Sight loss can make it difficult to live life to the full. Research shows there are many visually impaired people who believe that they are not able to benefit from the independence and companionship that a Guide Dog can provide.

      ·       You do not need to have lost all your sight.

·       There is no upper age limit.

·       It costs just 50p to have a dog.

·       You don’t need previous experience of owning a dog.

Jackie Elshaw a Rehabilitation Worker from Guide Dogs will be coming with “Biscuit” (her own Guide Dog) to our Insight Information Points on the following dates, and will be able to talk about having a dog and answer any questions you may have. 

      Moreton in  Marsh – Monday 18^th October

      Gloucester – Wednesday 20^th October

      Stroud – Thursday 21^st October

      Cirencester – Friday 22^nd October

Launch of our 360 virtual tour to be found on our website www.gloucetercivictrust.org  which takes you on a tour inside St Michael’s Tower.

Soon to be available: 

Camera Obscura will give panoramic views of our heritage buildings in Gloucester. The Tower Camera is now working, and available for the public to view - and it will shortly be on our website. For our 2011  events season, we shall be using the camera to give a tour of the city in St Michael’s Tower for those who are not so mobile, giving them the opportunity to discover our city’s hidden gems from a comfy chair.

Free Family Quiz – Takes you ‘clue hunting’ inside and outside the Tower – binoculars provided.

DVD for sale on “Glorious Gloucester” takes you on a trip down memory lane - it costs £7, and proceeds go towards funding heritage projects in the city.

Saturday, 21 August 12 Noon  “Roman Discoveries”: a walk around Roman Gloucester with Elizabeth Miles. A gentle stroll around Roman Gloucester; discover how the Roman soldiers lived when  they were here. The walk includes a tour of the underground Roman Gate in Eastgate Street, viewing of Roman grave stones in the City Museum and other views of the Roman wall hidden away in some of our city centre shops. Tickets are available at St Michael’s Tower or the Tourist Information Centre.  Tour commences from St Michael’s Tower.

In addition the Tower has fringe events taking place early August as part of the Three Choirs Programme.

The DVD takes us down memory lane, recapturing a Gloucester long gone; the DVD contains some rare and old images of Gloucester including Barton and Tredworth. Many of the photos are from the early 1900’s.

The photos include Gloucester with record floods during the summer of 1912 and 1924; lovely images of some of our old buildings such as the Bell Hotel and Southern’s Stores.

The DVD shows how Gloucester’s transport has changed along with fashion; you can see how Gloucester’s city centre architecture has been affected over the years.

Above all, the DVD contains many narratives which tell the Gloucester Story – about our famous sons of Gloucester such as George Whitfield and Robert Raikes.

The DVD also has other local stories some of which have been provided by Gloucester residents born and bred.

“Glorious Gloucester” is on sale for £7.00 and is available at St Michael’s Tower, the Tourist Information Centre and Robert Raikes House.

The DVD makes an ideal gift for friends and family.

End of press release
Marilyn Champion
Gloucester Civic Trust
www.gloucestercivictrust.org

Kimbrose Triangle was named after Kyneburg, but the name has become distorted over the centuries.

Kyneburg met a gruesome death, so the story goes, being thrown down the well just inside the city’s South Gate by the jealous wife of a local baker. They had given her shelter but the wife became jealous and threw Kyneburg down the well.

If you want to find out more about this lady, who she was, her life and her demise then this is a talk not to be missed.

Tickets cost £3.50 - refreshments are included.

Walk Leader Hugh Worsnip says, “These walks are great for getting out and about and walking for health and at the same time you learn such a lot about the city you live or work in.”.

(All proceeds go towards the upkeep of St Michael’s Tower)

Bookings are now being taken in St Michael’s Tower for the following walks:

Thursday, 27^th May – Llanthony Priory  7.00 pm

This is a unique guided walk around Llanthony Priory with rare access into the Range.

The tour is followed by a BBQ in the grounds of the Priory.

Meet on site. Tickets cost £6 and must be booked in advance.

Thursday 3 June - The Robert Raikes Trail at 7.30 pm with Hugh Worsnip

A fascinating walk following the life and times of the Raikes family – encompassing pin making to prison reform to the education of poor children. The tour finishes at the Robert Raikes Inn.

Tickets cost £3.50.  Meet at St Michael’s Tower

Thursday 17 June Gloucester Park and Spa walk 7.30 pm

A gentle stroll around Gloucester Park.  Here we discover poetry from Ivor Gurney, memorials for George Whitefield, Robert Raikes and much more! Hear all about the history of Gloucester Spa and how it helped Gloucester prosper. The walk ends up at Christ Church in Brunswick Road. Here you will have the opportunity to see old photos of the area.

Tickets £3.50 Meet at the Robert Raikes Statue in Gloucester Park

Gloucester Civic Trust is a registered charity. The Trust’s tour guides are professionally qualified to national standards of tour guiding. The tour guides give their time freely and are not paid for the services they give to the City.

Are there are any community groups or organisations, or even individuals, that may like to have an exhibition in St Michael’s Tower to show case  their cause/project?

We’re also looking for local artists/photographers to show their work in St Michael’s Tower. There’s no charge for this, and we’d like to host an exhibition each month for local groups/individuals.

If anyone is interested then please email marilyn.champion@gloucestercivictrust.org or phone St Michael’s Tower on 01452 526955.

* The City Farm with Gloucestershire Rare Breeds, cattle, pigs, sheep, ducks, and hens - in pens around the outside of St Michael’s Tower.
* The Rare Breeds Conservation Trust will be demonstrating spinning and how wool from sheep was used to make clothes. They will also have a continuous film show on the conservation of our rare breeds.
* Local celeb Chef, Rob Rees, doing a cooking demonstration.
* Steve Rowley from Stroud providing ye olde English music

* Gloucester Civic Trust will be conducting free tours of the Old Bell and the New Inn. The New Inn staff will be in medieval costumes and will be having a “medieval” BBQ in the courtyard of the pub.

* Other stall holders include: Cross Keys Pub, Matthew and Jane Stevens, Guildhall, Thorntons, Over Farm, Starbucks, Robinswood Junior School (with “let’s get cooking” demo), organic BBQ provided by the City Farm, Cafe Rene, The Farmhouse Stall, Caribbean Wrap, and Gloslinks (food from our Twin Towns).

Timetable:

10.00 am         All in place and ready to go

11.00 am         Let’s Get Cooking with Robinswood Juniors

11.30               A guided tour of Gloucester’s Gate Streets - and fine buildings

12 noon            Free Guided tour of the Old Bell Pub - including old photographs of how the building used to look inside and out

2.30 pm            Free Guided tour of the New Inn

3.30 pm            Rob Rees - local celeb chef delights us with his culinary skills to complement the day

* Live Music will be on the Cross from 10am-3.30pm.

29th April, 7.30pm: “All tickets please” – a talk by Ian Hatton. An amusing insight on what it’s like working on the railiways. Tickets £3.50.

Scrapbooking is not a new hobby but has been restyled into a modern craft. The idea is to collate memorabilia and photos, which are often themed,  into scrapbook pages.  However, this is no ordinary scrapbook.  Special techniques are used to help set the scene.

Anne says, “we use various methods to age something modern to look old which completely transforms how photos and other memorabilia are presented.  I first started scrapbooking as I have many old family photos.  This is a great way of recording your family history. The scrapbook reflects different decades in every way, from fashion to transport. Having a scrapbook is a valuable keepsake where photos and special memories are preserved in your own special way”.

Anne is now setting up a series of scrapbook workshops in St Michael’s Tower. They will be run in the afternoons from 2.00 pm until 4.00 pm.

If you would like to sign up for this new and exciting work shop and help preserve your own family keepsakes please contact

Anne on 07814797888

Or email anne@mistygreen.co.uk

Trails start at St Michael’s Tower. At each point on the walk, you will be given details about buildings or views.

Downloaded audio trails include all the audio tracks in MP3 format together with a printable PDF map.  If you hire them from St Michaels Tower or Gloucester Tourist Information Centre, you will borrow a audio trail handset and receive a leafelt describing the route.