You may have noticed road closure signs appearing for 24–28 August on The Plain and Main Road. The Parish Clerk has spoken with Highways and the following information has been given:

The closure is to allow contractors to carry out Roadmender surface treatment works, which will help tackle potholes, depressions and low trenches in the road. The works will take place between junctions.

Access will be allowed when it is safe to do so. We appreciate that the temporary restrictions may cause some inconvenience, so please be patient and work with the contractors. They will allow access whenever it is safe and appropriate during the works.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation while these much-needed road improvements are carried out.

Parish News

The sunny weather continue and we hope you are all enjoying it. The playing field continues to be well used, with the bike ramps, play area and open spaces providing somewhere for everyone to get outside, stay active and enjoy time with family and friends.

We are currently awaiting confirmation of funding for the redevelopment of the bike ramps and hope to be able to share positive news soon. We are also obtaining quotations for new entrance fencing and ground matting at the playing field to help improve both the appearance and accessibility of the site.

With the recent warm, dry weather, we would ask everyone to take extra care if lighting bonfires. Dry grass and vegetation can allow fires to spread quickly, so please consider the conditions before burning garden waste.

At this time of year, hedges and vegetation can quickly become overgrown. If you have hedges bordering footpaths or roads, please cut them back where it is safe to do so to help keep routes clear for pedestrians and road users. Before carrying out any work, please check carefully for active bird nests, as nesting birds are protected by law.

A reminder that the playing field car park is provided for parishioners and visitors using the local facilities. Commercial vehicles, motorhomes, large vans or being used for overnight accommodation, are not permitted. Please park considerately so that everyone can continue to enjoy the facilities safely.

Finally, Stroud District Council are preparing their new Local Plan and your input would be welcomed. Please visit New Local Plan 2026 to respond at this stage, and sign up to receive information as to how to continue to be involved. The consultation is open until August 9th. They are consulting on The main priorities for the District; The key issues and challenges; The overall approach to future growth; Different ways growth could be distributed; Infrastructure and local services. At this stage they are not consulting on specific sites, this will come later.

Parish News

The WaRbler Magazine
We are currently looking for stimulating articles, appetizing recipes, impactful photographs, and advertising placements, for the Autumn Edition. Deadline date Friday 24th July
Where possible, please email your submission (or advertising order) in advance of the deadline date. This will greatly assist the editor.
Articles: Please email your article (max 450 words) or recipe, and accompanying photo if available, to Dilys Warren, Editor of The WaRbler: editwarbler@aol.com and Helen Dunn clerk@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk
Photographs: High Resolution photographs wanted. Please email an attached jpg or pdf image and send to above addresses
Advertising: Please email details of your order to: Helen Dunn, Parish Clerk – clerk@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk and attach a jpg or pdf layout of your artwork as per our specification size 65mm W X 85 mm H. Remember to include details of your “invoice address”. An invoice will then be sent to you detailing the charges that apply, together with information concerning payment made payable to Whiteshill & Ruscombe Parish Council via BACS.
Single Advert: 1/4 page size – (65mm W x 85 mm H) @ £25.00
2 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £42.50
3 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £60.00
4 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £75.00

Many thanks for your continued support.

Whiteshill Playgroup – Trustees wanted
A message from Whiteshill Playgroup committee
We are looking for new trustees to join the Whiteshill Playgroup committee, and are particularly keen to recruit some local residents to join us.
It’s an extremely rewarding role, but it’s often difficult to recruit trustees from the parent cohort, due to family/work commitments and the short time that people’s children are enrolled at the setting before moving on to school. As such, we believe the support of some local residents joining the committee would significantly strengthen the playgroup’s prospects.
We are particularly keen to hear from people with some accounting or financial experience who could help us with our treasurer and vice-treasurer roles, which includes general bookkeeping, budget planning and management, and ensuring the committee meets regulatory obligations. However, we would welcome applications from anyone with some spare time and a willingness to get involved.
The playgroup has gone from strength to strength in the last few years under Play Leader Anna Morgan’s leadership. It continues to attract new starters from Whiteshill and beyond, due to its growing reputation as a quality childcare setting, and the children in our care are happy, flourishing, and very well looked after.
If you’re able to help and would like to find out more, please speak to Anna at the playgroup or email Tom Irwin at chair@whiteshillplaygroup.co.uk

Animal proof food recycle bins
A resident has advised that Stroud District Council now has animal proof food recycling bins available. It has been suggested that they would prevent the sort of mess that can occur when animals get in the containers. It was reported that a fox has been a problem for quite some time in the Upper Kitesnest area. Some residents put rocks on top of their bins – which does not always work as the fox is clever and just tips the bin over. Some residents have bins that don’t even have a handle.

Stroud croquet club
This may be of interest to some of you:

Parish News

Good morning,

Party in the Park plans are in full swing with all the wonderful volunteers getting everything organised. The party starts on Saturday 20th June from 2-6pm and continues after at The Star Inn. There is lots going on with numerous community stalls, reptiles, bubbles and raffle. And the famous Whiteshill V Ruscombe Tug of War! The Parish Council will have a Biodiversity stall with lots of information on butterflies and a quiz, you can also sign up to the colour run from here, and (providing they arrive in time) collect a 20mph sticker for your wheelie bin. The bike ramp users are fundraising for the rebuild of the ramps – please go and see their amazing bike display and support their inflatable axe throwing activity to raise valuable funds. The weather is looking good, so have a fabulous day.

Parish News

St Pauls Church
Just letting parishioners know that the conservation charity Caring for God’s Acre is organizing a “Love your burial ground week” from Saturday 6^th – 14^th June. As part of this the biodiversity group will be doing a bat and moth count one evening. St Paul’s churchyard is looking particularly lovely at the moment after its month of rest from mowing. The orchids are out in abundance. Do try and pop in some time. It is a lovely safe area for little ones to explore and play in the outdoors with a huge variety of wild flowers and bugs of various sorts. My two youngest grandchildren had a great morning playing there on Monday, just making nests with the grass cuttings, looking for insects and filling in holes with rubble from the pile by the village hall and it would be lovely to see other families in there. Please just beware that children do not climb on the graves or the wall (particularly to the left of the entrance gate) as they are quite unstable and are on the list to be repaired as soon as we can find someone to do the work. Our churchyard was described this week by Rev James Turk, the team rector, as one of the most beautiful in the area and it belongs to you, the parishioners of Whiteshill and Ruscombe so please enjoy it.
Also on the subject of the church, when it is hot outside, the church always remains cool. It is unlocked by volunteers but it should be open between about 9 am- 5pm so do feel free to sit in there if you need to cool off. Cold drinks are provided at the back of the church and there is a toilet with nappy changing facilities available”
Heather Bayly, PCC member

Party in the Playing Field
everything is going to plan for the event, with a number of stalls on site and a variety of activities. It all starts at 2pm, finishing at 6pm on Saturday 20th June. Please walk to the event if you can as there is no parking on the playing field car park that day. And don’t forget if you can spare an hour or two to help out at any point, do drop Cllr Nickie Webster a message cllr.nickie.webster@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk

Parish Council news
At the May Annual Council meeting, Cllr Rebecca Charley was voted back in as Chairman and Cllr Chris Brian remains as Vice Chair. We are now waiting to hear back from two grants we have applied for to do the works on the bike ramps. Hanging baskets have been put up at the bus stop by the church, thanks to Cllr Karon Vizor-Beard.

Parish News and WaRbler deadline

Good afternoon

The WaRbler Magazine
We are currently looking for stimulating articles, appetizing recipes, impactful photographs, and advertising placements, for the Summer Edition. Deadline date Friday 24th April. Where possible, please email your submission (or advertising order) in advance of the deadline date. This will greatly assist the editor.

Articles: Please email your article (max 450 words) or recipe, and accompanying photo if available, to Dilys Warren, Editor of The WaRbler: editwarbler@aol.com and Helen Dunn clerk@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk Photographs: High Resolution photographs wanted. Please email an attached jpg or pdf image and send to above addresses

Advertising: Please email details of your order to: Helen Dunn, Parish Clerk – clerk@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk and attach a jpg or pdf layout of your artwork as per our specification size 65mm W X 85 mm H. Remember to include details of your “invoice address”. An invoice will then be sent to you detailing the charges that apply, together with information concerning payment options, either via cheque made payable to Whiteshill & Ruscombe Parish Council, or BACS.

Single Advert: 1/4 page size – (65mm W x 85 mm H) @ £25.00
2 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £42.50
3 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £60.00
4 X individual placements (65mm x 85 mm) block-booked and pre-paid @ £75.00

Many thanks for your continued support.

St Paul’s AGM
Please do try to attend this. This is an important stage for St Paul’s. We have been working hard to make a warm space in the church for those who meet there regularly and to investigate the restoration of the interesting wall paintings in the chancel but now we need to appeal to the community for support to create a useful space in the main part of the church for everyone to benefit from.

Road works
Highways have been updating their information regarding the Road Closure signs coming up Paganhill and Farmhill. The parish Council have been advised that this is not a closure but the works due at the end of the month will be managed by traffic lights. Hope this helps any confusion.

Parish Council News
Party in the Playing Field – after much deliberation, the Council have resolved to go ahead with the party in the playing field on Saturday 20th June, but it will be on a scaled down version this year due to limited volunteers. We will have the tug of war, a BBQ, and hopefully the colour run too. If anyone wishes to play some music, then please get in touch to do this but we are not arranging bands this year and won’t be able to have numerous activities. We still aim for it to be a community event and time to be with family and friends enjoying these traditions. Look out for more information in the coming weeks. The table tennis table and basketball relocation is due to take place at the end of April, and then we will continue with the works on the bike ramps and slope by the shop to make it a bit safer. The war memorial also requires some works to the names and cleaning them up, so we are also going to apply for funding to help this too. Our maintenance person will also be revamping the red telephone box in Ruscombe which is in need for some care and attention. A new memorial bench has also been installed at the top of Zion Hill steps and has some lovely views from this location – thanks to the working party who have got this up in this location.
As a reminder to everyone who uses the playing field for whatever activity, please do use the litter bins provided or take your litter home with you. Thank you
The swift boxes have all gone up and now we wait to see if they are successful in attracting more swifts to the area. The Biodiversity Group’s next plans could be around hedgehogs in the parish, so watch out for further information on this.

Parish News

Bike marking by Gloucestershire Police – PCSO Amy Webb
On the 10th of April 2026 Stroud NPT  will be at Whiteshill Bike Ramps  between 14:00-15:00 holding a free bike marking event and registering on the Bike register .
If you’re unable to join us, you can find plenty of crime prevention advice on our website: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/For more information about what’s happening in your area, enter your postcode here: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/

Community Events
Nickie Webster has written a heart-felt plea on Facebook asking for help with the Party in the Park. She has said that anyone who can offer help will make a difference. Without the support needed for an event of this size it will either be scaled down or cancelled. Please pass the word round as it would be such a shame if this popular annual community event isn’t able to go ahead because of lack of helpers. cllr.nickie.webster@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk

Angie Mason is also looking for people to come forward and take part in the Open Garden’s weekend event. This was a huge success last time but lots of gardens are needed to make up a varied trail down to Farmhill and round to Ruscombe Farm. warniemason@hotmail.com

Heather Bayly is also looking for support. The church has bought a CD listing grant-givers and their particular areas of interest. She hopes there is someone locally who would take on the role of checking through these details to identify possible funders and if possible apply to appropriate grant-making trusts. heather@bayly.org

Road closures
Ruscombe Road, Ruscombe
This road will be closed (as per the attached plan) from 30/04/2026 to 01/05/2026 to allow for kerbing works by Gloucestershire Highways.
Emergency and pedestrian access will be maintained.
If you should require further information please email streetworks@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Closure map

Parish News

Good morning all,

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Village Hall AGM
Thursday 19th March, 6pm at the Village Hall, all welcome

Party in the Playing Field – Volunteers Needed
The date has been set for Saturday 20th June, but it can only go ahead with all the wonderful volunteers that help make it happen, without you it just can’t go ahead. Cllr Nickie Webster would love to hear from anyone who can spare a few hours helping with any part of the event over the weekend. Please contact Nickie direct on cllr.nickie.webster@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk

Playing field Table Tennis Table. 
With the recent damage that occurred, the Parish Council are now having to go through the insurance to get a new table as the current one is beyond repair. This is a shame that this has happened and now causing more expense to the Parish Council. the works will hopefully be done at the end of April along with the basketball relocation too.

Parish News

Good afternoon

Local Government Reorganisation
The government has launched a consultation on how councils in the county could be organised in future, asking for your views on three options, including one countywide unitary council or two new councils covering different areas.
This is a significant opportunity for residents, businesses and community groups to shape how services are run across Gloucestershire for years to come.
You can take part by heading to the government website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in-gloucestershire
To learn more about the three proposals submitted to government late last year and for full background information, visit the Future Gloucestershire website: https://futuregloucestershire.org.uk/

Ruscombe and Whiteshill Village Shop AGM

Road works
TEMPORARY CLOSURE  FIELD ROAD
Gloucestershire County Council, as traffic authority, has made an Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) to temporarily close part of Field Road from its junction with Main Road to outside the property known as ‘Hendras’ for a distance of approximately 130 metres.
The reason for the said closure is for works on behalf of Severn Trent Water
The said road is expected to be closed on from 08:00hrs on 28th February 2026 until 16:00hrs on 1st March 2026 only.
However, if the said works are not completed by this date the Order may remain in force for up to eighteen months or until the said works have been completed, whichever is sooner.
For further information, please contact Gloucestershire Highways on 08000 514 514 or visit www.gloucestershire.gov.uk.
Alternative Route – as signed on site. Pedestrian access to premises on or next to the said road, and emergency access, will be maintained.

Good afternoon.

WaRbler deadline
Just a reminder for the WaRbler deadline this Friday if you are sending in anything.

Community Events update 
This month’s Lunch Club in the Chapel Schoolroom is Thursday 5th February at 12.30. Curry is the order of the day followed by Apple Crumble, sounds delicious. On the following Thursdays there’s the weekly Coffee Morning from 10.00am – Noon.
The Two Villages Festival will be running a Bunny Trail starting Saturday 28th March until Sunday 5th April.
St Paul’s will once again be serving afternoon teas over a weekend to celebrate the Primroses which by March, if not before, will be making a stunning display in the churchyard.  The date for the Primrose Teas will be advertised when the primroses look their best.
Complimentary food is available at The Star on Saturdays for the Six Nations Rugby matches. 1st round starts – Thursday 5th February. Please support our village pub whether it’s to watch rugby or simply enjoy a drink and good company.

Upcoming roadworks
Please be advised of the following closure:
•           Field Road, Whiteshill
This road will be closed (as per the attached plan) from 28/02/2026 to 01/03/2026 to allow for boundary box and meter installation by Severn Trent Water.
Emergency and pedestrian access will be maintained.
Closure Plan
If you should require further information please email streetworks@gloucestershire.gov.uk