Kingsway Village Residents Association
In this comment Clare said “if there is to be a residents association I would be pleased to be involved”.
I made enquiries (as promised) and Trevor Cribb (Marketing Consultant for QUVL) said:
“On the matter of the residents association I am sure that if the Kingsway residents wished to form an association the consortium would be delighted to assist every way it could.
Do contact me - or get whoever might be at the helm of such an association to do - and we’ll try and all take it forward”
So - here’s a great opportunity for anybody interested in heading - or being part of - a Residents Association for Kingsway Village to volunteer, and for us to get the full cooperation and assistance of QUVL and the developers whilst we can 
I am quite willing to take part and happy to use this site to publicise meeting dates, activities, decisions, meeting minutes, coordinate meetings and anything else which might be useful.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:03 am
I am planning on living here for some time so I would gladly vounteer to be part of the residents association.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Likewise I would be interested as this is the first time I have planned to put down roots and have actually bought a house!! It is nice to be involved but I in no way feel qualified to head this up. I run my own small business and am also a full-time credit manager so have some (probably quite useful) skills that I can bring to the forum. Anyone want to head this up?
April 13th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Hi,
I am not too sure if I have the confidence to head this as well, but I may give it a bit of a go, depending on what is needed to do so. If not I have some really good and useful contacts.
My dad has been on the committee and has been chairman and is now President of the Tenants Fed’ at Tuffley. I am also in contact with the person who runs the community centre there, so I should be able to get some very good advice. These people can also provide us with lots of other very useful contacts for getting things done around the village.
I hope this is of some use to you all, please let me know, thanks.
April 13th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Hi sar.jas,
Thanks for joining us, posting and volunteering
It certainly sounds like you have some useful contacts.
April 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Both Amanda and I would love to be involved in this. I have little experience in leading this type of group, however I would be happy to do so if everybody was willing to do their bit so to speak. Since there are no community buildings yet, we would need some appropriate venue for an initial informal get together, any suggestions? (I think the Harvester is within easy walk for an informal meet).
What do people think? It will involve working out what our role is, how many people form the core committee and how we get everybodys input… Answers on a postcard
April 21st, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Hi Baz and everyone else.
This is a great idea. I do have the answers to your questions, (as I have said before I have some very useful contacts).
To start the first meeting it would be best to get in touch with a local councillor, this i can do.
What we also need to do is to get flyers posted through every door to get as many neighbours interested as possible. If they want a say or have any problems, they need to be at the meeting, bringing the whole community together.
A date and venue also needs to be set, (a Friday evening would be good for me)!
We will also need to sort out (at the meeting) a chairperson,vice chairperson, treasurer and secretary as the main core members.
If yourself or anyone else would like to sort the venue and date out and let me know I will try to arrange for a councillor to be present at the meeting.
Hope this is of some help.
Sarah.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:13 am
OK, sounds like we’re getting somewhere! I have done a leaflet drop this weekend for this site so hopefully more Kingsway residents will be adding their contributions here soon.
The Harvester sounds fine for venue and once we have a few people interested I am happy to speak to their management about getting together there…
I work in Cheltenham so evenings or weekends are better for me.
So it looks like we have on board so far, Baz and Amanda, Sarah, Nephros, Clive and myself…is that enough for a starter get together?
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Hi Folks,
It’s great to see so many enthusiastic volunteers
Before we go any further, I would like to make a couple of points:
It will be very important for the Residents Association to have the support of the entire community. In order to do so, we should give every resident the opportunity to be a part of the Association from the start.
Thanks to Clare, much of Kingsway has recently had a leaflet about this site, as a result many new people are joining us daily and I expect to see many more new names within this next week or so. However, there are many people out there without the internet
so I think we need - as Sarah suggested - to consider leaflets and other means of contacting the Village before the meeting is arranged (I mention “other means” because leaflets to rented houses with multiple occupants are unlikely to reach the majority).
We also need to arrange a venue, agree on a date, and get the support of the Local and Parish Councils in order to ensure an “Official Status” for the Association, and - if possible - the local Press / Media, to assist us in “spreading the word”.
In addition we should seek the support of the QUVL who have resources and infrastructure in place which could be of great help to us.
On the subject of the venue, I think we should try for the Quedgeley Village Hall or Community Centre first. Whilst I’m never slow to accept an invitation to visit a pub’
I think we should try to arrange a venue which will allow us some privacy and sufficient space… (we can always “stop in for a quick one” afterwards) 
Also, I read the minutes of a Quedgeley Parish Council meeting from April 2007, where the subject of local community premises was raised and some mention was made of premises being provided in a former RAF building. I tried to contact the person who was asked to follow up on the matter but found out that he has moved on. His replacement - whilst very helpful - was unable to shed any light on the subject, so I contacted the Quedgeley Parish Council who suggested I email the Parish Clerk - a Mr Peter Richardson - so I’ll email him today to find out if he has any further information about it and also to ask about the support of the Parish Council for the Residents Association.
Angelina and I will also contact both venues mentioned above and see how they feel about letting us use their facilities for free… In fact Angelina has already approached the Parish Council about the Community Centre; in order to book it free of charge we must write a letter to Cllr Hunt, which we will take care of as soon as we have agreed on a date.
On the subject of Local Press support, Angelina and I will contact The Citizen, The Quedgeley News, The Stroud Journal and THQ Mag’ to seek their support. We will also contact BBC Radio Gloucester and Severn Sound and arrange for a poster at Tesco.
In addition I’ll get in touch with Trevor Cribb at the QUVL to see how they can be of assistance, leaving Sarah to contact the Council as proposed.
That leaves only the date to be agreed and I propose that we consider Friday 6th June (earliest), thus allowing us a full calendar month to deal with all of the above issues, to arrange prior press coverage (bearing in mind that The Quedgeley News and THQ Mag’ are monthly publications), and to deal with the other arrangements detailed above.
What do you all think?
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Clive,
I think thats a great idea and thank you for being so proactive. 6th June sounds good and I think hitting the papers is great. We could have someone do a regular kingsway slot in the Citizen to report on what we are doing.
I suggest a general get together as you have indicated in order to outline what we aim to be and achieve and then either hold an election of sorts or set a date for an election if more people are willing volunteers. I will have a bit of time tonight to try and draft what a sensible organisation should look like.
If you have more leaflets to give around the Thatcham Avenue area, let me know and I can pass some out if you could drop some off?
I feel a strange sense of momentum, lol
Baz
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Hi Baz,
I was hoping for the same thing from The Citizen (and perhaps the Quedgeley News).
A “get together” would be fine with me. I’m also optimistic that we’ll get a number of volunteers for the various posts, in which case some sort of an election is a good idea.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with this evening and thanks for the offer (leaflets) but it sounds like Clare has hit the entire Village (thanks again Clare).
…”strange sense of momentum” huh? you can probably get pills for that
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:28 am
Hello there,
From the information I have gathered so far, we will need to decide what type of organisation we are going to be. It has been suggested that we should be a charitable one, as this will enable us to get help from some organisations if we should need to do so in the future, (eg: fun days etc).
We will also need to make everyone aware that we are a non-political organisation, as this could (I’m told) cause a few problems.
If we are to be a charitable organisation, I should be able to get in touch with a councillor who has dealings with neighbourhood partnership projects, to help finance us with grants and to enable us to run the meetings etc.
It has also been suggested that we have an informal meeting with the councillor with just a couple of us before the main meeting, so that we can give her some sort of idea what we would like to come out of the main meeting. This way we can let her take full charge of the meeting and give those who will be concerned her blessing to continue with things.
I will try to arrange it that us main 6 interested parties can be present. Can you all please let me know asap then I can make the phone call to the councillor and get things under way.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Hi Sarah,
You raise some very interesting points.
I looked at much online information about the setting up of a Residents Association, there’s a whole lot of free help and advice available. The most useful site I found is the “Tenant Participation Advisory Service” (TPAS), Their page “
Setting Up a Tenants and Residents Association” includes a link to this .pdf document which - amongst other helpful advice says “Some associations can choose to become limited companies or charities. If you want to take on a formal structure, then you will be governed by the relevant regulations.” I guess the councillor you are talking to may be able to point us in the right direction with regards to those “relevant regulations”.
It seems to be primarily aimed at Tenants (whereas I think that the majority of Kingsway Residents are home owners) but I recommend you all take a look at the document if you can, it includes much advice and guidance for doing exactly what we are aiming to do.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Hi Clive,
Thank you for that info’. It’s a really useful site, has got everything we should need to help us along.
Yes I’m sure the councillor (Jackie Hall) will be able to set us on the right path so to speak. I am amongst the minority and am renting from the Council, so the site is very relevant to me
Any thoughts on the meeting with the councillor anyone?
April 24th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Hi Sarah,
I spoke to Jackie Hall (about this site) not too long ago… it will be nice to meet her
I had a call this morning from Debbie at Quedgeley Parish Council, apparently there’s a Council Surgery at the Quedgeley Community Centre on Saturday from 10am-1pm where Cllrs Anna Moselle and (our friend) Brian Claridge (amongst others perhaps) will be available for questions and advice.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it but would like to do so if I can. Thought I would tell you all about it in case anyone can pop along and see if they have any advice for us.
Thanks Debbie
April 25th, 2008 at 7:06 am
I would be very keen to be involved. As I run my own business I have quite a few contacts that could prove useful. I am fairly pro active anyway, so doing it in conjunction with a Residents Association would not be a problem.
Let me know any information.
Simon
April 25th, 2008 at 7:09 am
By the way who is getting on with this? I am happy to get the ball rolling if there is no one currently doing it.
Please let me know if there is and how far it has got as I am happy to do any of the leg work.
April 27th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Hello all,
I’m interested in contributing and becoming a member. This kind of thing is completely new to me but as a 1st time home owner with a young family I’m very keen to be involved with the community. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.
April 27th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Hi Nephros,
Take a look at the above discussion… I believe Sarah was “including you” when she mentioned “6 interested parties ”
Hi nobbyc,
You are very welcome to join us and to contribute in any way you please.
It’s great to see so much interest
I have - as promised - sent an email to Mr Richardson (Quedgeley PC, Parish Clerk).
We have not yet written to Cllr Hunt about the room as I was awaiting “general agreement” on the date and - following Sarah (sar.jas)’ posts - I was waiting for reactions from Baz, Nephros and Clare and wondering if I should delay arrangements until after the meeting with the Councillor?
April 27th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Sorry for not getting on sooner. I quite like Sarahs idea of a small get together to get some face to face contact and to have an informal chat to get a feel for what all our motivations are. Can I suggest Thursday night? and that is open to anyone who is interested in this. Again, nothing too formal, just a chat over a drink?
After this, we can then decide what to do in terms of contacting people and organising a more formal meeting for the neighbourhood!
What do people think?
April 28th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Hi Baz,
I’m happy to meet with you all on Thursday, but I also think we should ask Sarah to go ahead and arrange the meeting with Cllr Hall at her earliest convenience, and we really need to agree the main meeting date (6th June) ASAP, otherwise it will have to be delayed!
We can decide what to do about the “type” of organisation and the election of the main committee before or during the meeting with the Councillor (I suspect she will offer us some good advice on both subjects).
April 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Clive et al,
Yep, your right, if the meeting with Cllr Hall can be arranged as you say, then that makes a lot of sense.
Are people up for meeting on Thursday? Also, who on here uses the website Facebook? I was thinking of making a Kingsway Residents group on there to try and get more hits to here?
Finally, well done Clive in the mini make-over on the site as well, its looking even better now.
Baz
April 29th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Hello Everyone,
I have spoken to Cllr Hall and have arranged for a meeting to go ahead Thursday 8th May at Quedgeley Community Centre (School Lane) at 7:30pm. This will be held in the small room entrance at the side of the building. Hope to see a few of you there, it will be good to put faces to the names.
We can then start getting other sources of communication sorted out so that as many people as possible will be aware of the main meeting and will hopefully join us.
Thank you in advance for all who are able to attend next week.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:08 am
P.S. Sorry I forgot to add: There will be one or two of the Parish Cllr’s there as well. Should be interesting.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Baz,
Yes, I’d be happy to meet up on Thursday: Let us know where and when
Thanks for the comment about the site… Believe it or not the “makeover” was quite substantial
I deliberately made the finished product look very similar, but there are several new functions available which I’ll be adding soon!
As for Facebook, my partner Angelina is a member. There is a group called “I live in Quedgeley, Hardwicke or Kingsway” (232 members) which she’s joined.
If you add a “Kingsway Residents” group (which would be fabulous), please let me know and I’ll create a post encouraging more people to join it (and Angelina will also ask all her contacts to do the same), and thanks very much for the idea and effort
Although I haven’t been tracking visitor stat’s in-depth (”stat-watching” is such a bad habit - lol) I know that more than 500 people bookmarked the site in April alone)!
Sarah,
Excellent, well done. I’ll be there for sure
I’ve been in contact with Cllr Hall by email about several things pertaining to this site, (she is an extraordinarily busy and very helpful lady); it will be great to finally meet her.
April 29th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Hi all
I’m a very active Facebook member and would be happy to point all my contacts towards a group and thus to this site. Baz - let me know if you’re going to create a group or if you’d like me to… I’m already a member of the Quedgeley, Hardwicke and Kingsway group as I lived in Hardwicke briefly before moving to Kingsway.
Next Thursday sounds fine for me.
As others have said, it will be good to put faces to names…
Clare
April 30th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Right, I will create a facebook group and forward it onto here and vice verca
Sarah - Good work, its just the sort of proactiveness we need!!
I’d quite like to attempt to put names to faces before the meet, thus if you are avaliable, I will be in the Harvester Tomorrow night at 8pm (after getting the kids to bed)
I guess for identifying me, (short of wearing a red carnation) I will endevour to be at the end of the bar away from the food end.
See you tomorrow
Baz
May 1st, 2008 at 5:47 am
Hi All,
Have created a facebook page called “Kingsway Residents Association”.
It is a closed group at the moment thus requiring people to “prove” (by telling me) that they are residents. So if you have a facebook account, please sign up!
See you all (or some of you) tonight!!
Baz
May 1st, 2008 at 7:59 am
I’ve signed up! I’m afraid that I don’t think I will be able to make it tonight as I only picked this up this morning but definitely attending next week…
May 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
I cannot make tonight due to other commitments. Please let me know about the next meeting. My partner has a face book account so I will get her to log in tonight.
Good luck for the meeting. I will make certain I get to any future meetings.
Simon
May 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
Hi Baz,
Nice idea having a closed group for the Residents Association, once we have things moving I’ll create a category for it and we can publish there regularly, that way all of the information will be grouped and you can change the facebook link to the category home page
Angelina has also created a public group called “Kingsway Village” so that we can also attract members and promote the site/area through non-residents. (Interestingly enough we have a growing list of regular visitors from all over the UK and Europe, not to mention the US and elsewhere)
She has added a link to your group, perhaps you could do the same
About Tonight
I’ll definitely pop in for a quick one, looking forward to meeting you
Clare / Simon, Sorry you can’t make it
If you’d like to help with the facebook groups promo that would be awesome
I’m feeling smiley today… apparently
May 1st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hi There,
(kids eah lol) 
Baz sozz but I’m gonna have to miss tonight too (although I could do with a drink)
Anyway its great to see a few of you will be going next week… Anyone bringing cakes ?
May 1st, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Hi All
Looking forward to meeting you all next Thursday and seeing what your group is all about and how we can work together.
I know of that Anna (vice) and Roger (Chair) will be coming as well
Regards
Cllr Bryan Claridge
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Hi Bryan, thanks for your support.
I am also looking forward to next Thursday and also the future of the Village with some of this drive behind it!
Last night was a small start of what is to come with any luck and it was nice to get a handful of people round a table (with a beer) to have an open discussion about what we want for our village!
Baz
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Thanks Bryan that’s excellent news. I’m looking forward to meeting you all.
Baz_k: It was great to meet you, Stuart and Richard last night and thanks for all your efforts. It was an interesting and fun evening.
It bodes well for the future of the Village when people are so keen to see Kingsway grow to become a real, close, safe and friendly community.
For those of you who couldn’t make it, we discussed ideas for the Residents Association including ways to encourage the maximum participation from other Villagers, get maximum support from other organisations and possible functions and events etc.
No decisions were taken nor did we make any definite plans; those things - we all agreed - must wait for the Association’s formation and approval by the majority of members. But we did discuss some interesting ideas and a plan for “getting the word out” (which we can discuss with those who attend next weeks meeting) and pass on to everyone else here to drum up support
May 7th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Hey all,
Lets not forget tomorrow night. I will be travelling back from Farnborough, so apologies in advance if im a little late, it all depends on the M4 lottery
Look forward to meeting more of you!
Baz
May 8th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Hi all,
I have just (Friday) found out that I am pregnant so at least for the next few weeks will be very tired indeed, (noticing that already)!
So it’s probably best that I limit my other activities outside of work and home.
However I am still very keen to be involved in this in some way and will await with interest the outcome of tonights meeting…
Apologies for not being able to attend but I am currently struggling to just get to the end of the workday with my eyes open.
Oh the joys!
Hope it all goes well
Clare
May 8th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Hi Baz,
At least there’s a Cirencester bypass nowadays - lol - that trip used to be mental!
Hi Clare,
Congratulations…
May 8th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Hi Clare,
I know just how you feel. It’s bad enough for anyone to stay awake in this weather, especially if you are up early with the kids as I am - lol.
Anyway thanks for letting us know, hope all goes well and listen to your body, do as it tells you, sleep well… oh and congratulations!
May 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Hi All
Just to say nice to meet you all on Thursday and we are looking forward to working together and also building up other resident groups throughout the Parish of Quedgeley
Bryan
Quedgeley Parish Council
May 13th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Thank you Bryan, the feeling is mutual
I was going to add a summary of the meeting here, but I’ve created a Category for the Residents Association now, so I’ll add a new post instead