Tetbury says goodbye to much-loved Reverend

1. Tetbury Goods Shed delighted to present classical series debut 

On Sat 27 Jul 2024 Tetbury Goods Shed are delighted to present Miyabi Guitar Duo Making their Goods Shed Classical Series debut, they are known for working extensively in community music-making contexts.

In 2020, the duo was awarded the Wigmore Hall Learning/Open Academy Ensemble Fellowship. This led them to work with people of all ages across Wigmore Hall Learning’s vast programme, including musical workshops for people living with dementia.

Drawing on a large range of musical influences, the Miyabi Duo is a versatile ensemble comprising Saki Kato (Japan) and Hugh Millington (UK). Together they perform a variety of music for two guitars, ranging from new compositions written for the duo to music on nineteenth-century period guitars to classic staples of the Spanish guitar repertoire.

Based in Suffolk, they frequently collaborate with organisations including Britten Pears Arts, with whom they regularly lead musical workshops for their ‘Participate’ programme, which aims to use music to combat social isolation in rural communities.

Doors open at 7.00pm. The Concert starts at 7.30pmTickets are Adult Advance £24.00 and Under-25 Advance £15 For more information or to book your tickets, please visit the new website:www.tetburygoodsshed.co.uk

2. Next gathering at Shed Piano Club in Tetbury

The Shed Piano Club at The Goods Shed, Tetbury. Are pleased to announce their next gathering will take place on Wednesday 31 July. Offering a wonderful opportunity for amateur musicians who have worked hard at their music to finally be able to play for other people.

Since acquiring the Steinway grand piano the Goods Shed has hosted hugely successful and popular Tea Concerts on Wednesday afternoons with local amateur musicians playing for an appreciative and interested audience.

It is hoped that Piano Club 21 will build on this and incorporate the warm social atmosphere of these gatherings with the opportunity to play for a group of peers. The Whistle Stop Café will also be open from lunchtime and during the afternoon offering a range of refreshments.

And they request that, for the time being at least, all participants book in advance.Anyone wanting to perform should contact Maggie Dyson. maggie.dyson@btinternet.com. or telephone 01666 837 358 and she will be able to confirm availability and performance time slot. They do hope you can come along and maybe bring a guest.

There is just a small charge (Tickets: £2.50) for all who attend, whether playing or listening and tickets can be booked by visiting the good shed website and clicking the ticketSource link on the description of the event.

3. Business owners invited to networking day 

If you own or run a business, then you're invited to a networking day on Thursday Aug 8 at St Marys Church. The initiative is on one day but in two parts.

First from 12 o'clock noon until 5.15pm you'll be able to drop in and have a chat and have your say on what you would like to assist your business, or share information about your business you want promoted. This is in case your schedule is full and you can not get to part two the the days main focus the 5.30 networking drinks, nibbles gathering at St Marys Church.

The new business chamber/ forum launching its groundbreaking free membership platform, and you can find out about some of the projects and initiatives that the new chamber will be launching along with other independent projects.

Furthermore the new free membership platform will allow all businesses to communicate with each other, join or utilise community groups, upload resources to share with other businesses and truly provides members added value and support.

The project's objectives are clear to be a network of businesspeople designed to promote and protect the interests of its members.

To Inform Influence with Innovation. With opportunities for networking and information sharing. Continuously promoting our Town/ region's capabilities to the wider world and to Lobby and represent business to both local and national government.

We want to ensure that our own local bussness community has access to opportunities to innovate within their organisations in order to support growth.

Enthusiasm, drive and a passion for business growth we know how great and what Tetbury has to offer, all we have to is share it The chamber is confident that the new innovative solutions, projects and partners will not only meet but exceed the expectations of businesses across our area, no matter what size from sole bespoke business to the larger ones, or even or working remotely, So please get involved if you cannot there on the day or you want more infomation then you can ring or WhatsApp Coreen on 07780143160. Or you can email admin@tetburychamber.org 'We all got here by different ships! But we are all in the same boat now’

4. New MP agrees to say a few words at networking day 

Fantastic news as our brand-new MP Roz Savage MBE has agreed to come along to say a few words and listen to the businesses on Thursday Aug 8 at St Marys Church. the 5.30 as part of networking drinks, nibbles gatheringn for the new Tetbury Chamber launch Roz said ‘Thank you so much, I would be delighted to join you.

This will Be a great chance to meet more of the Tetbury business community. This will be a fantastic opportunity for Tetbury businesses to engage with our New MP.’ The Holiday Activity and Food Programme is back this summer!

5. More holiday activities and food programme over the summer 

Cotswold District Council is working in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council and local community organisation World Jungle to deliver another Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) for eligible children across the Cotswold district this summer.

All activities are available to view now, please visit: https://gloucestershirehaf.com/cotswold-district-haf/ To sign up to the Children’s Activity Booking system (CABs): https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/haf/

Family support is also available through the Community Connectors, Bloodhound Education, as part of the Summer Holiday Activity and Food Programme 2024. They are on hand to help with booking activities, organising transport to attend activities and signposting families to other agencies where a need has been identified.

To get in touch with Bloodhound Education, please email accounts@bloodhoundeducation.com or phone 0208 150 3767 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am - 2:30pm). Alternatively, the Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator at Tetbury Town Council can help you with any bookings. Please call 01666 504670 and ask for Andrea

6. Amazing Flower Festival across 14 parishes 

Well done to Tetbury St Marys' Church and all the 14 parishes across two deaneries, who took part in the amazing Flower Festival "Glorifying God Sustainably with Flowers”held at St John Baptist Cirencester on 6 July.

The Festival hosted well over 500 visitors as it showcased the work of flower arrangers from fifteen local parish churches.

They used eco-friendly practices to create their ‘amazingly beautiful’ designs. The focus was on celebrating locally grown flowers.

Many were from the arrangers’ own gardens or from Flowers from the Farm. There was absolutely no use of any type of floral foam which is often a single-use plastic which breaks down and pollutes our rivers and seas.

They also didn’t use any other types of foam with a high carbon footprint.The Festival was a great and positive way to get the message across and bring the enjoyment, sights and smells of local flowers, in season, to so many. ‘

The church is like a country garden’ as one visitor put it.‘I love that all the flowers can be found in our gardens’ said another. Three excellent demonstrations of how to arrange in this new way were held and Flowers from the Farm bought beautiful flower samples to show us. The Festival is deeply indebted to St John’s, Cirencester for hosting the Festival and helping in so many ways.

7. Tetbury was rocking on Saturday 

Tetbury was rocking on Saturday when Tetfest returned for its 6th year. This hugely popular live music festival, which attracted nearly 4,000 people, has certainly earned itself a place on Tetbury’s calendar as a must attend event.

This year’s Tetfest was blessed with perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold, but just right and with no rain! On a day when summer felt like it had finally arrived people flocked to Worwell Farm with chairs and blankets, ready to enjoy themselves as they set up camp on the grass.

Looking around the site, it was incredible to see landowner Geoff Turbott’s green fields transformed into a vibrant festival site, complete with a large and colourful tent that had already made itself useful the previous night as the venue for Flashback Fraidy, the 80s and 90s disco that kicked off the Tetfest weekend.

Music is always at the heart of Tetfest and this year was no exception. Topping the bill was the incredible Chic to Chic, a tribute to Nile Rodgers, while other artists on stage included Katy Ellis as Taylor Swift, Ultimate Elton, Florence & the Bare Souls, Archalia, The Mighty Soul Destroyers, Joli & The Souls, and Junior Jungle, back by popular demand to stun and delight the crowd in equal measure. “

I know we say it every year, but this was definitely the best Tetfest ever,” says organiser Mark Wood. “It was certainly our biggest crowd to date, and we are so delighted that everyone had a great time.

Music brings people together and that’s what Tetfest is all about.” Tetfest is also all about being family friendly and having something for everyone to enjoy, so there was plenty to do, especially for the kids.

Two high energy fairground rides had the older kids (and many adults!) coming back for more, while for the little ones the children’s entertainment zone had bouncy castles, fairground stalls, face painting, hair braiding and a climbing wall.

With much of this entertainment free of charge and with the whole festival area securely fenced, parents were able to relax in the knowledge that their kids were safe and having fun.

Other Tetfest attractions included a fully stocked bar organised by Tetbury Rugby Club; Bar Bros. cocktails; a silent disco featuring DJ Shippers, DJ Danny Toft and DJ Rev. Steve, and a wide selection of stalls selling delicious food.

A special word of praise goes to Cirencester College photography students Jessica Starr, Chad Evans and Tom Hughes who worked alongside Tetfest’s official photographer Mike Walker to capture all the fun of the day. Their photos will be uploaded to the Tetfest website (www.tetfest.co.uk) and Facebook page over coming days, so keep an eye out in case you were one of those snapped.

With six fabulous Festivals under their belt, the Tetfest committee is even more determined to build on their success and keep this event going for the future.

More volunteers are needed though, so if anyone can spare any time – even if its only an hour or so – please drop the team a line via their website and get on the list for next year. A final word goes to Mark Wood, who points out that the only reason we have this fabulous community event is because Geoff Turbott allows Tetfest to use his land for free. “Geoff is absolutely key to the success of Tetfest, and we can’t thank him enough,” Mark says.

“There are so many people who work so hard behind the scenes to get this event up and running each year and I’d like to thank everyone one of them, from the committee members to the volunteer staff, vendors, security and First Aid – they all do an incredible job and are utterly dedicated. But most of all I’d like to thank the people of Tetbury for supporting this event. We hope you will come back next year and have an equally good time!”Tetfest 2025 takes place on July 12th 2025. Follow Tetfest on Facebook for all the latest news.

8. Weather did not stop St Mary's Church fair 

Even the Changeable British weather with its rain did not stop the Marys’ Church Fair Saturday 20th July that was due to start at 2.00pm in the Vicarage garden however the advantage of having the vicarage opposite the church was taken full advantage of as the fare was moved seamlessly into the church.

And it worked remarkably well as it was a packed with every one enjoying the delicious homemade Cream Teas, they had a book stall, raffle, tombola, face painting, children's games, crafts & cards, clay sculptures and various gifts, pottery, Pimms stall and the new attractions of children's' soft toy tombola, Splat the rat, tin can alley They raised over £2,200. Of course they would like to thank everyone who attended an amazing team of volunteers.

Special thanks must go to the local businesses supported the event and have donated some fabulous prizes for the Raffle. Including Case of wine worth £50 from Chavenage House. 2x pairs of cinema vouchers from The Goods Shed. Autumn walk for 2 at Highgrove House. Gift voucher from the Priory. £20 book voucher from the Yellow Lighted Bookshop. Unisex scarf from Moloh. Lunch and drinks for 2 at Cafe 53. Ladies Cashmere jumper from Luella Fashion. Plant from Sentiments florist. Donation from Artique. House & Garden Tour at Westonbirt House. 3 course meal and bottle of house wine at Calcot & Spa. One night stay for 2 at The Ormond, at Tetbury. Bottle of Chloe Perfume and a Hobbs Scarf

9. Tetbury says farewell to much-loved Reverend 

Tetbury said farewell and gave thanks to our much loved Reverend Canon Poppy Hughes at her special packed final service Sunday 21 July

Poppy said 'I look forward very much to sharing this Benefice service together. I'm delighted to say that that The Revd Kim Brown and The Revd Rob Church will be involved in leading worship, as well as The Revd Pauline Setterfield and The Revd Dr Steve Bullock. So we will have a lovely full complement of Curate colleagues past and present, and a chance to catch up with old friends. I hope it will be a special time to celebrate all we have shared in these past eleven years; to thank God for the many blessings in our ministry and life together; and to hold in prayer the ways God plans to build on this in the future!

An emotional Poppy reminded us of what she said to Bishop Michael when she first applied for the post ''if I am not successful then I will have to come back to Tetbury as when I came to visit I lost my heart to Tetbury.”

She was given a pictured painted by Nicki Heenan of Iona a special ancient place of pilgrimage where Poppy and many of the Tetbury congregation have stayed enjoyed the beauty of the island and experience Christian community living she was also presented with a beautiful picture from the children from Little Fishes Sunday school of a tree with the leaves made of thumbprints from the children as a reminder.

A true testament of her work with children was one young Nathan stood up and announced three cheers for Poppy thanking her for what she had done for him, and other children. Revd Pauline Setterfield gave a beautiful heartwarming reflection of Poppys amazing work Ordained in 2010, Poppy joined us in September 2013 serving the Tetbury Benefice, Beverston, Long Newton and Shipton Moyne

. Poppy made the move to Tetbury from South-East London where she was a curate working closely with children and young families, Poppy was a producer for Radio 4, helping put together shows such as You and Yours, Any Questions, and Any Answers; then, at church one day, she had a call from God She has been a major part of or Town and the other Benefices with the loving pastoral care that includes many activities, from being involved in the Food Bank, through to visits to individuals at home and to Tetbury's care homes.

The work with children includes the monthly iSingPOP CELEBRATE family sessions, St Mary's after-school club Faith Explorers, and Little Fishes Sunday School at the 10.00 am Sunday service in church. And there are many opportunities for people to discover more about the Christian faith and to grow as disciples of Jesus: from our "Being With” courses, explorers' course, to "Reflect Women's Breakfasts" and home groups in Advent and Lent.with services that draw in young and old alike: from 300+ people gathering on Remembrance Sunday, to over 600 folk sharing in the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Our Town is the poorer for her leaving but her new post as Vicar of St Peter's Grange Park. It's in Enfield, she will continue gods work and people will be lucky and blessed.

Good luck Poppy and I think you know how loved you are.