CASH to help fund a youth project in Cooper's Edge, Brockworth, is being donated by Stroud district councillor Keith Pearson today.

The Dreamscheme project offers rewards of a day trip to young volunteers who have taken part in schemes to help improve their community. It is the second year of the project, run by The Cooper's Edge Trust, with the latest batch of youngsters earning themselves a trip to Alton Towers.

This year, young people are carrying out community clean-up and gardening days, bag-packing for charity and learning first aid skills. Mr Pearson donated his personal pay rise from SDC to the cause.

HANDOUTS from Gloucester's food banks have never been more important.

Sophy Gardner, Labour's parliamentary candidate for the city, visited Gloucester Foodbank on Wednesday to find out more about what they do.

She said: "I have been volunteering in a Wiltshire food bank, so it was an interesting comparison."

The visit came as it emerged that the number of people using food banks in parts of Gloucestershire had more than doubled in a year, according to a study by the Trussell Trust.

The research looked at the number of people accessing food banks between April 1 and June 30, 2012, and the same period in 2013.

Gloucester's food bank saw a 52 per cent increase in uptake from 614 people to 937 in the year.

Stroud's food bank was used 353 times in the 2012 period and 876 times in the following year, showing a whopping 148 per cent increase.

But the biggest increase was in Cheltenham, where usage went up by a massive 319 per cent.

Chris Mould, chairman of the Trussell Trust, said: "That thousands more people are turning to food banks for emergency food is a stark reminder of how tough things have become for many ordinary people."

SUNSEEKERS in Gloucester should curb their enthusiasm ahead of a predicted heat wave next week.

Forecasting group Exacta Weather has predicted temperatures upwards of 34C (93F) in parts of the UK next week, but local weather expert Ian Thomas is suggesting people shouldn't stock up on their factor 50 just yet.

He believes temperatures will be similar to this week, although he hasn't ruled out it getting a bit hotter.

He said: "I'm not sure it's going to get as hot as Exacta Weather are suggesting, that could be a bit wide of the mark to be honest.

"I wouldn't necessarily rule it out totally, because you can never really predict more than a week in advance and they are talking about the end of the week, so we'll see.

"But I'm expecting it to be much the same as this week to be honest."

The Met Office's forecast is equally as cautious as Mr Thomas's.

They predict temperatures of 19C (66F) on Monday, which is when their forecast ends.

Meanwhile, the weekend should be fairly sunny, Sunday moreso than tomorrow, with temperatures ranging between 19C (66F) and 20C (68F).

No rain is forecast over the weekend.

Today will be cloudy all day with temperatures of 21C (70F).

POLICE are taking a tougher line with pubs and clubs where people are 'glassed'.

Gloucestershire Constabulary will write to those who run venues whenever such an incident happens to ask them to consider using polycarbonate glasses instead.

If another person is glassed at the same pub or club within a year, officers may take the matter to a licensing hearing to decide whether the venue should lose its licence.

Police licensing manager Jaine Simner said: "Although we don't have a major issue in Gloucestershire's pubs and clubs with glassing, or indeed disorder generally, we do need to encourage the owners of licensed premises to be as responsible as possible."

Earlier this month, a defendant being sentenced for a glass attack in Gloucester vowed to campaign for plastic glasses to be used in pubs.

LITTLE Kaitlin Morgan harbours dreams of going to Disney World as she battles cancer.

The 18-month-old toddler, from Tuffley, was diagnosed with kidney cancer at the age of nine months.

She is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and is a high-risk patient, meaning her cancer could spread if the treatment isn't effective.

Her parents, Jen Guy and Leon Morgan, both aged 27, were set to marry in the new year but they have postponed the wedding because of Kaitlin's condition. "She has been struggling with it all to be honest," said her mum Jen.

"It is a 34-week course of chemotherapy she is having and it will take her right up to Christmas.

"She doesn't have to have radiotherapy. She is a high-risk patient and we are just hoping she comes through all of this okay."

She added: "We were set to get married but we have cancelled it all now because of Kaitlin's treatment, we're concentrating on her now."

Meanwhile, friend of the family Tracey Richards is organising a fun day later this month to raise enough money to send Kaitlin, her parents and her big sister Chloe, aged four, to Disney World.

The event is being held at Tuffley Community Centre, in Windsor Drive, on Saturday August 31.

A Facebook page for the event is called Kaitlin's Family Fun Day.

On that page, organiser Tracey said: "The fun day is getting closer and we are struggling for raffle prizes, jumble etc.

"Help us make this day a success for Kaitlin, everything is gratefully received.

"All donations can be taken to McColls in Tuffley.

"Kaitlin is a funny, cute, lovely baby and so brave but she has never known anything else. Let's give Kaitlin, her mummy and daddy and big sister Chloe something wonderful to look forward to, they really deserve it."

A tapas night at Sebz Restaurant, in Northgate Street, has already raised £700 for the cause.

Donations can also be made by contacting Tracey through the Facebook page.

All are welcome to attend the fun day at the end of the month.

PROUD dad Gary David was left devastated when his youngest daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia at the end of June.

But the 51-year-old from Bishop's Cleeve is determined to help others, while 24- year-old Sophie Braddock undergoes chemotherapy.

Gary is organising a fundraiser in aid of cancer charity Linc in a bid to help other patients suffering from similar conditions and said he has been overwhelmed by people's generosity.

Sophie, from Up Hatherley, was feeling unwell but had no idea it was something so serious until she was diagnosed.

The former student of Bournside School has undergone her first of four bouts of treatment, which has seen her hospitalised and lose her hair. But Gary, a chauffeur, said cancer at such a young age has not put Sophie off fighting.

He said: "She is the youngest of my three girls and when we found out it was just a complete shock.

"She has been so positive and strong.

Fighter

"Most people her age would just shrivel up at the thought, but she has been a real fighter.

"She was always very shy as a child, but she turned into a bubbly, full-of-life and very outgoing adult. She is just such a special person.

"As a parent, no matter what age your children are, you just want to make everything better and do all you can for your children.

"As they get older you know all you can do is be there for them.

"There has been a few tears recently and she has had her ups and down, but she is very positive and a fighter."

During the family's troubles Gary has put his mind to raising awareness and cash for leukaemia suffers.

Gary, with the support of his partner Nettie Majic, 45, Sophie's husband Dan, 24, who she married in November 2011, and her sisters Laura David, 26, and Gemma, David, 28, will be arranging Linc Fest at the King's Head in Bishop's Cleeve on August 23 from 5pm.

The event will include music, a barbecue, an auction, raffle, sumo-wrestling, bouncy castle and possibly karaoke. Gary said: "Organising the event has really helped me focus on something positive – not just for Sophie, but for everyone suffering.

"I cannot believe how generous people have been. It has just been phenomenal. The value of the things we are auctioning must be about £1,500 and that is fantastic."

Anyone is welcome to come along to the event. Contact Gary on 07973 796151 to donate an auction prize.

LADS' Mag Nuts will no longer be sold in Co-op stores after refusing to hide its racy covers in "modesty bags".

Publisher IPC Inspire said it had toned down recent covers and was opposed to 'censorship'.

The magazine will be pulled from Co-op's 4,000 stores, including at least 10 in Gloucester, next month.

Reacting to the publisher's refusal to hide copies, a spokeswoman for the Co-operative said: "Our position has not changed. If Nuts and Zoo, or any of the other publications, Loaded and Front, do not put their titles into modesty bags by the date we've given of September 9, we will no longer sell the magazines."

IPC Inspire managing director Paul Williams said the Co-op's "knee-jerk attempt to restrict access" to Nuts was "wrong".

"OH I do like to be beside the seaside!"

That's what more than 260 Matson and White City residents were singing yesterday as they headed off on a free coach trip to Weston-super-Mare.

Community group Together in Matson organised the trip and laid on four coaches from Matson, while Jerry Jenkinson put on one from White City.

Vanessa Worrall, project manager of the Redwell Centre-based group, said: "We did it because we wanted to bring the community together.

"We wanted people to meet others from all over the ward and to build community spirit.

"They had a great time, there was a mix of ages from toddlers to pensioners."

The trip was funded by Gloucester City Council, Gloucester City Homes, The Gateway, and Matson and Robinswood resident group.

VICKY Pryce, who was jailed earlier this year for taking speeding points for her ex-husband Chris Huhne, is to appear at this year's Times Cheltenham Literature Festival .

The ex-wife of the former MP will share her experience of her time in prison, where she served part of an eight-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

Her book, Prisonomics, due to be published next month, will also analyse the economic and human costs of imprisoning women.

Pryce's name was the latest in a line-up of luminaries announced for the festival.

Veteran actor Derek Jacobi, who appeared in Cadfael, Breaking the Code, Gladiator, The Golden Compass and My Week With Marilyn, will also light up the festival – which runs from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 13, as will National Theatre Director Nicholas Hytner, known for his work on Miss Saigon, The History Boys and One Man, Two Guvnors. Other well-known names due to grace the festival are Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, Ray Davies of the Kinks and comedian Jack Whitehall.

Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood will tell sensational stories from his life and times on stage, while Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden will share her story. The festival last year sold 140,000 tickets.

Jane Furze, literature festival director, said: "What we really aim to offer is a broad programme. We cater for a huge range of interest but also offer a programme of depth."

Tickets go on sale from noon on Tuesday, August 27 to members and then on public sale from midday on Monday, September 2.

THE FORMER owner of cats dumped at a Cheltenham vets has come forward.

A man was caught on CCTV over the weekend leaving the kitten and its mum at Stephen Crickmore Veterinary Practice in Gloucester Road.

Since reading about the abandoned animals, now named Aleksandr and Maiya because their skinny bodies make them look like meerkats, a man has come forward saying he used to own them – but had passed them on to a new home.

Practice manager, Sally Crickmore, said the kitten, just four months old, was believed to have been one of the fifth litter the mum had.

She is now urging anyone who takes on a cat to ensure it is neutered.

She said: "People don't realise quite how many litters cats can have in a year. They can reproduce after just four months.

"You can have one cat that can be responsible for producing up to 750 cats in just a year if you are not careful."

The RSPCA and Cats Protection have helped with the costs to bring Aleksandr and Maiya up to health.

But the vets is looking for a new home for the family.

The practice believe the man, who left the cats with them did not know he was being filmed when he left them.

MORE travellers sites are on their way to Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and the Cotswolds as council bosses ask the public to nominate locations.

People in the three areas are being invited to earmark places that could have publicly-run organised sites. It follows all local councils being told by the Government to identify and update annually a supply of gypsy, traveller and travelling show people residential sites.

The authorities will not be told how many sites they should have in their areas, but must have a five-year land supply, as they already have to for housing. Ministers say there are not enough authorised gypsy sites and they want to avoid problems that have affected many areas of the country, when travellers have descended on private land.

Gloucestershire currently has just four sites, all of which are full and there is a waiting list.

Three are in Tewkesbury borough and one is in the Cotswolds.

Sandhurst Lane near Gloucester has 46 plots, Cursey Lane in Elmstone Hardwicke 19, Showborough near Twyning 10 and Culkerton, near Tetbury, just four.

Cheltenham Borough Council has no allocated sites in its area. Its head of planning, Tracy Crews, said: "The council is responsible for making sure that all of Cheltenham's communities have an opportunity to live somewhere that meets their needs.

"By doing this work up front, we aim to ensure that people from these groups can be accommodated on suitable sites."

The public consultation, for the whole county, will run from this Monday until September 20. Once a site has been submitted, its potential will be assessed against specific criteria, which the councils are working on establishing.

If a site is identified, it does not automatically mean planning permission would be granted or that it would be allocated as a gypsy site.

The decision to consult the public on the matter, for the first time since 2010, follows a Gloucestershire Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment having been carried out by independent consultants.

A nomination form can be downloaded from www.gct-jcs.org

Tewkesbury Borough Council's lead member for built environment, Councillor Derek Davies, said: "The emerging Joint Core Strategy and the local Tewkesbury Borough Plan will aim to meet the needs of communities by making sure there is a range of accommodation available."

Cotswold District Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for forward planning, Councillor Nick Parsons, said: "We are developing a Local Plan in the Cotswolds which aims to provide a range of accommodation to meet the needs of the community."

OPINION, P8

GLOUCESTER academy coaches have developed a prototype for the perfect Cherry and Whites star.

The Kingsholm production line has a new blueprint to work around – and meticulous strength and conditioning will help create more potent top-flight stars than ever.

Bodyweight control and competence in movement is allowing Gloucester to shape even 13-year-olds faster.

Rather than gradually phase in weights-based exercises, Gloucester believe they can gain more early progress by focusing on developing youngsters' range of rugby-specific movements.

Building joint and ligament stability, the academy's conditioners are now focusing on providing youngsters with strong foundations for when the weights sessions do eventually crank up.

Assistant academy manager Simon Lane believes Gloucester are starting to build templates for how their ideal finished product will look and move – down to far more than just power and skill.

Gloucester strength and conditioning coach Eamonn Hyland works tirelessly to help the young academy prospects prepare for the ever-increasing physical demands of professional rugby.

Lane said: "A lot of what Eamonn does is based around movement competency and it's all bodyweight and controlling your bodyweight.

"So bounding exercises make sure there's joint stability.

"Physio Andy McDonough screens the boys, to look at movement issues that could be a weakness in future and handle them before they become a problem.

"So as well as knowing that the Under-13s can pass a specific distance off both their left and right hand at a competent level, they will also be able to move in the right ways.

"We'll take that through each age group.

"The long-term idea is that we then end up with a bit of a template from which you can determine what a Gloucester player should look like.

"The whole idea is to raise those standards right across the board, so whatever level they eventually achieve, they will improve rugby standards across the area."

Gloucester and the Gloucestershire RFU are pioneering the RFU's new 'Developing Player Programme' in the new season.

The Kingsholm club will keep more players in their academy system until the age of 16 than ever before, in a bid not to overlook late developers.

Representative rugby boss at the GRFU Nigel Gillingham has worked closely with Gloucester to compile the new project.

Academy chief Lane said Gloucester would spend more time working with junior-level coaches from local clubs, in addition to beefing up the work they did with promising youngsters.

He continued: "The coach education side of things will step up as well.

"The community department run a quality coach education programme, but ours will be more on the level of education but with open communication with coaches at club level.

"It's important they understand what we're doing and why.

"Anything we can pass on to them that they can deliver en masse will only benefit what we're doing anyway, so it's another relationship that can hopefully benefit everyone.

"We will have some sessions, but there will be an informal level too, and that less structured side is important, because every team has different attributes of course and everyone has different objectives to suit their different players.

"We relish having club coaches up at Hartpury so they can gain insight into what we're doing, but also so we can help improve what they're doing if possible.

"We try where possible to tailor what we do to individual needs."

ICONIC rugby pub Teague's Bar could close unless 11th hour investment can be found to save it.

Gloucester legend Mike Teague expects "the end of an era" as his family weighs up the future of the Kingsholm institution.

Mike's brother, Gary, holds the lease to Teague's Bar at The White Hart, in Kingsholm Road.

Mike wants to wind up the Teague's Bar franchise, while Gary will fight to keep the pub as a going concern, whatever the name.

Gary wants to extend the current lease through owners Punch Taverns. It expires on Sunday, September 8 – the day after Gloucester's first Premiership match of the season, against Sale Sharks at Kingsholm.

A Ska-themed party on August 25 – the Sunday of the bank holiday weekend – will celebrate Teague's Bar's 10-year anniversary. It could now double as a farewell bash.

Gary said: "I understand Mike's position entirely, but I want to try to keep the pub alive, even if the Teague's Bar name goes.

"The lease is still up for sale and I would urge anyone interested in investing to get in touch. Really it's a case of use it or lose it for customers as well."

Teague's Bar opened in August 2003, capitalising on the crossover of rugby union's amateur and professional eras.

But now changing drinking habits, rising running costs, the double-dip recession and professional rugby's shifting landscape have conspired to change all that.

Gloucester, England and British Lions loose-forward Teague conceded his family might well close the pub with heavy hearts – but looking back on a stellar ten years.

Mike said: "It's been an absolutely fantastic time and experience, but the whole climate has changed.

"I cannot fault anyone's position, but rising rates and rent on the lease have also played their part.

"But even the smoking ban had a big effect on day-to-day trade.

"Unless there is an investor or a buyer who will step forward quickly, then the bar will close."

Kingsholm Supporters Mutual chairman Bob Rumble said the potential loss of Teague's Bar would be felt across the rugby spectrum.

He said: "It's been a pleasure working so closely with the Teague family and Teague's Bar over the years. It would be a sad day for the rugby community and for Gloucester if the bar were to close."

People in Gloucester are being asked by the Council's Museum Service – to 'be a sport.'

Anyone who has been involved in sport - ' at any level and in any capacity' – is being asked to loan memorabilia for a major exhibition being launched later this year.

'Sporting Gloucester' will tell the story of sporting activities from the memories and memorabilia collected by people living across the city.

Museum staff are keen to receive everything from trophies to rugby caps, boots, clothing, programmes, scorecards, photos, rule books and even artistic pieces.

All items will be fully documented and it is hoped that people will also supply the names and stories behind the objects.

Council Leader, Paul James, explained: " As part of our Olympic legacy and looking forward to Rugby World Cup 2015 it is a fantastic idea to have an exhibition that celebrates sport of every kind and every description and played at every level.

" Whether people have represented their country, their county, played for their clubs or just taken part just for fun everyone has memories and stories to share.

" This is a great way to personalise every kind of sport and bring it alive. For many people playing and engaging in sport is a major social activity. It brings people and communities together across the world.

" We want to hear those stories and share those memories and hopefully encourage more people to go on and take an active part themselves."

The exhibition is to be staged at Gloucester's Folk Museum from October 12 – April 26, 2014.

All items loaned to the Museum will be taken care of and can be collected after the exhibition closes.

Everyone who donates an item will receive an invitation to the VIP viewing and a free family ticket.

Anyone interested in donating items should contact the Museum Curator, Sarah Orton on 01452 396139 or email sarah.orton@gloucester.gov.uk