Residents warned to prepare for flooding
27/12/2020
Residents in Siddington are being warned to prepare for flooding as the River Churn has risen following heavy rainfall overnight.
Those in Cirencester, South Cerney and Cerney Wick also continue to be on high alert with flood warnings issued.
Those in Cirencester, South Cerney and Cerney Wick also continue to be on high alert with flood warnings issued.
The Door's Christmas quiz night
16/12/2020
Join The Door's 3 directors at 8pm on Tuesday 22nd December for the Stroud-based charity's final virtual quiz night of 2020 - full of the festive themed questions we all love (or love to hate!)
Family’s growing Christmas light display shines bright for much-loved wife and mother
11/12/2020
For the seventh year running a Cotswold family is making their home shine bright this Christmas with a beautiful light display dedicated to a much-loved wife, mother and grandmother, Sandra Wearing.
The dazzling display in South Cerney, near Cirencester, is put together by Kelvin Wearing, with the help of his family, to raise funds for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice who cared for Sandra.
The dazzling display in South Cerney, near Cirencester, is put together by Kelvin Wearing, with the help of his family, to raise funds for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice who cared for Sandra.
Cotswold school appeals to community to help raise £350,000 for essential development work
10/12/2020
Swell C of E Primary School gained headlines across the UK, India, France, Brazil and Portugal after launching its Swell Christmas Raffle in November, but is now appealing to the local community to buy tickets before the draw on 16th December.
The raffle, which offers a signed Fender guitar from Coldplay as its coveted prize, has sold 6,000 tickets to date, but the school is hoping to sell all 20,000 tickets on offer to really kick start its fundraising campaign to raise money to build an extension and replacement toilet block, originally added to the small village school in the 1960s.
The raffle, which offers a signed Fender guitar from Coldplay as its coveted prize, has sold 6,000 tickets to date, but the school is hoping to sell all 20,000 tickets on offer to really kick start its fundraising campaign to raise money to build an extension and replacement toilet block, originally added to the small village school in the 1960s.
Bryan Adams announced as Cornbury Festival headliner
10/12/2020
Organisers of the Cotswolds' much-loved Cornbury Festival are thrilled to bring a little joy to the end of 2020, with the announcement of Bryan Adams as headliner of the festival’s Friday night line-up on July 9 2021.
The Roses’ £12 panto saves Christmas!
09/12/2020
Yes, there will be a live Christmas show this year at the Roses Theatre Tewkesbury!
(Almost) a Christmas Carol – an adaptation of Dickens’s famous tale – will open on 12 th December, and tickets cost just £12 each.
(Almost) a Christmas Carol – an adaptation of Dickens’s famous tale – will open on 12 th December, and tickets cost just £12 each.
Stroud collaboration shines a light on grief and hope during pandemic
08/12/2020
The Good Grief Project and The Sub Rooms are collaborating to honour those who are experiencing grief during the pandemic by lighting up the historic venue at the heart of Stroud.
This evening (Tuesday, December 8) from 5pm Stroud Sub Rooms will be flooded with yellow light as part of National Grief Awareness Week (December 2-8) which will also see other historic buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Blackpool Tower illuminated. There will be a minute's silence at 6pm.
This evening (Tuesday, December 8) from 5pm Stroud Sub Rooms will be flooded with yellow light as part of National Grief Awareness Week (December 2-8) which will also see other historic buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Blackpool Tower illuminated. There will be a minute's silence at 6pm.
Schoolchildren's drawings up in lights at Cheltenham hotel
06/12/2020
At the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The 1st December saw the launch of the Christmas advent projections on the hotel’s Georgian façade, running from 4.30pm to 10.30pm each evening.
In collaboration with local partnership project, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), that helps young people in the area thrive, the Queens Hotel team has partnered with 13 local schools* to create a Kindness at Christmas advent calendar that showcases artwork from 24 primary schoolchildren*.
In collaboration with local partnership project, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), that helps young people in the area thrive, the Queens Hotel team has partnered with 13 local schools* to create a Kindness at Christmas advent calendar that showcases artwork from 24 primary schoolchildren*.
Airshow '50th' book set to fly off the shelves
25/11/2020
Over the past 50 years, millions of people from across the globe have marvelled at the incredible aviation spectacles that have seen the Royal International Air Tattoo grow to become the world’s greatest airshow.
For the first time ever, the complete history of the Air Tattoo, from its birth in 1971 to the present day, has been captured in a beautifully illustrated book written by renowned aviation journalist Ben Dunnell and features hundreds of dramatic photos, many taken by some of the world’s leading aircraft photographers.
For the first time ever, the complete history of the Air Tattoo, from its birth in 1971 to the present day, has been captured in a beautifully illustrated book written by renowned aviation journalist Ben Dunnell and features hundreds of dramatic photos, many taken by some of the world’s leading aircraft photographers.
Winning Christmas card designs raise money for local causes
25/11/2020
Four students from Chipping Campden School have helped raise several hundreds of pounds for Campden Home Nursing and the school’s new Performing Arts Campaign by designing Christmas cards which have sold like hotcakes!
Coldplay donates signed Fender guitar to help small Cotswold school
20/11/2020
Coldplay, one of the most famous rock bands in the world, has donated a signed Fender guitar to a small village school in the Cotswolds as a prize in its Christmas raffle.
Swell C of E Primary School, in the north Cotswolds, which has just 29 pupils, has opted to make 2020 a year to remember, not forget, by hosting the huge online raffle to raise vital funds.
Swell C of E Primary School, in the north Cotswolds, which has just 29 pupils, has opted to make 2020 a year to remember, not forget, by hosting the huge online raffle to raise vital funds.
Three rescue dogs from Gloucestershire become Kennel Club calendar stars
20/11/2020
Kobe, Blink and Dude, three rescue dogs from Gloucestershire, have been chosen as the tail-wagging stars to feature in the 2021 Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar.
The calendar is made up of stories and pictures of seven rescue dogs striking their best ‘pawse’ after overcoming the odds, highlighting the work of the organisations that gave them a second chance and found them loving new homes. The sales of the calendar raise funds for The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, one of the largest charities dedicated to dog health and welfare in the UK.
The calendar is made up of stories and pictures of seven rescue dogs striking their best ‘pawse’ after overcoming the odds, highlighting the work of the organisations that gave them a second chance and found them loving new homes. The sales of the calendar raise funds for The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, one of the largest charities dedicated to dog health and welfare in the UK.
Creative canal solution sees Old A40 reopen
19/11/2020
Spoil from a canal near Stroud has been used to help repair a road in the Cotswolds – saving the county council £700,000.
The Old A40 near Northleach, also known as Prison Copse Wall, has been closed since autumn 2015 because of damage caused to the wall supporting the highway and cracks appearing in the carriageway. The cost of repairs was estimated at more than £800,000.
The Old A40 near Northleach, also known as Prison Copse Wall, has been closed since autumn 2015 because of damage caused to the wall supporting the highway and cracks appearing in the carriageway. The cost of repairs was estimated at more than £800,000.
Major improvement programme completes at Bourton Primary
18/11/2020
Bourton-on-the-Water Primary Academy has welcomed pupils into their new classrooms following the completion of a major programme to expand and improve facilities at the school.
The academy, which is situated in the picturesque Cotswold village, has now moved into its new Early Years and Reception classrooms in the final step of the £1.8m, three-phase construction programme, expanding the school so it can admit 45 children per year.
The academy, which is situated in the picturesque Cotswold village, has now moved into its new Early Years and Reception classrooms in the final step of the £1.8m, three-phase construction programme, expanding the school so it can admit 45 children per year.
These Christmas meals will bring cheer to thousands of people in need
17/11/2020
Three thousand Christmas meals for people in need, including those who are self-isolating, will be created this year thanks to the social enterprise The Long Table with support from the Stroud District Council.
The arrangement came about when SDC offered a licence to use the kitchen at the council-owned pub The Ship Inn in Brimscombe, when it became vacant and before the lease was remarketed.
The arrangement came about when SDC offered a licence to use the kitchen at the council-owned pub The Ship Inn in Brimscombe, when it became vacant and before the lease was remarketed.
Fairytale Farm named fastest growing farm attraction in England
16/11/2020
Fairytale Farm, just outside Chipping Norton, has been named as England's fastest-growing farm attraction, according to the Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions, just published by Visit England.
The results from this survey are reported annually, providing an overview of the visitor attraction sector. The newly-published figures, which are for the full 2019 season, show that Fairytale Farm's visitors grew by 56% between 2018 and 2019, to 37,825.
The results from this survey are reported annually, providing an overview of the visitor attraction sector. The newly-published figures, which are for the full 2019 season, show that Fairytale Farm's visitors grew by 56% between 2018 and 2019, to 37,825.
Village Open Gardens calendar is a first
10/11/2020
Villagers in Ashton under Hill, near Evesham, have produced their own calendar to make up for the fact that the 42nd Ashton Open Gardens didn't happen there this summer.
Resident Andy Cooke, who took some of the featured photographs, said: "This will be the first year that there will be an Ashton Open Gardens Calendar. The calendar features some lovely appropriately seasonal pictures of the village, useful monthly gardening tips and a voucher giving you one free entry to the 2021 Ashton Open Gardens. What more could anyone want?"
The price is £6 per calendar (in an envelope for posting if needed), £5 without the envelope. There will be an extra £2 charge per calendar to post.
Anyone interested in buying a first edition Ashton Open Gardens calendar should email contact@ashtonopengardens.co.uk


Resident Andy Cooke, who took some of the featured photographs, said: "This will be the first year that there will be an Ashton Open Gardens Calendar. The calendar features some lovely appropriately seasonal pictures of the village, useful monthly gardening tips and a voucher giving you one free entry to the 2021 Ashton Open Gardens. What more could anyone want?"
The price is £6 per calendar (in an envelope for posting if needed), £5 without the envelope. There will be an extra £2 charge per calendar to post.
Anyone interested in buying a first edition Ashton Open Gardens calendar should email contact@ashtonopengardens.co.uk


Cotswold inn 'among best restaurants in the UK'
29/10/2020
A Cotswold inn has been named among the UK’s best restaurants, receiving the coveted accolade of three AA Rosettes.
The Feathered Nest Country Inn at Nether Westcote, Gloucestershire, is among 26 British restaurants to have received three AA Rosettes, a record number for a single announcement, along with four restaurants to have been awarded four AA Rosettes.
The Feathered Nest Country Inn at Nether Westcote, Gloucestershire, is among 26 British restaurants to have received three AA Rosettes, a record number for a single announcement, along with four restaurants to have been awarded four AA Rosettes.
The Duchess of Cornwall visits Westonbirt Arboretum
27/10/2020
The Duchess of Cornwall, Royal Patron of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum charity, visited Forestry England’s Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, yesterday (Monday).
The Duchess took in the spectacular autumn colour display and found out more about the arboretum’s work and activities in conservation, education and participation.
The Duchess took in the spectacular autumn colour display and found out more about the arboretum’s work and activities in conservation, education and participation.
Madness announce Forest Live date in the Cotswolds next summer
21/10/2020
Madness will be playing at Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, as part of Forest Live 2021, the summer concert series presented by Forestry England.
Drawing on their musical roots in ska, Madness were responsible for some of the most credible pop compositions of their generation with the ability to write songs that sparkle with the spirit of British life.
Drawing on their musical roots in ska, Madness were responsible for some of the most credible pop compositions of their generation with the ability to write songs that sparkle with the spirit of British life.