The Citizen Gloucestershire

Ode to Christmas

SAVE for the sound of Christmas bells, that lovely sounds in the air create. Save for the choir singers art, and true street vendors working late.

That Nativity ; Poems

ANOTHER teenage girl caught out A party where an older man Reminded her, I have no doubt, Of father, that's where it began. But give the old guy there some due He's kept with her these nine months past For many weeks since then he knew Just where she stood. The die was cast.

Winter Ways ; Poems

HARK! Hark! The foxes bark, winter's here for sure. With rain and sleet and icy wind, blowing round the door. Red berries on the bushes, Holly, Hips and Haw.

It''s Christmas ; Poems

OUR Christmas wishes are all the same It''s to stop this world flushing it''s self right down the drain This we would all doing our own quite way That would stop all the fighting and to see them all at play. It''s been a long time since the world was quiet If there''s nothing going then someone start a riot Some people with there lives just can''t ever be satisfied Even though "The Lord Jesus" on a "Cross he Died" Now each year on the very same day We celebrate and remember his very special b...

Oh Yes, It Definitely Is ; Poems

PANTOMIMES are coming to Gloucester, They're not behind you, to give S.I.D. spirits a lift. This dame, whose a man, with custard pie humour, tells topical jokes, I know, 'cos I've read the script. A girl next door, Black Beauty from Tredworth, pulls you, a virgin, who hopes, one day, to be king. They upset a giant, Phil Vickery, whose definitely macho, Simon Cowell may spot you inside, as you're expected to sing.

We Must Wake Up to Reality ; Thought for the Weekend

AS Quakers we are guided by four main vital principles of life, which we know as testimonies, - to truth, equality, simplicity and peace. We find that these challenge our lives in many ways - and the issue of climate change, and our reaction to it, is one of the most difficult. As I write this, the climate change summit in Copenhagen has not ended and our leaders are even now gathering there for the decision-making process. It seems that some progress may be made, concessions granted - that t...

We Will Follow ; Letters

Think Ahead ; Letters

MARKETING Gloucester Ltd hopes to replace Pounds 50,000 its list with private cash. We could have saved Pounds 150,000 if we'd got rid of them before Christmas.

All so Obvious ; Letters

GLOUCESTER residents should be prepared for service cuts, after council leaders shared plans to bridge a Pounds 7.5 million funding gap in the coming years. How about saving millions by combining Gloucestershire County Council with Gloucester City Council, sell off docks offices for more overpriced apartments. Save millions on shared services and reduce waste. Seems so obvious to me!

It Is Our Taxes ; Letters

GOOD old Mr Brown. Very generous once again with the taxpayer's money. He is going to give Pounds 700 million of taxpayers' money to help the world's poorest countries to tackle climate change.

Degrees Not Up to Scratch ; Letters

THE Government target to have 50 per cent of school leavers to go to uni looks a bit stupid now. There are so many leavers with degrees that are worth the same in the job market as a few O-levels were in the 80s.

Strike Would Halt University ; Letters

STRIKE action could bring the University of Gloucestershire to a grinding halt. Staff are considering the move in response to the threat of redundancies at the cash-strapped facility.

'Rich History', Where Was It? ; Letters

I VISITED Gloucester Heritage Centre on The Cross to see Gloucester's history and all I found out was that the place was filled with charity cards for Christmas. I don't want to be a Scrooge but the organisers seem to have got their faculties mixed up as I thought that I was going to be shown some of Gloucester's rich history that everybody keeps bragging about.

County Quartet in National Glory ; Tennis

EAST Glos tennis players won a national title when their Veterans' team beat Wimbledon in the final at the David Lloyd Club in Dudley. Marie Bell and Steve Evans lost their first rubber 6-1, 2-6, 6- 10, but Neil and Lucy Howitt closed out a nail-biting 12-10 win in the match tie-break against Wimbledon's first pair after saving a match point, so it was all to play for in the second round.

Andrews Agrees Fresh Contract ; Motorcycling

EVESHAM'S Simon Andrews has re-signed for MSS Colchester Kawaskaki. Andrews took the team to their best Kawasaki UK British Superbike championship finish of sixth in the last season, despite being taken out of the lead at Mallory Park and missing five races subsequently with injury.

Fright to Remember As Pounds 7k Is Raised

A SPOOKY fundraiser at a popular farm has put pennies in the piggy bank of a Gloucestershire charity. The week-long 'Frightmare' event, which took place at Over Farm Market this Halloween, is set to raise more than Pounds 7,000.

Help Our Tuck Shop Grow

BOYS and girls in Stroud hope to munch their way to health if their school at Cainscross wins one of The Citizen's cash prizes. Pupils at St Matthew's Church of England Primary will spend their winnings on a bread oven and on expanding their healthy tuck shop.

Paperboy a Double Lifesaver ; a Hero for Two Stroke Victims

Schizophrenic Guilty of Murdering His Girlfriend

A SCHIZOPHRENIC alcoholic has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend to stop her "whinging and moaning". Darren Roberts, 42, battered mum-of-three Jenny Young (pictured), from Gloucester, to death at his Cheltenham home before calmly confessing the crime to a neighbour.

Cold Weather Warning Issued

OLDER people, families with young children and people with disabilities are being urged to keep warm this weekend. The South West Strategic Health Authority is urging people to be aware of the risks faced during this period of cold weather.