Kingsway Villagers

The Kingsway Residents Association will be holding another annual Halloween Event for local children. We will be setting up camp outside of Tesco and this year we are holding a Fancy dress Competition for Under 11 year olds.
We are also available for “Trick or Treat” goodies and - with the (as always) generosity and help of Coco Coffee Lounge, will be offering free hot drinks for adults.

Following the 2013 Litter Pick organised by the Kingsway Residents Association, and having received many enquiries from local folk about a similar exercise, I am pleased to announce that the City Council is working with Quedgeley Parish Council to hold a litter picking event at Kingsway on Monday 27th October at 9:30am.

The event is known as the Big Tidy Up (part of a Keep Britain Tidy campaign), and we are asking for volunteers to join us.

We will meet at 9.30am at Kingsway Community Centre. We will provide high-vis tabards, litter pickers, gloves and bags, and will arrange for the bags to be collected after the event.

If you wish to display a poster for the event, click on the picture for a printable (.pdf) copy.

The next public meeting of the Kingsway Residents’ Association will take place at Kingsway Primary School on July 9th, at (the ‘later than usual’ starting time of) 7:30PM.

We have invited numerous speakers/contributors including: Andy Smith (QUVL), Andy Jarrett (Reachout!), Dave Norman (Conservative Councillor) and the local Police. In addition we have invited representatives of the Quedgeley Parish Council and Barry Kirby (County Councillor for Grange & Kingsway).

Please make a date in your diary and come along to the meeting if you can make it. This is your chance to keep abreast of community developments and plans, as well as your opportunity to speak to local representatives (about any and all local matters).

I spent last Friday evening at the Barn Owl, saying farewell to Steve Brooks (blastu2) who is leaving Kingsway (traitor! Although - in his defence, he’s going to live in one of those dream houses on the bank of a beautiful lake, somewhere in Canada)!

I first met Steve back around 2008 at a Residents Association meeting. Having already spoken to him several times, I knew him to be an educated guy with terrific connections, an interesting past and some local problems, (which he was pro-actively trying to solve).
Later on he joined the Kingsway Residents Association, finishing up as our Secretary. Steve put a lot of effort into his role, helping to organise many local events, (he was Santa at the carol singing event last December, and was also very pro-active in organising the litter picking event and obtaining equipment for our future use)!
He also campaigned on our behalf (and on behalf of several individuals) with the press, the council(s), builders, developers and many other organisations, and was a great fund-raiser for local events too.

Steve had a talent for “targetting” the right person, and always seemed to be able to come up with personal contact details for the top man in any organisation!

Whilst I can’t say I blame him for his decision, I am personally very sad to see him go. He was a good friend, a kind and helpful man and an asset to Kingsway. He will be sadly missed

Bon Voyage Steve mate… Look out Canada!

PS: Don’t forget to keep in touch… Post some pictures of your new house once you’re settled in (just to cheer us all up)

Make a diary date for this year’s Big Lunch: Sunday June 1st from 12pm to 4pm.

We (The Residents Association) are appealing for volunteers to help set up and/or clear away, and help running stalls on the day… Please let us know if you can lend a hand.

Previous Big Lunch events have been excellent:
2013 Big Lunch Review.
2012 Big Lunch Review.
2010 Big Lunch Gallery).

Do try and make it this year, it’s a great day out.

The Residents Association held it’s latest public meeting on 19th March at Kingsway Primary School. The minutes are now available.

We had an update on the local ReachOut! youth project (first reported here).

We met John Gow, the newly appointed “Community Builder” (see this post by Fred Wood for more information), who spoke about his past experiences, and his plans.

Andy Smith (QUVL) gave us the latest development news regarding the Community Centre (ETA August 14th), Sports Pavilion and facilities (ETA August 14th) and Phase II Shops and parking (ETA August 14th). He also announced that The Jehovah’s Witnesses will be taking on the local "Place of Worship" (plans are currently being approved). Finally, he mentioned that "Litter Pick Days" will continue and that - whilst it was recognised that some of the local Dog Bins may need to ne re-sited, the situation would be reviewed after adoption.

Representatives from the local Community Police said that they now hold local "Drop-In Sessions" at Coco Coffee Lounge (11am on the first Thursday of each month), and Tesco’s (sorry no further details)! They also spoke about the recent spate of house burglaries, reporting that these have occurred throughout Gloucester and were in no way limited to Kingsway. They went on to say that these have - in the main - been opportunists (rather than professional burglars), who have taken advantage of un-secured properties, and finished by offering crime prevention advice, and mentioning that they have responded with increased late-night patrols.

Joe Logan (KRA Chair) gave a review of our (KRA) activities in 2013, our finances and our plans for 2014.

There followed the normal "Q&A" session, fielding questions on a local medical centre, speeding buses, local rail station plans (or the lack of!), and we finished the meeting with Cllr Barry (Baz_k) Kirby requesting help to spend his "three pots of money", and Joe requesting that residents give us some input via a blog entry (here), relating to their respective thoughts toward the KRA, and it’s future within the village.

Lots going on! Be sure to read the minutes for the complete picture.