More must read local news

So much has been going on locally - here is a round-up of some..

Mast proposal - for near Ash Lane, Randwick - this was refused planning on Tuesday by the Development Control Committee as the company had not sufficiently considered alternative sites. Well done to all who have campaigned on this. However we will need to remain vigilant. I fear that a new application will not be long coming and they may well do their home work better this time. See more blogs on this here.

Basketball good news - after being contacted by younger Ruscombe residents keen to play basketball I have sought to get a hoop locally - especially as that part of this area has very little for that age group - previous blogs carry many of the twists and turns of this story but we are getting closer - local residents wrote along with me to save the hoops at Stratford Park - the hoop has been re-sited and there are now hopes for a half court to be built there - but I have managed to get the spare hoop for the Parish (see photo of hoop) - at a meeting this morning on Whiteshill playing field Parish councillors looked at possible sites - they still have to take findings back to their next meeting but things are looking v positive - I've emailed several folk tonight in the hope that we can also get it put up fairly soon - we'll see....

CuckooRow farewell concert - Stroud band CuckooRow (see previous blogs here) whose guitarist Freddie Whitacker lives in Farmhill are splitting up as the two girls go to University and Freedie moves to Cheltenham for work - catch them for the last time at the Fringe this weekend at the Prince Al;bert Inn, Rodborough on Friday from 8pm. Contact Lotte for details 755600.

The Healthy House - based in Ruscombe and set up in 1991 by Ruscombe residents Maxima and Don Skelton have developed a wonderful family business with everything for the healthy house incl electrical sensitivity, allegies and much more - see their website here with their new catalogue just out a couple of weeks ago: www.healthy-house.co.uk

Whiteshill Sunflower reaches 9ft 3in - Whiteshill resident and school child 7 year old Tabitha Copp planted the seed and nurtured it to it's current height - see photo in the SNJ with her Dad - owner of that great Stroud clothing shop Eclipse. Sid came to Stroud from Suffolk, and believes that fairtrade is the way to go. Eclipse was born in October 2002, and he sells with his partner Alicia to customers from 16 to 90 years old. The world's tallest sunflower was 25.5ft.

Whiteshill film-maker's success - Luke Wasylkiw, 19 first came to notice as a film-maker with his film The Ball in 2005 - set in Stroud it was a visual journey about a group of teens chasing a ball around a forest - he won with his brothers Damien, 31 and Johnny 26, the best-editing award at the Cotswold Film International Film Festival - since then he has composed the music for the behind the scenes film about the making of the Danny Boyle's 2007 Sci-Fi thriller Sunshine. Lots more has come since then - see some of his work here - plus he has even worked on a District Council video looking at the Minchinhampton intergenerational allotment project which is encouraging youths to grow veg. He is now looking for any local businesses who feel they could benefit from his work - email him on:
dj (at) wasylkiw.co.uk

Drew Wedding - Amy Elizabeth Drew, daughter of our MP, married Martyn David Pearce son of David and Lynda Pearce in Randwick (see photo). The SNJ report the couple spent their honeymoon in California and Hawaii before returning home to Dudbridge.

Cashes Green Hospital site photos wanted - don't forget the consultation on Saturday - see here for details and other events this weekend including Coffee Morning, Open Homes and Randwick Village Hall's opening. Jenny Bailey has appealed for photos of the early years of the hospital - apparently some photos have gone missing - if you have any info call her on 765705.

Coco Chic Beauty and Nail Salon opens - lastly good luck to a new local business near the Tesco Express at 143 Stratford Road in Paganhill. It is great to see this place in use - good luck to Leanne Townsend.