24 Nov 2007

Local news: traffic, village shop, poems and big cats

Whiteshill traffic

Just back from the Village Hall where a group of residents and Parish councilors discussed traffic along the main road - it was an open meeting and Chair of the Parish John Rogers (see photo) kicked the meeting off with a series of photos to help the discussions.

Some old ideas to slow traffic were discussed like 'Gateways' to the village - what could they look like? Where could extra benchs go? What about planting? Various new ideas also came up like trying to put in a rural footpath along the road at the top end of the town where walking is lethal - indeed when I canvassed up there or delivered leaflets it was seriously dangerous. The ideas will now go to the Parish meeting and some decisions made about priorities.

Village Shop sale - and fire repairs

This morning I caught the Village Shop sale of crafts - they had just moved inside - forced there by the rain - came away with marmalade and various other bits.

I also heard that the shop are struggling to get a second quote for repairs following the fire there (see photos) - are there any local builders out there that can help? I've phoned a couple this evening but no joy yet - until the shop get the quotes they cannot get the insurance sorted or work begun.

Randwick Gardening Club

I'm told by a member they are taking bookings now for their annual holiday together - it will be in Leeds and 5 gardens will be visited June 30th to 4th July £238 per person.

Randwick Playgroup poems published

Poems are set to be included in the 'Young Writers: My First Poem anthology' - due to be published in February. Apparently they were given sentences to complete with their own words.

Big cats seen in Whiteshill

I just got this report: "A lady was driving at Whiteshill yesterday mid PM and had to slow down due to two big black cats crossing road together. This is in the zone centred on Randwick & Standish woods that's become reliable for sightings. I could do one of my big cat talks in a local village/community hall if you know any local organisations who might want to set this up. The talks explain what's happening with big cats, which species are about, and what the implications are." See my blog on 11th November for details of how to report sightings and email me or leave a comment if you would like someone to do a talk.

Randwick Parish Plan

Sundays meeting which I missed was apparently successful in planning the next stages - particularly looking at the Design statement for the village - more volunteers still wanted - the latest will be soon on the Randwick Gateway site - also with Wap updates.

1 comment:

Philip said...

I just got info that a guy reported a small deerkill from Nympsfiled area, where he has a workshop. The chap had to move the kill anyway and has put it in range of his workshop’s CCTV. He’s away for a week but will check on return.

The kill was investigated and experts are not convinced it is a Big Cat – it’s half eaten out from the back the attack on the neck was messy for a cat. The deer is a muntjac.

Anyhow it was on BBC radio Glos earlier this month. They finished off with the ‘why no cats bodies?’ question. The guy being interviewed said “well, actually, not far away…”

After the show he got phoned by a retired police officer from who said that on 17 Jan he watched a big black cat race across two fields opposite side of valley, near Selsley (there were apparently two sightings reports from near those fields last May). The chap said it had a jack-knife run akin to cheetah, and it paused at times (he didn’t think it was cheetah!). This was day after the Minchinhampton deer kill, which would be about a mile and a half from the sighting.

There have also been a couple more sightings and deerkill pics from past dates sent today as a result of the BBC Glos web coverage.

See story at…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2008/01/31/possible_big_cat_kill_feature.shtml