November report

In last month's Church magazine, I wrote about the Wednesday Health Walks but gave some incorrect information about the starting place and time. Once summer is over, the usual meeting point is by the Up Hatherley Library/Hillview Community Centre at 10.15 on a Wednesday morning. The walks are well supported and excellent for your physical and mental well-being.

At the end of September, I was honoured to be asked to the Church for the Institution and Induction of Father Mark Catherall and to welcome him to our community on behalf of Up Hatherley Parish Council. We look forward to working together to make our Parish a safer, more peaceful and caring place to live.

The Church’s Heritage (People’s History) project, which the Parish Council is supporting, is beginning to take shape and I am greatly looking forward to seeing the project launched in the new year, bringing opportunities to connect young people with the older generation and to collect people’s stories about living and working in Up Hatherley.

In September, we had a photo call at the “Pocket Park” opposite Lakeside School with our Mayor, Roger Whyborn , our County Councillor Simon Wheeler, the headteacher Ben Jordan and teachers and children from Lakeside School. The Parish Council were major contributors to this project, the wild flowers still looked good and the corner is a big improvement on what was there before despite the damage to the grass from the gas pipe worker’s hut.

Last month, we met with the Secretary of Lakeside Football Club and look at all the work they have been doing to get football up and running on the new Cold Pool Lane sports pavilion/field. Their organisation is most impressive, and we have agreed with them where we can install the David Hall memorial bench the Parish bought. By end of this year we are hopeful that the bench will be in place and football will be underway.

Lastly, a date for your diary – we are funding another Bicycle Marking event at the Village Hall on Saturday 25th January 2020 starting at 9.30 am. When we arranged this event with Gloucestershire police in January 2019, over 100 people brought their bikes along to be security marked – a very well supported initiative. You will see some more posters and announcements going up but if you have a bike and it hasn’t been marked, come along on 25th January.