Eastington Community News          No. 148           Dec/Jan 2015
ECN148.Editorial.Councils.Education.Churches.Groups.Environment.Naturewatch.Events.Adverts.
Eastington - Winner of Gloucestershire Vibrant Village of the Year 2010
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ECN148.Editorial.Councils.Education.Churches.Groups.Environment.Naturewatch.Events.Adverts.
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Editorial - Christmas edition
Welcome to the Christmas edition, which brings you the popular Christmas Quiz from the Village Agent and a reminder of the long-standing Eastington School Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 7th December at 12:15.  We can read about preparations for Eastington Playgroup’s Christmas Nativity, which will be on Thursday 18th December.
We have details inside for activities, and Advent and Christmas services at both Anglican and Methodist churches.  Some mellowing signs are detected among once brash commercial advertising in the approach to Advent and Christmas.  Poignant TV adverts by Sainsbury’s and John Lewis encouraging compassionate thoughts and expressions of love through the eyes of a penguin are examined by the Rector.
Getting things to happen in any place requires some key ingredients; imagination, hard work, determination and a helping hand of a benevolent supporter are elements that come to mind.  Eastington has come a long way in realising many of its dreams, and compares very favourably with other similar-sized communities today.  I know that many in the Village will remember the time before we had our own recreation ground, and when we were desperately seeking land for allotments and a play park for the youngsters.  It is timely to recall how Mrs. Shirley Harris gave us the Owen Harris Memorial Ground (OHMG) in memory of her husband, and enabled us to buy land next to it for allotments and the Play Park.  It was with sadness therefore that we learned of her recent death following a long illness. She had taken great interest in our Village since moving away to Selsey in West Sussex, and her welcomed phone calls to many of us were a chance to exchange interesting news.  Many people in the Village have said they would like to have a service to remember Shirley and an opportunity to give thanks for the big contribution that she made to Eastington.  Early in the New Year a memorial service will be arranged to celebrate the life of Shirley, so look out for the notices, and if you would like to take part please contact me on the number below.
It would save Planners a lot of work if most of the new homes needed for the District were bundled as a ‘blob’ rather than distributed around the area that they serve.  But that reason does not make it a good idea.  The news on this front makes for depressing reading without a glimmer of festive cheer.  This topic dominates articles
from Parish and District Councils who also bring news of Boundary Changes, Sheltered Housing and other issues important to Eastington.  For a detailed view of the Local Plan and ‘West of Stonehouse’ proposal see the DSS article by Daniel James.
A couple of members from Eastington Flood Group recently spent time further up the Stroud valleys with like-minded local groups to se how best to reduce risk of flash flooding to we ‘valley dwellers’.  In the  ‘Stroud Valleys Rural Sustainable Drainage System Project’ article you can read how slowing down the flow of water from the hills in times of torrential rain can help reduce flooding risk to those who live close to the flood plain.
The College of William Morris House gives an insight of their community and introduces a proposal for new workshops to enhance development of vocational skills.  Eastington Community Orchard Group’s ‘Apple Day’ was a remarkable success, and a record amount of produce has been prepared this year.  For the best way to get hold of these scrumptious juices and gift packs see inside for details.
If it’s activity you are looking for you may find articles about the new ‘footpaths’ group (PROWD), or the ‘Jolly Joggers’ group to be the ticket.  If you are a bit busy in the lead up to Christmas, how about another look following the festivities?  It could just be the answer for a New Year’s resolution when the time comes.  If all that activity seems too much, then an armchair update from Alkerton Rangers might whet your appetite for some live spectator sport at OHMG.
Few can have missed the remarkable recent achievement in restoration of the Stroudwater Canal between Stonehouse and Stroud.  Now we can see progress as the section between Stonehouse and Saul Junction (Section 1B) comes into the limelight.  Your ideas for creative opportunities or volunteering to help would be most welcome as the multi-million pound Heritage Lottery Fund bid is compiled, as explained in Val Kirby’s article on the Cotswold Canals project.


Wishing all our readers a very Happy
Christmas and New Year.

Andrew Niblett - Editor

Andrew Niblett (Editor) 824841 (niblett.parish@talktalk.net)
Chris Osman (Articles Editor) 822060 (ecn.article@gmail.com)
Tom Low (Distributor & Adverts) 823425 (tom@hazelcottage.eu)