job – perhaps just on one wall – can be transformative. Earthy or spicy colours such as claret, mustard, ochre or chocolate are great choices, while navy or dark grey are more neutral and perhaps easier to live with all
year round. Don’t be afraid of trying darker shades – not only are they very on-trend, but they are really effective at creating a feeling of cocooning comfort. Think about the other main colours and textures in each room. For warmth underfoot use a deep pile rug or two to add extra softness, and consider swapping sheer, pale, lightweight curtains or blinds for something heavier and in a bolder shade – think wool, tweed, velvet or even felt, denim or mohair. In the bedroom, replace pale linens with sheets or a duvet cover in a deeper shade, piling on quilts, eiderdowns, bedcovers, throws and blankets, combining colours, patterns and fabrics for a glorious, sumptuous mixture. And in the living room, pile up cushions on sofas and armchairs for a sense of cosy luxury, then add some generously sized throws over the back: great for snuggling under. Draw the curtains, light the fire, pull on some fluffy socks, make a mug of hot chocolate and settle down with a good book or a favourite box set – baby it may be cold outside, but inside it’s warm, cosy and welcoming.
Top Cosy Tips ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Lighting is key Colours make all the difference Darker colours add to the cosy feeling Use warm colours on feature walls Use lots of cosy and colourful fabrics
Page 19
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TECHNOLOGY
Are you at risk of being data hacked? Top Tips
● Change your passwords regularly ● Don’t use the same password for different devices or applications ● Use more complex passwords ● Use letters, numbers and symbols We all know that we should keep our passwords safe, use different ones on different devices and make them hard to guess, however, most of us brush off this simple advice because we think it’s too complicated or time-consuming. With cybercrime rising at an alarming rate, and organised criminals becoming even more sophisticated, leaving your password security to chance is a high-risk strategy. With a small amount of time, and a focus on safety and security, there are some easy and simple steps you can take to improve your password security. Focus on length. The best passwords are at least 12 - 15 characters long and should contain letters, numbers and symbols. Try not to use numbers and letters that run in sequence, add an element of randomness to your passwords. Use different passwords for accounts that contain sensitive or personal data. 22
The importance of this tip cannot be emphasised enough. If you use the same password across your accounts, once one of them has been cracked, all of your accounts and data become vulnerable. Share your password with…. no one and never write it down. This sounds obvious, but all too often people share passwords with partners or friends or even have a hand-written password book at home. Don’t let browsers remember your passwords. While this feature in many browsers may make it quick and easy to get into your accounts, it also makes it easy for someone who’s using the same computer or device to access those accounts (and all of your personal information) without needing to know your password.
Consider using Password Managers There are lots of password manager tools available that store and protect passwords like banks store and protect money – these tools can also create passwords that are incredibly hard to crack. Make sure they are a reputable company. Do your research and read through reviews to make sure you are choosing the best provider for you.
TECHNOLOGY
How safe is your PC data?
By Carrie Marshall
Have you ever considered the impact and pain of losing valuable data or all your cherished digital photographs if your computer failed, had a terminal virus, or your data was hacked, stolen or held to ransom? Have you taken enough steps to protect and back up your data? Make sure you are backing up your data regularly. You can store data backups on cloud-based services such as Google, Microsoft, and Dropbox to name but a few. Whilst you will need an internet connection for cloud-based storage, they are very cost-effective and secure. Another great benefit of cloudbased storage systems is that they are continually and automatically backing up your data, and therefore your data is always live and securely backed up. For further peace of mind, it’s always a good idea to back up your important data to an external hard disk: that’s much faster and doesn’t require you to keep up a membership or pay a monthly subscription as some online services do. You can get a good external hard
disk for less than £40, and you don’t need to pay much more for faster, higher-capacity ones. To protect yourself from malicious software and hacking there are plenty of free options such as the excellent AVG Free, but it’s worth considering spending a little money on a paid-for security suite such as BitDefender Total Security (around £49/£69 for an unlimited-device Family Pack). BitDefender doesn’t just cover your PC: it protects Macs, Android and iPhone/iPads too, and it includes tools to stop bad things getting onto your devices as well as anti-hacking protection for your personal data. It comes highly recommended by the internet’s most trusted review sites. Top Tips
● Back up your data regularly ● Have an external storage device back up of essential data ● Use a cloud storage provider ● Use strong anti-virus software
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LOVING LOCAL
New team cracking down on anti-social behaviour in Cheltenham What has a ticket tout in Race Week got in common with an aggressive beggar and a fly-tipper? They are all in the sight of Cheltenham’s new Town Centre Team which is working to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the town centre. Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID) has partnered with Cheltenham Borough Council to set up a team to tackle ASB in all its forms. The team is a group of partners from a variety of agencies, including the council’s enforcement and public and environmental health officers, police personnel and BID ambassadors.
HELP: HOW YOU CAN lp by reporting Everyone can he that they see B incidents of AS m online. tea the directly to enham.gov.uk/ Go to www.chelt t the relevant report-it and selec en to a page tak issue. You will be u information which will give yo matters, about a range of h to the ug with a click-thro rting form. po re e appropriate onlin d and you will Reports are logge d be updated get a response an s been dealt when the issue ha to include a le ab with. If you’re , ntify the problem picture to help ide ul. lpf that will also be he
As well as ticket touts, aggressive beggars and fly-tippers, the team are addressing issues like fly-posting, street drinking, unsightly graffiti, littering, overflowing bins and much more. It is all aimed at making Cheltenham a safer, cleaner and more friendly place to live and to visit. Kevan Blackadder, Cheltenham BID Director
Update: Lions Club of Cheltenham As a result of a very successful concert by the Treorchy Male Choir, the Club was recently able to present a cheque for £4,000 to Acorns Children’s Hospice. Further proceeds went towards the running cost of the Club's holiday caravan for local disabled people. The choir will be back at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury on 28th Sept to raise more funds for worthy causes.
Continuing their association with Focus at Cheltenham Hospital, the Club donated £250 as first prize in their Christmas Draw in December. The winner made the very generous gesture of presenting the prize to the hospital. In 2020, the Club continues its project of collecting unwanted spectacles from various opticians in town. Last year, nearly 5,000 were collected and sent to the third world to help people less fortunate than us. 26
The Cheltenham Lions Club also donated £1,000 towards the national appeal for help with the Australian fires. The money will be administered by Australian Lions Clubs and will be used to replace water tanks, which will enable residents to return to their homes.
LOVING LOCAL
MP Alex Chalk on Global Warming At the time of writing, Australian wildfires had scorched 18 million acres of land (an area the size of Belgium), killed at least 25 people, and destroyed thousands of homes. Nearly 500 million animals had perished. WWF Australia predicts that animal deaths will exceed more than 1 billion. The evidence of global warming is there for all to see, and it’s unanswerable. Wildfires have broken out in the Arctic Circle, the Ross Ice Shelf is in dramatic retreat, and Alpine glaciers are disappearing. I introduced legislation last April which has legally committed the UK to be carbon
Flash-floods in Charlton Kings The perils of flash-flooding were brought into stark relief in early January. A taxi driver drove through the ford in School Road, Charlton Kings, returning just minutes later with his passengers. On the return journey the taxi was swept off the road by the force of the water, turned through 180 degrees, and fortunately came to rest. Everyone got out safely. These severe weather events are becoming more frequent and more serious. The fires in Australia are in the news now, but across the world temperature records are being broken and people’s lives affected. Just two days later, there was an exciting meeting in Charlton Kings discussing the rebuilding of Kings Hall. This is a project
neutral by 2050. We have a great opportunity at the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this year to rally the world to take decisive action. We cannot do this alone. Although UK emissions may be down by 42% on 1990 levels, we are responsible for just 1% of global greenhouse gases. China emits 25% and continues to open coal-fired power stations every month. Here at home, new houses built near Cheltenham’s cyber park and in Uckington should not be fitted with gas boilers but cleaner technologies such as air source heat pumps. We should drive down emissions by enforcing anti-idling zones in Cheltenham to prevent vehicles leaving engines running outside schools and in the Prom. And the rollout of EV charging points across town should dramatically accelerate. Some of this will not be easy, or even popular in the short term. But we have to act. The clock is ticking. Alex Chalk, MP for Cheltenham that the Parish Council has been working on for some time. The new building is to be “as carbon neutral as is practically possible” and will be fitted with a ground or air source heat pump. We all have similar decisions to make. No point regretting the choice of car we did make, but when it comes to replacing it there are new choices emerging all the time. Cllr Paul McCloskey, Charlton Kings
LOVING LOCAL
WINTER DIARY
Your essential guide to local events in and around the area LIGHT UP CHELTENHAM 1 - 23 February, Town centre See Cheltenham lit up in beautiful colours (there will be walking tours) or go for a ride on the observation wheel at Imperial Gardens. TEWKESBURY WINTER ALES FESTIVAL 7 Feb, 11am - 11pm & 8 Feb, 11am - 8pm, Watson Hall, Barton Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PX. 80 winter ales, food, local cider and perry. Judging of the CAMRA South West Perry final. Car parking provided a short walk away. Entry fee incl. glass and a beer voucher. T: 01684 855040 LINC LUNCH CLUB 7 Feb, Wesley House, Winchcombe. For supporters of LINC. New guests always welcome. The lunch typically costs £20 with £6 going to LINC. To join, email Louise: l.adkins@nhs.net. COFFEE MORNING 8 February, 10am - 12pm, Methodist Church, Bishop's Close, Off Tobyfield Rd, GL52 8NT. Fairtrade stalls, raffle, cake, refreshments. AFTERNOON STROLL 9 Feb, 2pm, Meet at 28
Warders Alley (beside M&Co High Street). Walk around the lanes and alleys of Tewkesbury. £2.50. CLEEVE CONCERTS 9 February, 7.30pm, Tithe Barn, Bishop's Cleeve John Adams. Tickets from Chelt. Town Hall, 0333 666 3366 or www.cleeveconcerts.com. WINCHCOMBE MUSEUM WINTER TALK 13 Feb, 2.30pm, Methodist Church Hall, Winchcombe David Aldred: Helping the historian, place names in the North Gloucestershire landscape. SUDELEY SECRET SPIES 15 - 23 Feb, from 10am, Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe Children can complete a trail of puzzles, codes and riddles and receive a small surprise. Incl. with general admission. CRESCENDO BIG BAND CONCERT 16 Feb, 3pm, Gupshill Manor, Tewkesbury, GL20 5SY. Tickets: £10 on the door. LIONS CLUB BOOK SALE 17 - 23 Feb, Regent Arcade, Cheltenham. Buy excellent value second hand novels
and children’s books. JUNIOR RUGBY CAMP 18 & 19 Feb, 9am - 3.30pm, Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham. Two days of Rugby fun and action for boys and girls aged 8-13. £60 for the two days. T: 01452 872287 HALF TERM FUN 19 - 21 Feb, 10am - 12pm, John Moore Museum, Old Baptist Chapel, Church St Drop-in children’s craft sessions. £1per child. QUIZ NIGHT 19 Feb, 7.45pm, Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury. Test your knowledge of local, national and international trivia. Teams of up to 4 people welcome. £1 pp, no booking needed, just turn up. T: 01684 295074 WINCHCOMBE LIVE 21 Feb, Doors open 8.15pm, The White Hart, Winchcombe. Ian Parker. £10 on the door. SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING. 27 Feb, 2 5pm, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham. Scottish dancing to CDs. £5, pay on the door. T: Derek Latham 01452 306857 or
LOVING LOCAL Andy Clark 01452 614995. KNITTED MONKS EXHIBITION. 29 Feb, Tewkesbury Abbey. There was a community of Benedictine monks at the Abbey until the Dissolution in 1540. The display shows the daily activities of a monk. T: 01684 850959 POLAR PLUNGE 29 Feb, 10am - 12pm, Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham. Swim 50m in the freezing water and help raise money for Winston's Wish and the St Vincent's & St George's Association. 17+ only. £10 pp; min. fundraising amount: £50. Swim begins at 10.30am. Spectators welcome. JOHN COGHLAN’S QUO 29 Feb, Doors open 7pm, Watson Hall, Barton St, Tewkesbury £12 in advance. T: 01684 636666
March GUIDED BATTLEFIELD WALK. 1 March, 2pm, Meet at Abbey Lawns car park, Gander Lane, Tewkesbury. 2-hour walk. Booking not neccessary. Stout walking shoes recommended. Families and dogs welcome. T: 01684 855040 FOLK SONG NIGHT 3 March, 8 - 11pm, The White Hart Inn,
Winchcombe, GL54 5LJ A friendly gathering of regular singers/musicians and newcomers. Guest duo on 3rd March: Discovery Elaine and Jeff Gillett. Free entry. T: 01242 602236 LINC LUNCH CLUB 6 March, Primavera, Montpellier, Cheltenham. For supporters of LINC. New guests welcome. The lunch typically costs £20 with £6 going to LINC. To join, email Louise: l.adkins@nhs.net.
Queen Mother Champion Chase, 12 March: Day 3 - Featuring The Ryanair Chase and The Stayers' Hurdle, 13 March: Gold Cup Day - featuring The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. For details & tickets: www.thejockeyclub.co.uk CLEEVE CONCERTS 13 March, 7.30pm, Tithe Barn, Bishop's Cleeve Barbara Dickson. Tickets from Chelt. Town Hall, 0333 666 3366 or www.cleeveconcerts.com.
ABBA’S ANGELS 7 March, Doors open 7.30pm, St Edward’s Senior School, Cheltenham GL53 8EY. In aid of LINC charity. Enjoy singing and dancing to the songs of ABBA. Bar. Ticket price of £35 incl. a Ploughman’s Supper.To book: www.lincfund.org/ event/abbas-angels/
MADE BY HAND CRAFT FAIR. 20 & 21, 10am - 5pm, 22 Feb, 10am 4pm, Cheltenham Town Hall Meet some of the UK’s finest designers & makers, incl. jewellers, potters, furniture makers, textile artists, glassmakers, woodworkers. Craft workshops, activities, stalls & more.
THE FESTIVAL PREVIEW NIGHT 8 March, Gates open 6.15pm, Cheltenham Racecourse. Racing legends will take to the stage to share their tips ahead of The Festival. For tickets: www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
LIDO OPENING DAY 28 March, 11am - 7.30pm, Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham. Celebrate the start of the Lido's 2020 season for only 2p per person. Fun-filled day for all the family! sandfordparkslido.org.uk
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL AND GOLD CUP 10 - 13 March, Cheltenham Racecourse. 10 March: Day 1 - featuring The Unibet Champion Hurdle, 11 March: Day 2 - featuring The Betway
Local Markets FARMERS’ MARKET 2nd & last Fri/month, 9am - 2pm, Pedestrianised area outside Cavendish House, Cheltenham Page 29
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