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News and events update February 2014
Here's an update on plans for the next few months, as well as some events in our community. Everyone is welcome - do come and join us! 
  

Recent events
 

Skillspace 

Our business group began 2014 with a discussion on New Year resolutions for our businesses facilitated by Belinda Wilson and Rebecca Gardner. It was a good opportunity for regular attendees and new visitors alike to swap ideas and tips, and we all left with fresh inspiration! 

 

The positive thinking theme continued in February with Pauline Masters of forestyoga.co.uk, who spoke about 'Why not be happy? How to choose what you think'. The event was very well attended and after hearing the theory we enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a few laughter yoga exercises, which set the mood perfectly for snacks and networking.
 
Exmouth Gourmet Burger Night
    
Our first social event of the year was the Tuesday Gourmet Burger Night at the Exmouth Arms in Bath Road (other food is available as well as burgers!). We hope to make this a monthly event, combining an informal get-together with a chance to share your own ideas with members of Cheltenham Connect's steering group. If you'd like to come along next month please contact Scarlett on
scarlett@cheltenhamconnect.co.uk or drop in to see her at ATC Floors and  
Doors in Tivoli.

   

Ramp up the Red 

 

 

Laptop Friday was more colourful than usual on Friday 7 February with attendees turning up in red to support the British Heart Foundation's 'Ramp up the Red' fundraising day. Helen Eade from the British Heart Foundation joined us and her raffle raised £100 for the Foundation. Well done all! 

 
 

Forthcoming Events  

Social get-together Tuesday 4th March
Join members of the steering group in the Exmouth Arms in Bath Road from 6.30pm. Tuesday is the pub's gourmet burger night, but there's plenty of other food available, or just come along for a drink and a chat. Please let Scarlett know if you plan to come along, or just turn up on the night.
 
Skillspace
Everyone is welcome to our monthly business talks from 7.30pm - 9.30pm on the second Tuesday of each month in the upstairs room at the Beehive. For more information contact
  

What are you really selling in your business?

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression Tuesday 18th March
Mandie Cran from the Buzz Group will be giving this month's talk, followed by nibbles and networking. Please note that the meeting is a week later than usual due to Race Week. Contact Belinda if you'd like to be added to the Skillspace mailing list.

  
Laptop Friday at Coffee & Co, Montpellier
Every Friday between 9ish and 12ish we meet up to work, drink coffee, share ideas and chat. For those of us who work from home and spend a lot of time on our own it's a great opportunity for networking and to meet other local people, or simply to get on with your work in a convivial atmosphere away from the distractions at home. There might be one other person or a roomful - do come along and join us! 
 
 
Find out more on our Facebook group
 
Quiz in April/May, date tbc

After the success of our two quizzes last year we're planning two more in 2014. The venue will be the Bowling Club again and of course the same quizmaster! We'll let everyone know the dates in our next newsletter. If you could spare a couple of hours to help Scarlett with the organisation beforehand and on the night, she'd love to hear from you.

New Connect Coffee Mornings
   

Vanessa has discovered that there are more over 65s living near the Park than in any other area of Cheltenham! We are planning to organise a weekly 

'Connect Coffee Morning' for older residents at a local café on the same principles as Laptop Friday - simply turn up to meet other people, chat, read, knit... the choice is yours! The first event is likely to be in March. If you're interested do let Vanessa know by emailing Vanessa@cheltenhamconnect.co.uk. 

 

Looking further ahead....
Other events in the pipeline include a pop-up summer picnic in July, another Village Fete in September (provided we can find some volunteers to run it!) and our 4th Connect Business, also in September.

   

   
Connect Streets


 

There are a number of initiatives still in progress to continue the improvements to the Bath Road area. We hope to erect Sue Brown's amazing new work of public art on the wall of the Exmouth Arms in March and to then further brighten up the road by painting the bottom of the Norwood roundabout and all the utility boxes (for this we have support in principle from BT and Glos. Highways, but we may need planning approval once we put the final design to the council).

 

 

The tree planting is also continuing - last year we planted five in front gardens, and two more were planted in mid-January at numbers 205 and 207. Almost all the residents in Suffolk Street have now petitioned Lloyds Bank to allow us to plant trees on their land. We have the funds to do so, along with the agreement of CBC and Glos Highways, and after meeting a representative from the bank we hope they will agree so we can plant the trees by the end of March. It has been a very uphill struggle getting Lloyds support, which we think is very disappointing from a bank that promotes itself as championing community. 

 

We are also hoping to get at least two more planters installed in the Bath Road. These will be the same design as those on the traffic island.

 


 

Cash Draw
cashdraw
Despite lots of attempts to get people to sign up we've had limited interest in the Cash Draw so regretfully we will be discontinuing it shortly. Our Treasurer and Secretary will be contacting everyone who has signed up to ask them whether they would like to either stop their standing orders or convert them into donations.  

Local clubs and groups   
You can see a list of local clubs and groups via the Local Organisations link under the Local Links box at the left-hand side of our website. Please let us know if you are running anything that you would like added.
 

Thanks for your support, Exmouth Arms!
exmouth
The Exmouth Arms recently won a coveted Cask Marque award for the quality of its beer. They've attributed their success to their relationship with the local community (mentioning the work of Cheltenham Connect in their response) and we are delighted that they have won and very grateful to them for their ongoing support. You can read more about what manager Miles Palmer said here.
 
Women's Health and Wellbeing Exhibition and Forum
Soroptimist International have organised this free event on March 12th from 12pm to 2:30pm at the Municipal Offices, The Promenade, Cheltenham. More information on our website.
 
 Who's your local hero?
Nominations are now open for the Cheltenham Medal of Honour 2014. This recognises the worthwhile voluntary contribution that some of the borough's local residents have made to their communities, and the awarding panel are looking for a local hero who has spent ten years or more volunteering to help improve their local community. For more information contact Jennie Ingram, Cheltenham Medal of Honour Committee, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 9SA or call 01242 264108. The closing date for nominations is Friday 21 March 2014.


Interested in local history?
historywebhome  
New Local History Group
Over the last three years we've run two major history projects and 
 created the website www.cheltenhamsouthtown.org.
CC member Stuart Manton has  kindly agreed to lead the development of the new local history group and will be updating the website as many of the shops have now changed hands, We're also hoping to put on a local history exhibition later in the year, possibly at the same time as the Literature Festival. Please let Stuart know on stuart.manton1@gmail.com if you would like to be a member of this group.  
 
Green Doors
The 2013 event was a great success and the plan is to double the number of properties this year and run it as part of the Science Festival in June.

Traffic consultation
Gloucestershire County Council and our Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) are campaigning to have improvements to the A417 included in the Highway Agency's major scheme development programme. There's more information and a chance to have your say here. 

 

Volunteers needed
 
  We're always looking for new people to join our events team. You don't need to commit a lot of time, and it's a great way to meet new people. So if you'd like to help organise one of our events or can spare an hour or two to sell raffle tickets Scarlett would love to hear from you.  
 

 

Cheltenham Connect is run entirely by local volunteers who really care about their community.

 

It's all about People Power!  

 

The Cheltenham Connect Team