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Archives for July 2010

The "Twee Tour" of Gloucestershire

Mark Cummings | 14:09 UK time, Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Have you ever been to the Land of Nod? ... Ever thought of wandering around Nanny Farmer's Bottom? ... Climbed up Strawberry Hill?... or driven down Buttermilk Lane?

All of these places exist in Gloucestershire. We've been discovering them all week on the Breakfast Show. The next stage is to promote the ultimate coach trip around the county. This would give visitors a quintessential twee experience.

Hopefully we will be visiting the Land of Nod on Friday's show.

If you have any other wonderful Gloucestershire place names to add to our list please post a comment or email cummings@bbc.co.uk

map of twee ness

Juggling the summer fun

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Mark Cummings | 12:27 UK time, Tuesday, 27 July 2010

summerWe discovered that on average it costs £104 per child per week to keep them fully entertained over the summer.

There are plenty of activities for children in Gloucestershire over the next few weeks. Here is a selection of what's on offer.

Aspire Kids Camps - 5-12 years - sports, arts and crafts - 9am-4.30pm - £15 a day, £65 a week - GL1

Cirencester Holiday Club - 8am-6pm, 4-12 year olds, £24.70 for full day, all kinds of activities

Mini Green Tennis Camp, Oxstalls Tennis Centre...9-5pm £22.50 a day for 9-11 years...Tennis Camp for 11+ £6.50 a day

World Cup Fever Football Camp... Cheltenham Town FC and Chalford Sports and Social Club Stroud - 10-3pm, £32 for three days

Gloucester Arts and Crafts Summer School - 26th-30th July - £190 for five days.

Beach in the Park in Gloucester - 12-5pm free!

Forest Football Academy 10am-3pm - £45 a week

Gloucester Rugby Residential Camp - this week - The Beachley Army Barracks in Chepstow 14-16 year olds (cost unknown as places have run out)

Gloucester Rugby Multi Activity Camp at Kingsholm Monday 2nd August to Friday 6th August 8-13 year olds £175

Camp 4 - 2 - 11 - £30 a day 8.45-5pm St Edwards Junior School Cheltenham Arts and Crafts, drama and music

Andy Tucker Soccer Camps - Bishops Cleeve FC, Bournside School, St Edwards School, Oxstalls Tennis Centre, Carrant Brook Junior School Tewkesbury, Winchcombe Secondary School, 9-12pm £32 for four days a week

Fairford Summer Day Camp...4-14 year olds 830-430pm £16.30 plus extra for certain activities eg ice-skating.

Kings Camps - Cheltenham College Juniors - different groups for ages 4-17 - day sport and activity camps - up to £144 a week

Sparkies - Ashchurch Junior School - £18 8am-6pm

Super Camp - Dean Close Prep School - £34 a day, £154 a week, 8am-6pm , full range of activities - sports, swimming, arts, adventure etc

Play Rangers 10am-4pm free for 7-14 year olds

CHELTENHAM - Hesters Way, St Peters, Whaddon, St Pauls, Rowenfield - COTSWOLDS - Cirencester, Bourton, Avening, Northleach,
FOREST - Lydney, Brockweir, Drybrook, Parkend
GLOUCESTER - Podsmead, Matson, Coney Hill, Kingsholm, Linden, Barton, Tredworth, Tuffley,
STROUD - Frampton, Stonehouse,
TEWKESBURY - Innsworth, Northway, Shurdington, Prior Park Tewkesbury

Various free activities at Gloucester's museums and libraries

Circles of mystery in the Forest of Dean

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Mark Cummings | 12:20 UK time, Monday, 26 July 2010

crop_circle.jpgLook at this magnificent sight.

. He'll be joining me on Tuesday's show. Do you know of any other sightings around Gloucestershire? Have you any theories on this latest discovery?

Post a comment or email me...cummings@bbc.co.uk.

A Blaize of Glory

Mark Cummings | 15:16 UK time, Friday, 23 July 2010

Blaize.jpgAs the summer holidays kick off across the county, we'll spend Monday morning in the heart of the Forest of Dean.

We'll look ahead to some of the investment that's coming to tourism in the area, as well as speaking to those who run attractions about the importance of the tourist pound.

Cheltenham in gloom

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Mark Cummings | 12:18 UK time, Thursday, 22 July 2010

flower_bed_595.jpgHave a look at this display and tell me what you think of it.

This floral treat is Gloucestershire's offering at the Royal Horticultural Society show at Tatton Park in Cheshire.

It appears however that out of 17 entries ours was the only one NOT to pick up an award in this category! 6 councils won gold...6 collected silver...4 snaffled a bronze...and bringing up the rear Cheltenham with a big, fat nothing.

Is this a horticultural horror story or have we been humiliated?

Your green fingered comments please. cummings@bbc.co.uk

Jayne Knowles on Twitter said: "I think it is very nice with the Cotswold Stones, it sums up Gloucestershire quite well."

Flintoff cool on pedalo idea

Mark Cummings | 13:54 UK time, Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff (Photo: Getty images)Cricket legend Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff joined me this morning.

We had a wonderful chat about the Ashes... his 61 ball century against Gloucestershire... and his friendship with Gloucestershire bowler Steve Kirby.

He revealed that he'll be helping Kirby with his testimonial but rejected my idea of a sponsored pedalo event on the River Severn!

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Time for bed

Mark Cummings | 11:53 UK time, Tuesday, 20 July 2010

andy_pandy.jpgThe Breakfast Show bard, Peter Wyton, has come up with another cracker.

This year Andy Pandy is 60! We asked our perky poet to write a piece about our ageing children TV characters.

"THE CARE BEAR CARE HOME FOR CLAPPED OUT T.V. TOYS"


In the fifties they were brand new entertainment,
In the sixties they were still quite up to date,
Now the 'Watch with mother' era's in retirement
And its stars have started to deteriorate.

But they'd always paid their annual subs to Equity,
There were legacies from long gone girls and boys,
So they're housed in unimaginable luxury,
At the Care Bear 91Èȱ¬ for clapped out T.V. toys.

Rag, Tag and Bobtail, Mary, Mungo and Midge
Are having zimmer races around the romper room,
Peregrine the Penguin's fast asleep in the fridge
And Muffin the Mule's being pampered by his groom.

Bill and Ben the Flowerpot men are dandy,
Though the Little Weed's on prescription Flobadob,
The Woodentops and dear old Andy Pandy
Are playing five card stud with Noggin the Nog.

Torchy the Battery Boy is feeling a bit run down,
But Pinky and Perky have tottered off to the pub
For a pint or three of traditional mild and brown
With Pugh, Pugh, Barney Mcgrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub.


Major roadworks start in Stroud

Mark Cummings | 14:16 UK time, Monday, 19 July 2010

roadworks map


A massive project has started in Stroud to replace a canal bridge in the centre of the town.

The bridge will be between the roundabout at the western end of Dr Newton's Way and the double mini roundabouts at Merrywalks, as part of the Cotswold Canal restoration project.

It means the Merrywalks canal bridge will be closed until the end of November. A new temporary bridge has been opened in its place.

You can see a feed of traffic in the area and of the plans.

91Èȱ¬-grown Vs Supermarket?

Mark Cummings | 14:13 UK time, Monday, 19 July 2010

foodtasting.jpg
So what's the best?

We often hear that fruit and vegetables grown in our own gardens taste much better than those bought in the supermarket.

But is it really the case? We've done a blindfolded taste test with our Forest Belles up in the Forest of Dean.

You can hear the results of our highly scientific experiment on Tuesday's Breakfast Show.

Those magnificent men in their flying machines

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Mark Cummings | 11:59 UK time, Monday, 19 July 2010

air_tattoo_1.jpgThanks to John from Dursley for these Air Tattoo pictures.

Getting the hump in Tewkesbury

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Mark Cummings | 11:55 UK time, Monday, 19 July 2010

camels.jpgThanks to Bill Treen in Tewkesbury for this photo.

This was to celebrate 50 years of trading at JW Jennings, the oriental rug and carpet specialist in Church Street.

A tattoo you won't regret!

Mark Cummings | 16:02 UK time, Friday, 16 July 2010

riat_595.jpgIt's a massive weekend for Gloucestershire, with around 200,000 people expected in the Cotswolds for the Royal International Air Tattoo.

We'll be there all weekend with the latest travel information and highlights of the show.

We'd love to see your photos, email them to cummings@bbc.co.uk

How do you slow down traffic near your local school?

Mark Cummings | 09:15 UK time, Wednesday, 14 July 2010

bollard_girl.jpgWe were talking about how to slow down traffic near our primary schools this morning. Reporter Mark Smith visited the village school in Slimbridge where a novel approach sees these "children" at the roadside.

Members of my team who live nearby and who go down to WWT say you can't help but slow down..

Reaching Top Gear in Gloucestershire

Mark Cummings | 15:56 UK time, Monday, 12 July 2010

top_gear_small_229.jpgCheltenham's Steve and Ellie Walters got married in Churchdown last month and their special day has featured on the 91Èȱ¬'s hit programme Top Gear.

Three super cars drove the wedding party to St Bartholomew's Church on top of Chosen Hill, with none other than Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May behind the wheel. Watch it here.

The magic of Molly

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Mark Cummings | 12:52 UK time, Monday, 12 July 2010

dog_knight.jpgHere is the star of the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival.

Last weekend this lovely Lurcher stole the show. She wanders around with her own knitted knight on her back posing for photos with her adoring public.

She reminds me of my previous dog... and gets my vote for "pin up" pooch of the month for July!


Why worry?

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Mark Cummings | 11:59 UK time, Friday, 9 July 2010

clarki looking worried! Are you a natural born worrier?

Recent research suggests it might be genetic. It could run in the family and there might not be much you can do about it!!

The Breakfast Show's Kate Clark... a keen exponent of the art of anxiety...will host a series this week exploring all the elements associated with this condition.

Why we worry... can we change...bizarre worries...can we pass our anxieties onto our children etc

So what do you worry about that's totally irrational? Have you ever managed to find a way of dealing with it and developing a way of banishing the blues? cummings@bbc.co.uk

Oh and don't worry... no Bobby mcFerrin records will be used to illustrate our stories next week!

Strike a light!!

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Mark Cummings | 12:08 UK time, Thursday, 8 July 2010

morelands_matches.jpg will start this Friday to light up Gloucester.

The matches sign at the old Morelands match factory was extinguished when the factory closed down in 1975. It's a classic county landmark and a small business based on the Morelands trading estate want to get it back glimmering again.

You can hear about this on Friday's show with the full story on Chris Baxter's Mid Morning programme from 9:00

Cheltenham shops slip down the charts

Mark Cummings | 13:49 UK time, Wednesday, 7 July 2010

Old CheltenhamHave a look at this wonderful old photograph of Cheltenham.

On Thursday's show we will find out why the town come in for criticism for its "cloned" streets... a lack of individuality has been quoted as a reason for decreasing numbers of visitors (known as "footfall" in the trade).

We will also take a shopping trip into history and recreate some of the iconic shops of years gone by. Can you remember some of the classic stores on the prom and on the High Street?

Post a comment or email me if you think Cheltenham has gone stale and share your memories of the shops you remember from your childhood.

updated Thursday morning.

Thanks for the calls and emails. Here is a sample of your thoughts.

Elizabeth came to Cheltenham 45 years ago and says there was a fantastic pork butcher's shop called Turks. Alos at the bottom of the Lower High Street there was a wet fish monger called Iddles... you could get anything there!

Anne in Lydney grew up in Cheltenham ... she says does anyone remember the Palace Cinema in the High Street - it was near M&S... she visited recently and didn't like the High Street... she also says its lost its identity..

Dorothy in Cheltenham remembers EI Wards department store... it sold everything and was located where Primark is now. .. also Runners was a lovely café... quite posh!

Dave from Longlevens told us his family used to own several shops in Cheltenham... Stevens Sadlers, Stevens butchers and a gown shop called Agaygowns'...he claims its really sad now as the town has lost its identity.

Pat in the town says the Lower High Street is a mess - so anyone coming in from junction 9, Tewkesbury direction would be put off...

Janet in Cirencester thinks Cheltenham is a lovely place to go shopping... Cirencester is useless in comparison.

Tales from the riverbank

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Mark Cummings | 13:00 UK time, Tuesday, 6 July 2010

canoe_595.jpgWe will be spending Wednesday morning on the Wye.

Water companies are being accused of draining some of the west's rivers dry during the hot weather. Is this happening in Gloucestershire and have you noticed anything unusual yourself? cummings@bbc.co.uk

Ye olde Cheltenham shops - all the photos

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Mark Cummings | 09:10 UK time, Tuesday, 6 July 2010

shop10.jpgshop09.jpgshop08.jpgshop07.jpgshop06.jpgshop05.jpgshop04.jpgshop03.jpgshop02.jpgshop01.jpg


Let's all "scrum down"

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Mark Cummings | 13:05 UK time, Monday, 5 July 2010

glos_rugby_scrum.jpgA shocking report has suggested that school scrums could be kicked into touch!

For health and safety reasons this vital element to the sport could be watered down. On Tuesday's show we will be marking the men out from the boys.

Some of Gloucestershire's top rugby legends will join me to discuss the "dark arts" of the front row. If you have any confessions of skulduggery in this department... or if you were the victim of back row shenanigans please post a comment or email me. cummings@bbc.co.uk

Updated Tuesday

We had a lot of "advice" from the great and the good of the Gloucestershire rugby world this morning.

This involved using clever tricks including the use of the following... Deep Heat, Ralgex, toe crushing, quotes from Braveheart The Movie and other tactics not fit for my sensitive blog.

Meanwhile read or listen to what Mike Burton had to say on the show about scrums.-

Breakfast Show co host back into Big Brother?

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Mark Cummings | 12:49 UK time, Monday, 5 July 2010

lesley_brain.jpg

The former Big Brother star announced live on the programme that she has been approached to go back into the house. It would be for the last two weeks of the final series.

I really hope she goes for it. A fortnight of secret signs to the outside world would tempt even me to give it a final watch!

Sign of the times

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Mark Cummings | 12:03 UK time, Friday, 2 July 2010

signNext week we will be looking at the rules and regulations of putting a sign up.

If you have a particular favourite...maybe one that's out of date, a birthday message that looks faded and ugly... or a creative masterpiece do take a picture and we can post it on the blog. Cummings@bbc.co.uk

Updated Mon 5th July.

Many thanks for your sign emails and photos. Especially John Wilkes and your collection of "different" signs. I shall post them up later this week.

Celebrity cricket in Gloucestershire!

Mark Cummings | 12:25 UK time, Thursday, 1 July 2010

tarrant.jpg
The Lord's Taverners charity team, captained by Chris Tarrant, are taking on a Gloucestershire Legends team in Frocester.

It's all in aid of the charity, which helps disadvantaged children.

Chris Tarrant was on the programme this morning and you can .

Tune in tomorrow to find out how it went!

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