Plans are well underway in Gloucester to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee year with almost 4,500 trees joining the Queen’s canopy and the ancient tradition of sending a congratulatory pie to the palace set to return. 

A new woodland at Horsbere Brook boasting 3,687 trees dedicated to Her Majesty’s celebratory year has now been planted by the Friends of Horsbere Brook, local volunteers and officers from Gloucester City Council. 

The trees will help increase biodiversity and aid flood alleviation and are part of the Queen’s Green Canopy planting initiative set up for the Platinum Jubilee, that encourages everyone from individuals to villages, cities and schools to plant trees during the Jubilee year.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Environment Agency along with donations by local volunteers, the trees are a mixture of native species, chosen for both being attractive to wildlife and being able to cope with local conditions. 

They join another 750 donated by The Woodland Trust planted nearby in 2021, in what is known as Cliffs Wood dedicated to the memory of Clifford Griffith, a key member of the Friends of Horsbere. The wood will also be dedicated to the Queen’s Green Canopy project.  

Also marking the celebration of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, will be the return of the tradition of Gloucester sending a pie to the palace, which dates back to the Middle Ages.

The council has teamed up with chefs at the city’s Farmer’s Boy pub to come up with a dish fit for a queen based on the traditional Gloucester Pie, usually made with pork or lamb. 

It will update the tradition of sending a Lamprey Pie as lampreys are an endangered species. 

The pie will be presented to Edward Gillespie OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire by the Mayor of Gloucester at Llanthony Priory on May 30.

And Gloucester will join other towns and cities around the UK by lighting a beacon on June 2. It will be lit on Robinswood Hill and the event will be accompanied by a piper and bugler from the Cadets with an official proclamation being given by Town Crier, Alan Myatt at Gloucester Cross at 2pm.

While over the Jubilee weekend, June 3-5, the city will be abuzz with activity as Gloucester Docks plays host to the Tall Ships Festival held alongside a Sea Shanty festival that will see performers taking to the streets, which will be decorated for the occasion.

There will be a taster day for para-athletics at the Blackbridge Athletics track on Sunday May 29th, from 12-4pm. All are welcome to come along and try out the different types of sporting activities. The event is sponsored by CP Sport.

For many years now, the Podsmead community have been campaigning for a pharmacy in Podsmead. The ward clearly has a need for one, as it comes high in league tables of areas with deprivation, and the percentage of residents without a car or transport is above the national average.

In surveys, Podsmead has emerged as one of only two areas in the county with high needs but no local pharmacy.

Although it is one of the things that residents regularly mention in surveys and in the doorstep, health bosses have up till now denied that there is any special need for a Podsmead pharmacy.

There is renewed hope though, now that a draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment is going out for consultation:

‘The Gloucestershire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2022-2025 is now open for consultation and is live until 3^rd July 2022.

The Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Board is responsible for producing the local PNA. The PNA is a statutory document which describes pharmacy provision in Gloucestershire and identifies any gaps in provision of services.

The consultation is now open until 5pm on 3^rd July 2022. The consultation survey, with a link to the draft PNA and accompanying maps, is available here for your review and comments.’

 

I will be filling in the survey as the local councillor and arguing strongly for a pharmacy for Podsmead. I would urge residents to take the survey and make comments before July 3rd.

I have made Highways aware of the cracked pavement at Byron Avenue. If you know of any more problems with pavements or roads in our area please let me know.

There will be a Jubilee Fun Day at Podsmead Community Association (The Ramblers) on Friday 3rd June, 12-4pm. There will be lots of activities and all are welcome.

I have urged the Highways department to inspect and fill the potholes in the entrance to Laburnum Road. If you know of any other potholes or poor road surfaces in our area please let me know. I will continue to press the council for action on Podsmead’s roads and pavements.

I have urged the council to clean off the street signs at Romney Close and Thornhill Close. I have also asked them to remove graffiti and dirt from the sign at Scott Avenue open space, and to clean the bin which has had some paint spilled on it. If you are aware of any other issues in our area please let me know.

Residents have raised with me some problem parking at Earls Park. I had a look when out with the police, and we spoke to some of the vehicle owners and asked them to move their vehicles. I will be raising the matter with Matthew Homes to see if they have any more ideas. There should be parking for all homes in the estate but please let me know if this is not the case.

Unfortunately, enforcement such as yellow lines will not be possible until the estate is completed and the roads are all adopted by Highways. Matthew Homes have asked several times if they could have the completed sections of road at Manu Marble Way etc adopted, but they have been rebuffed. The police can take action on inconsiderate or dangerous parking by speaking to owners or issuing warnings.

I attended a briefing recently with Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and one of the things I raised with him was the issue of speeding in Podsmead. We arranged with the local police for a walkabout to look at these issues.

I tried out the speed gun on Tuffley Avenue and observed some cars speeding. If you would like the police to patrol your area for speeding, please let me know.

Although I am pleased that the graffiti and fly-tipping at Keats Avenue was removed by Gloucester City Homes, it is frustrating to see that a mattress has now been dumped on the grass. I have reported this to GCH and the council’s environmental crime officer. If you have any information as to who is dumping items, please let me know.