Community Activities at Dursley Rugby Football Club: How To Get Involved
I’m sure most Stinchcombe residents know of Dursley Rugby Club (DRFC) located at the top of The Avenue in the Village. However, not everyone may know that incorporated into the Rugby Club is a cricket club, a running club, a triathlon club and there’s also a gym available.
There is a wide range of activities for all ages which we’ll be telling you about over the next few editions, but firstly we want to let you know about two activities in particular – the Mindful Mile which runs every Saturday morning and the Autumn Walk2Run Programme which starts on Saturday the 16th September.
These two activities are run by Dursley Running Club (DRC) for the community and are as much about promoting health and wellbeing as running. There is no requirement to be or become a member of the club.
The Mindful Mile
The Mindful Mile is open to anyone of any age and children are particularly welcome. It’s held every Saturday at 9am starting at the Rugby Club and follows a one lap course around the grounds of the Club which can be run or walked or a combination of both. It’s supported by run leaders at the club with the particular aim of promoting health and wellbeing. Please feel free to just turn up and see what it’s all about.
The Walk2Run
The Running Club normally holds a Walk2Run programme in the New Year for anyone who is keen to try out running. Due to its success, we’re launching an Autumn programme as well this year which starts on Saturday 16th September and lasts for 10 weeks.
The programme is designed for adults as an introduction to running. It’s fully supported by experienced run leaders, many of whom have previously competed the programme. The aim is for everyone to build up their endurance gently over the 10 week programme so they are able to run or run/walk 5K. The sessions will incorporate warm up and stretching techniques to prevent injury.
Walk2Run will be incorporated with the Mindful mile on a Saturday morning at 9am and a second weekly session will be held on Tuesday evenings at 18.30, starting at the Club.
We have found that by following the programme as a group, participants will make new friends and are more likely to keep it going after the programme has finished.
If you’re interested in the Mindful Mile then please come along and join us with your family.
If you would like to join the Walk2Run sessions or have any questions, please contact Damian at drcwalk2run@gmail.com.
Be a Councillor’ Event – Wednesday 6th September 2023
Have you ever thought about standing for election as a Councillor?
If you have a keen interest in your local community, have innovative ideas, a commitment to local people and are passionate about making a difference in the Stroud District area, then please join us to learn more about what being a Councillor entails. The ‘Be a Councillor’ event is being held in the evening on Wednesday 6 th September at Ebley Mill, Stroud District Council. The event will be an excellent chance for any prospective District, Parish or Town Councillors to find out what it really means to be a Councillor.
There will be presentations from Officers and current Councillors addressing how the Council works, the process of standing for election and the support that is available to Councillors. They will also outline a Councillor’s duties, the variety of opportunities that are available to them and give advice on how to how to successfully juggle this role with their daily life.
There will also be an opportunity to speak to current Councillors and ask any questions you may have about the role.
Wednesday 6 th September 2023 – Council Chamber, Stroud District Council, Ebley Mill, Ebley Wharf, Stroud, GL5 4UB. Tea and Coffee will be provided.
The event for prospective Parish/Town Councillors will start at 6.00pm
The event for prospective District Councillors will start at 7.00pm
If you think being a Stroud District councillor is for you please email democratic.services@stroud.gov.uk to register your interest.
The UK government’s new Emergency Alerts system is now live.
The system will enable people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger.
It will be used to warn you in the event of emergencies, such as severe flooding.
If you receive an alert, read the alert carefully and follow the instructions.
On Sunday 23 April 2023 at 3pm, there will be a national test of the Emergency Alerts service.
Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels.
If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone:
You’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound.
A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond.
You’ll be able to check an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts You can opt out of receiving emergency alerts; for more information on how to opt out please go to gov.uk/alerts
Even online, it a great source of information and even has it’s own YouTube channel
Upcoming events
Wednesday 25 January
13:00 – 14:00
Opening the door on house history, this online presentation will look at all aspects of house history in Gloucestershire from materials in the County Archives.
Castle or cottage; villa or farmhouse; town or country – whatever its size, age or location, your house will have a history. Whether you will be able to find out much about it is another question – for as with all historical research a great deal will depend upon what has survived.
Following the theme of house history, this Saturday event will include a programme of talks dedicated to house history research. Talks from Gloucestershire Archives and Gloucestershire Family History Society. Free to attend, booking is advised.
See the entries under Cam and Dursley for what is offered by our local support group #WarmGL11, coordinated by GL11 Community Hub. Local churches, the NHS, voluntary organisations and representatives from some parish councils are taking part. The resources page also has lots of guidance for organisations setting up warm hubs and their volunteers.
Along with a few others from Stinchcombe, I recently experienced the warm welcome at St George’s on a Thursday morning!
Donations
There is a cost associated with providing these much needed services. Stinchcombe Parish Council has not made a donation because it was decided that it should be a personal decision for individual parishioners. If you are in a position to offer financial support and would like to do so, you can donate via the funding platform
Donations can be general, specific to GL11, one-off or recurring.
Some of you might have joined in the consultation on Gloucestershire’s Road Safety Policy a few months ago. The Parish Council and Stinchcombe Speed Watch both participated and a few of our comments are reflected in the final version of the policy. https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2116396/road-safety-policy.pdf
I wish to make it clear that this article presents my own views and not necessarily those of the Parish Council or Stinchcombe Speed Watch.
Why did Gloucestershire need a new policy?
We are the 6th worst local authority in England for people being killed or seriously injured on the road. Between 2009‐2011 and 2017‐2019, the number increased by 27%. Compare this with the best performing authorities, which saw reductions of more than 50% over the same period.
A fundamental change
Gloucestershire is following the most successful authorities by adopting a Safe System approach. The underlying principles are:
Humans make mistakes
Humans are vulnerable to injury
No death or serious injury is acceptable
Responsibility is shared
The key aspiration is Vision Zero https://visionzerouk.wordpress.com/ – the near elimination of all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2050, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. The interim target is a 50% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Gloucestershire’s roads by 2032.
Doesn’t sound that radical
It didn’t to me either but look at the comparison between Vision Zero and the traditional approach to road safety.
TRADITIONAL
VISION ZERO
Traffic deaths are inevitable
Traffic deaths are preventable
Aim for perfect human behaviours
Integrate human failing into the approach
Prevent collisions
Prevent fatal and severe collisions
Individual responsibility
Systems approach
Saving lives is expensive
Saving lives is not expensive
The Strategy 2022 – 2032
Gloucestershire County Council sets out its strategy around nine themes:
1. Reduce fatalities, serious injuries, number, and severity of collisions, with a key focus on using data to prioritise our approach
2. Expand data and evidence base, including research, and monitoring of existing approaches
3. Develop toolkits and programmes to give communities the tools they need to promote and improve Road Safety in their area
4. Increase levels of safety for walking
5. Increase levels of safety for cycling
6. Improve collaboration between partners and stakeholders
7. Embed the Safe System approach
8. Promote the Vision Zero aspiration to Gloucestershire’s public
9. Lead by example
What’s our next-door neighbour doing?
High level strategies can sound all “motherhood and apple pie” so it’s interesting to do some benchmarking against our neighbouring county, Oxfordshire. Road safety is a big subject, so forgive me if I home in on an aspect I consider relevant to Stinchcombe – the wider use of 20 mph limits.
The information about Oxfordshire mostly came from their presentation at the 20’s Plenty Conference last October. https://www.20splenty.org/oxford20conf
On the face of things, the two counties are similar:
both have adopted a Safe System/Vision Zero approach
both have set an interim target for reducing by 50% the number of people killed or seriously injured on their roads (2032 in Gloucestershire and 2030 in Oxfordshire)
both are broadly in favour of 20 mph limits where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix.
At a more detailed level, there are important differences as summarised in the table.
Gloucestershire
Oxfordshire
How will 20 mph limits be rolled out?
No targets published. Onus on communities to make the case for a 20 mph limit.
Three year roll out plan: 2022/3 80 Towns and Parishes 2023/4 87 Towns and Parishes 2024/5 40 Towns and Parishes
What are the criteria for 20 mph limits
Applications to be prioritised against a list of eight criteria and must also be supported by an evidence base.
Can be requested in any 30 mph built-up area or 30 mph area with heavy foot or cycle traffic. No evidence of a speeding problem is required.
How is an application for a 20 mph limit made?
Not at all clear. The recently relaunched Community Approach to Road Safety (CARS) Toolkit does not make a single mention of 20 mph limits.
Online application process for town and parish councils to complete.
Who pays for the implementation of 20 mph limits?
Communities are expected to find the funding except where collision data and fatality/serious injury statistics show there is a road safety concern. In such cases Gloucestershire County Council will fully or partly fund from its road safety budget.
Oxfordshire County Council will pay for the new signs and any road lining works.
Final thoughts
It’s great that Gloucestershire has adopted Vision Zero and has set itself ambitious targets for reducing fatalities and serious injuries. I wish they had made provision for an efficient and widespread roll out of 20 mph limits, like Oxfordshire (and Cornwall and Wales and many other places). Can the same levels of reduction in fatalities and serious injuries be achieved with this more hands-off approach?
If there is community support, I would like to see 20 mph limits here in Stinchcombe. The 30 mph sections of Echo Lane and Wick Lane and all of “Church Lane” would be my top priorities. It is disappointing that the application procedure has not been defined and that more County-level funding is not available. That wouldn’t stop me trying if I were convinced that a majority of villagers supported 20 mph limits in these locations. Please let me know what you think.
We are fortunate to have a network of public footpaths through fields and playing fields in the parish. At the request of local landowners, the Parish Council reminds everyone to stick to the public rights of way. The presence of a public footpath does not give the public any right to use other parts of the field. That applies to dogs as well!
Heel!
Unless your dog reliably walks to heel it probably needs to be on a lead to satisfy the legal requirement for “close control”. Letting your dog run free is not permitted except where the landowner has given permission, or you are the landowner.
Not only unpleasant
The widely held belief that it’s OK to leave dog mess uncleared providing it’s not actually on the path is ill-founded. It can transmit parvovirus, intestinal parasites and harmful bacteria to people and other animals. Furthermore, two livestock diseases have been linked to the presence of contaminated dog waste. Neosporosis can cause abortions in cattle. Sarcocystosis can cause neurological disease and death in sheep. There have been suspected cases of both these diseases here in Stinchcombe.
A reminder for landowners
Stiles, gates and other structures across public footpaths belong to the landowner. You have a legal duty to maintain them in a safe condition. A range is available from the County Council at subsidised prices and you may be able to get help with installation. Look out for an article by our new Footpath Warden, Andrew Davidson, in the Spring.
