Gloucester Citizen Latest Stories Feed

A RUGBY player from Gloucester has been selected to star for Great Britain – at Australian Rules Football. Peter Woodall, 25, who plays for Old Richians, played for Great Britain against an Australian Ex-Pats side at Harrow School earlier this month. Woodall (pictured), who plays centre or wing at rugby, usually plays in the forward line in Australian Rules Football, but, as the tallest member of the GB squad, was selected to play in the ruck against the Ex-Pats side, putting in an impressive performance contesting for the ball in the air against the much taller Ex-Pats side. His opportunities to play at international level have been limited so far by finances, with the sport being entirely amateur in this country. Now he is finishing his sports development degree at the University of Gloucestershire, Woodall is targeting getting more involved in the Great Britain set-up with the ultimate ambition of being selected to play in the 2018 International Cup in Australia. He is also planning to use his experience of playing for England and his clubs, plus what he has learned in his degree, to start up an Australian Rules team in Gloucestershire in the future. "I would love to get some of the rugby boys in the area involved in Aussie Rules as I think they would love it," he said. "It combines the best elements of so many different sports – the contact of rugby with the movement of basketball and the footwork of football. "I really enjoy how fast-paced the game is. Playing for Great Britain was a big challenge for me, particularly as I've got used to playing nine-a-side in recent years and this was 18-a-side on a cricket pitch. That meant a lot more contact and a lot more bodies around the ball, but I really enjoyed it. "It was always going to be a big ask against an Australian side but although we lost, it was a great test for the squad and for me personally. It was a great way to start my season." Woodall actually started out playing the 18-a-side format when he was on a gap year in Australia in 2008. With very little rugby in the area he was staying in, it was either play Aussie Rules or face a winter with no sport. So he decided to hook up with Peninsula Pirates Under-19s, and it was certainly a baptism of fire in South Coast Australia's favourite sport. "I was feeling pretty confident after a good pre-season but with 36 players on the pitch for my first game, I admit I had no idea what was going on!," added Woodall. "I came off the bench for the first games and that helped me familiarise myself with the sport and, soon, I was getting selected to start games, which was a real achievement given my inexperience." Although he was keen to carry on playing the sport when he returned to the UK later that year, it was 2011 before he became reacquainted with Aussie Rules, joining the Guildford Crows. He quickly made his mark and after a successful season in the South League, went on to be selected for the South Representative side and then for England. He played for his country in the Tri Nations Cup and then the EU Cup in Belfast, finishing third out of more than 20 teams. Finishing as the Crows' top goalscorer in 2012, Woodall was again selected for England, playing in the Four Nations in Venice, where they triumphed over Scotland, Croatia and Italy. While he could not afford to travel to the EU Cup in Edinburgh, he did make his first appearance for Great Britain against the Irish Exiles. In 2013, he moved to Chippenham Redbacks, which was closer to his home in Gloucester and where he could link up with England coach Rob Fielder. Playing in the Welsh League, they finished as runners-up in the Grand Final and he finished the season as their top goalscorer.

Old Richians rugby star is playing Aussie Rules for Great Britain

SKIN cancer could hang over a mum-of-two like a dark shadow but Imogen Cheese is determined to fight it in every way she can. She might have five years, it could be 10 or it may never strike at all. But the likelihood is that she faces a fight against it at some stage sooner than that. And she is determined that her body will be ready for that battle. Superfoods, exercise and reading up on malignant Melanomas are part of her everyday life, and she will be raising money for charity which is helping her when she takes to the start line of a 10km run in June. "The cancerous cells are in my body and because of that there is every chance those cells have had the chance to move around my body," she said. "Some sit dormant for years. It's like a ticking time bomb and 'how long is a piece of string?'. "The likelihood is that, based on the severity of the diagnosis the cancer will progress 18 to 24 months from original diagnosis in June last year." If picked up before the melanoma, usually on a mole, breaks the skin, patients have an eight in 10 chance of survival. Imogen, 35, is past that stage - she's at Stage 2c. She is only to well aware that there currently isn't a cure for Melanoma, which is why early detection and prevention are so important. For now, she is reading up 'like a nerd' on the subject, eating healthily and running. "I want to make sure my cells are oxygenated to fight cancer," said Imogen, from Randwick near Stroud. "We don't treat our bodies well enough and we expect to be fine - we need to eat better and get more exercise." And having spent her childhood under the sun's glare in Africa, she wants to spread the word on how important it is to protect against harmful UV rays. "It's cumulative, and many people don't realise that," she said. "It doesn't matter if you grew up in Africa or Gloucestershire, if you spend too long in the sun without sun protector factor - I used 50 but you shouldn't use anything less than 30 - you risk damaging your skin." She will be running the 10km race at Westonbirt Arboretum with five more Stroud AC runners, all for the same charity - ItTakes7, the British Skin Foundation charity dedicated to funding research into melanoma and skin cancer treatments and a cure. *Read Imogen's blog at www.melanomarollercoaster.co.uk. To sponsor her, log on to www.justgiving.com/it7-melanoma-rollercoaster-5319e2f803889.

Brave mum's taking the fight to skin cancer

POSTMISTRESS Karen Judd allegedly stole a parcel containing a woman's engagement ring and her mum's wedding ring, jurors heard. Royal Mail manager in Stroud, Andrew Yarworth, said he contacted the alleged victim because she was so distraught that the parcel posted to her by jeweller Graham Nash from Painswick never arrived. It was one of two parcels of repaired jewellery sent by Mr Nash from Painswick Post Office in the space of a few days and they both disappeared, the jury was told. Mr Yarworth told Gloucester Crown Court it was 'very, very, very, very rare' for anything posted Special Delivery to get lost. Such parcels are scanned and signed for at every stage of their journey from post office to recipient, he said. He was giving evidence on the second day of the trial of Painswick postmistress Judd, 42, of New Street, Painswick, who denies eight charges of stealing postal packets between September 2012 and March 2013. Mr Yarworth told the jury that when Mr Nash complained about his two missing parcels he began enquiries. He found they had been received at Painswick Post Office and scanned and signed for – but then the trail went cold. "After the first of Mr Nash's parcels was not delivered he came to see me," said Mr Yarworth. "I did a track and trace on it and found that the parcel had not entered into the Royal Mail – it had never been scanned after its arrival at Painswick Post Office. "Later Mr Nash came in and said there was a second item and the same had happened. I looked into that and found the same result." He said his office deals with 'hundreds and hundreds' of Special Delivery parcels every day and there are virtually never any problems. Cross-examined by Roger Carne, defending, he conceded that drivers who collected parcels from local Post Offices did not check inside sealed bags of items to ensure everything listed was actually there. He also conceded it was possible someone at the Gloucester Mail Centre could have stolen or mislaid parcels. Richard Cole, prosecuting, said that shortly before the alleged thefts began Judd had been in dispute with Royal Mail over a deficiency of £4,500 in the business. "She had financial debts, she was in dispute with the Post Office, she was acting in rebellion against them," he suggested. "For whatever reason, she carried out these thefts." The trial continues tomorrow.

Woman left distraught after 'postmistress stole precious rings', jury told in Painswick Post Office trial

Messages of condolence have been pouring in for a driver who died following a crash in Coney Hill Road at 8.10am on Tuesday. The 62-year-old from Gloucester was driving a Vauxhall van which collided with another vehicle.. His next of kin have been informed and the coroner's office has been advised. The other vehicle contained an adult and two children, who were uninjured. The road was reopened just after 1pm. Stacey Jones, posting a tribute on social networking site Facebook, said: "So sad RIP x." Mark Huntley wrote: "Awful. This was literally as I was getting the bus up by Curlew Road." Joanne Hergest added: "RIP and thoughts and prayers to this person's family and friends xx." Anyone who may have information about the accident should call Gloucestershire police on 101, quoting incident 70 of April 22.

Sadness after driver's Coney Hill Road, Gloucester, death

Paedophiles are to be treated as terrorists under new laws blocking them from producing or possessing 'manuals' on how to groom child victims and evade police. David Cameron has vowed to close the loophole that also allows sexual predators to pass on tips on how to identify their victims. The changes are due to be included in the Queen's speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday, June 4. In future, paedophiles will face the same kind of sanctions as extremists who download guides to bomb-making. The issue came to light after GCHQ and the National Crime Agency found online examples of the guides in the chaotic part of cyberspace known as the 'dark web'. The prime minister told the Sunday Times: "It's completely unacceptable that there is a loophole in the law which allows paedophiles to write and distribute these disgusting documents. "I want to ensure we do everything we can to protect children – and that's why I am making them illegal." The new law is expected to be in force by the time of the general election next year, and could be implemented in an amendment to the Obscene Publications Act 1959. The Terrorism Act 2000 outlawed terrorist training manuals. The move was announced after it emerged that a paedophile teacher drugged and abused up to 60 boys as young as 10 at a British private school. William Vahey, who taught history and geography at Southbank International School in London between 2009 and 2013, committed suicide last month as FBI agents closed in.

Paedophiles to be treated as terrorists under new laws to ban child grooming 'manuals'

MICHAEL Wasley's dream run at the Crucible is all but over as Dominic Dale needs just one more frame for victory in their second round tie at the World Snooker Championship. Wasley stunned the snooker world by clinching a 19-frame epic against Chinese world No.2 Ding Junhui last week as he made his debut in the famous theatre in Sheffield. But he has always been behind against Stroud-based Dale, who is aiming for his first quarter-final appearance at the World Championship at the Crucible since 2000. After winning first of the seven eight frames on Saturday, Dale picked up where he left off by chipping away to take the opener the next afternoon. And he was well on his way in the next frame on a break of 49 but fouled on the blue to give Wasley a sighter – and he made no mistake to rattle in 66. A series of brief visits to the table next time out were ended emphatically with an effort of 78 for Dale and Wasley then let a nervy encounter slip to fall further behind. The world No.73 however did get another frame on board in a similarly loose outing from both players before Dale swept to an 89 break to close in on victory. Wasley ensured the game would go to a third session with a stunning hit of 108 – but Dale wrapped up the closing frame to take a near-insurmountable 12-4 lead. British Eurosport is the Home of Snooker, showing 19 tournaments per season including the World Championship, UK Championship the Masters and all other ranking events. Available on Sky, Virgin Media & BT TV or online/mobile via eurosportplayer.com #eurosportsnooker

Michael Wasley finds it so tough against Dominic Dale in World Snooker Championships

AP McCoy believes Jonjo O'Neill is getting "closer and closer" to becoming champion trainer following a highly-successful season for the Jackdaws Castle duo. After wrapping up his 19th jump jockeys' title on Saturday, McCoy said O'Neill was putting together a strong team of horses to challenge new champion Paul Nicholls and former title holder Nicky Henderson. McCoy said the likes of Gold Cup contenders Taquin Du Seuil and Holywell, along with Irish Grand National winner Shutthefrontdoor, provided O'Neill with the firepower to upset the established order. O'Neill finished fourth in the 2013/14 trainers' championship, based upon prize-money, behind Nicholls, Henderson and Philip Hobbs. McCoy said: "Jonjo is getting closer and closer to the title. He's very ambitious and he's got a few decent chasers and it helps because they are the ones that win the decent prize money. "It's not an easy thing for Jonjo to achieve, because Paul Nicholls is also ambitious." McCoy has been O'Neill's number one jockey since he was signed up by champion owner JP McManus – O'Neill's landlord – after leaving his long-time boss Martin Pipe a decade ago. The 39-year-old is looking forward to enjoying further success with O'Neill and McManus after confirming he has no immediate plans to retire. McCoy said: "I feel as good as ever. I'd like to win a few more jockeys' titles yet. "It has been the most traumatic year of all personally, with my son Archie having a major operation before Cheltenham. "It's been the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to me. "Hopefully he will be okay, but we won't probably know for a while longer. "But it has been a successful year riding, obviously. "I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would win 19 jockeys' championships. "It's a lot of winners, but I'd like plenty more titles than 19 to be honest, and I don't say that lightly. "I honestly don't know how long I will go on for. "When I was here (at Sandown) last year I wasn't very healthy and obviously my tone sounded as though I wouldn't be riding for much longer. "But I was injured, just out of hospital and probably shouldn't have been here. "I am a lot healthier than I was at this time last year and consequently a lot happier. "That's the key – if you are healthy, you are happy. But if you don't win it's all for nothing. That's the job, first of all you need to win. "I'd love to retire as champion jockey, there's no doubt about that. "I've always said I would do, but my next target will be Martin Pipe's record (4,180 winners) – that's just a personal target and a bit of fun, because he's one of the people I respect the most. "I've always got the target of winning the jockeys' championship in my mind because you have to challenge yourself. "I could sit back and enjoy winning 19 championships, but you have to come back next week and start the first day of the season and it's back to zero, because no one really cares how many jockeys' championships I've won." McCoy is targeting 200 winners next season, a tally he has achieved on seven previous occasions. He added: "It's a lot of winners but it is not impossible. I will actually take it day by day or week by week. "It's all about how I perform. I love riding, but I love to be successful at it. "Hopefully I will know in my own mind when it is time to go – but I'll be around for a while yet." O'Neill and McCoy went to close to winning the final big race of the season at Sandown on Saturday, the Bet365 Gold Cup, with Burton Port. After jumping the last fence in front, he was overtaken by Hadrian's Approach, ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Henderson, and went down by three-quarters of a length. O'Neill said: "He did everything right and just got beaten by a better one on the day. "He jumped liked a buck, he travelled great and there are no excuses, unfortunately." The first meeting of the 2014/15 jumps season is the Hunter Chase Evening at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Champion jockey AP McCoy backs Jonjo O'Neill's title challenge

GUISELEY 3 GLOUCESTER CITY 1 GLOUCESTER City's fifth season of Skrill North football ended in defeat at Guiseley, who confirmed a play-off place after battling back to seal a win. Despite City taking an early lead through Billy Jones' long-range effort, Guiseley rallied heading into the break with two goals from hot-shot striker Adam Boyes. With ten minutes remaining substitute Michael Potts beat the offside trap to put the contest out of reach. Tim Harris' men stunned Nethermoor Park in the third minute after a wonderful low-free kick from Jones rifled into the bottom corner, silencing a large crowd. It could have been two shortly after with Adam Mann breaking through a gap in the Guiseley defence, but his effort was shot straight at Steven Drench. The contest opened up with Boyes blasting into the side-netting to signal a warning for the City defence. A second Tigers free-kick tested Drench, this time Lewis Hogg forcing a smart save from the Guiseley keeper. The Nethermoor outfit turned up a gear with Oli Johnson finding his way through the Tigers backline, but goalkeeper Mike Green pulled off a terrific save. The Tigers had to endure two early injuries with both Hogg and Will Morford limping off in the opening 20 minutes. The City keeper stood firm again thwarting Boyes excellently from six yards out, before denying Johnson again for a third brilliant save in five minutes. Harris' side were aggrieved with Nat Jarvis' finish being disallowed for a push by Mann in the build-up, but the striker was denied a second goal for the club. The comeback began in earnest on the half hour with Boyes finding space behind Matt Coupe and Jack Harris and he coolly slotted home into the bottom corner. The lethal striker then struck the crossbar, as the wind was thoroughly in the Lion's sails. Johnson and Boyes continued to cause trouble up top, but Matt Groves could have easily restored City's lead if it hadn't have been for a brilliant Drench save from the winger's half-volley. However, Guiseley took the lead just before the break as Green parried Wayne Brooksby's shot into the path of Boyes who tapped home the rebound. Gavin Rothery looked to increase the Yorkshire side's lead with two efforts that both went well over. With the scoreline from Guiseley's play-off rivals Boston filtering through, the home side seemed to relax and allowed the Tigers more of the ball. Only a heroic goal-line sliding clearance stopped City equalising after Ed Williams had played a sumptuous ball to Mann who's clipped finish beat Drench but didn't cross the line. The Tigers began to play possession football but couldn't convert a large period with the ball to a meaningful chance in front of goal. Guiseley confirmed the victory ten minutes from time after Potts beat the offside trap, took the ball around Green and tucked the ball away. Guiseley: S. Drench, A. Holdsworth, B.Parker, D. Hall, D. Ellis, J. Lawlor, W. Brooksby, D. Boshell, A. Boyes (K. Holsgrove 59), O. Johnson (M. Potts 70), G. Rothery Subs not used: R. Meynell, R. Williams, S. Dickinson Gloucester City: M. Green, M. Green, B. Jones, M. Coupe, J. Harris, T. Webb, L. Hogg (M. Giglio 17), M. Groves (E. Williams 65), A. Mann, W. Morford (N. Jarvis 20), J. Gosling Subs not used: R. Winters, M. Rose Attendance: 748

Bishop's Stortford 31 Hartpury 21 CHAMPIONS Hartpury concluded their season with a loss at Bishop's Stortford, who leapfrogged Canterbury into third place in their maiden campaign in National Two South. In baking sunshine and on a flawless playing surface, the game ebbed and flowed as two highly mobile sides looked to make the most of their pace across the field. Stortford's greater desire and discipline in defence eventually told, but Hartpury's defeat was academic as they played their last match in the division before making their National One bow next season. The visitors started brightly and took just four minutes to open the scoring when Terry Fanolua broke clear and released Jaike Carter. Billy Burns slotted the extras. The lead was shortlived as the Stortford pack rumbled over from a catch-and-drive with surprising ease, with Stephen Ball claiming the try that Tom Coleman duly improved. Hartpury restored their advantage courtesy of a penalty try after the hosts collapsed a series of mauls deep inside their own 22. But Stortford were defiant and Jonny Neville reduced the arrears to two points as he finished a superb team score, before full-back Nick Hankin weaved his way through for a brilliant solo effort converted by Coleman. The see-saw battle continued and Carter bagged a second out wide after Stortford lost possession in a dangerous area, with Burns' third conversion giving the college a narrow lead at the break. The hosts began the second half strongly and profited from a mass brawl as the officials singled out Hartpury hooker Will Tanner, who had only replaced Chris Fortey seconds earlier, for a yellow card. Stortford made the visitors pay immediately as their scrum drove their depleted counterparts back, earning a penalty try that secured the bonus point. Hartpury had chances to haul themselves back into the game, but they failed to capitalise on their opportunities in the face of an unyielding home defence. And a breakaway score from centre Neville, who found himself in acres of space from Coleman's crossfield kick after Hankin had kicked through all the way from his own try line, sealed the win five minutes from time. BISHOP'S STORTFORD: N Hankin; J Rea, S Winter, J Neville, J Child; T Coleman, A Mahoney (T Banks 59); W Roberts (T McCrone 54), S James, S Edwards (R Young 54); C Aldam, J George; S Ball, R Gill (H Michell 39-41, 66), M McCraith. Not used: W Child HARTPURY: G Thompson; S Reynolds, G Boulton, T Fanolua (S Rodwell 46), J Carter; B Burns, B Vellacott; J Gibbons, C Fortey (W Tanner 46), W Thompson (J Litchfield 46); D McKee (T MacDonald 58), R Moriarty; T Ailes, A Woodburn (C Fortey 50-58), N Thomas (M Spencer 70) REFEREE: James Clarke (RFU)

Champions Hartpury are beaten in final league game of season by Bishop's Stortford

Gloucestershire's LV= County Championship Division Two game against Essex at Bristol today has been washed out because of rain. Gloucestershire went into the game on the back of an excellent performance against Glamorgan. Although they were ultimately frustrated by the weather, they dominated the four-day game in Cardiff. Essex include England captain Alastair Cook in their starting line-up.

DON'T panic - if you are a fan of the iconic BBC2 sitcom Dad's Army. The show followed the exploits of a group of home guard soldiers based in Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War. Featuring the pompous Captain Mainwaring and upper-class banker Sergeant Wilson Dad's Army ran from 1968-1977 and created an army of fans who still love the show today. According to the Sunday Times Bill Nighy has already been lined up to play Sgt Wilson and Toby Jones will play Mainwaring. To celebrate the news here are 10 iconic clips from the original show (and a drum and bass version of the theme tune)

Dad's Army to be made into feature film - here are 10 clips from the iconic BBC2 sitcom

Floods have left behind a new crisis for farmers as a shortage of earthworms washed away in the waters is resulting in soil damage on farmland in Gloucestershire. A shortage of worms has been caused by the weight of water removing air from the soil and killing them Earthworms are a central part of our ecosystem. But they have disappeared from certain areas and in other places numbers have decreased. Worms in the soil show that the ground is healthy enough to allow plants to grow, providing food for insects and small mammals. Without these smaller creatures, birds and larger animals like foxes are deprived of their food source. Matt Shardlow, from charity Buglife, recommended collecting worms from local meadows and introducing them into fields affected by flooding. But one of the country's leading worm suppliers, Nigel Baker, pointed out that farmers would need 24,000 worms to restore an acre of farmland – which would cost £2,000. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is increasing the maximum grants for farmers to help their land recover from floods from £5,000 to £35,000. A spokeswoman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "There is nothing to stop farmers using this cash to buy new worms."

More misery for farmers as floods leave behind earthworm shortage

BATTLE lines have been drawn in the war on alcohol pricing as Gloucester bars claim they are haemorrhaging cash to competition in Cheltenham. Some bars in Eastgate Street claim their takings have plummeted on the once busy student night on Wednesdays. With many nightspots in the city agreeing to a minimum responsible price agreement, students looking for a cheap night out have fled to nearby Cheltenham instead. There it is claimed shots are being given away for huge discounts to entice drinkers in. Justin Hudson, owner of Butlers Bar and chairman of the Gloucester branch of the Licensed Victuallers Association, has called for Cheltenham bars to join their responsible pricing to create a "level playing field" for all. "In general, Eastgate Street has been obscenely quiet in recent months and that is a worry," he said. "We have gone from taking £5,000 on Wednesday nights to less than £1,000. "Three quarters of trade now goes to Cheltenham, with some bars there sponsoring buses to take people back to Gloucester. Cheltenham bars operate a cut-throat market, with very cheap drinks promotions. "People can go and drink for free in some bars and that is damaging bars in Gloucester. There is no longevity in 80p drinks from a business perspective and it is irresponsible." Andy Cars private hire taxi firm told the latest Nightsafe meeting the number of Gloucester fares on a Wednesday night has fallen from 175 to less than 60 between 6pm to midnight. Businesses in Gloucester's evening economy have been urged to up their game to help attract more people into the city at night. Nightsafe chairman Jennie Dallimore said: "We need to improve our evening economy offerings. To help that, we need to operate on a level playing field with Cheltenham." PC Mark Mansfield, night-time economy enforcement officer in Gloucester, said the city layout in Cheltenham makes it a different proposition for drinkers. He said "Having visited Cheltenham for a week to assess the nightlife there, it was clear to see it was far busier there than it is in Gloucester. The clubs are more spaced out. In Gloucester, they are closer to takeaways, that creates problems with disorder." Businesses in Cheltenham were approached for comment, but failed to respond.

Battle lines drawn in war on alcohol pricing between Gloucester and Cheltenham

Hospitals need to act now to stop a nursing crisis from putting patients in Gloucestershire at risk, it has been claimed. Portuguese nurses have been parachuted in along with newly qualified students from the University of the West of England - but there is still a shortfall of qualified staff willing to work in Gloucestershire. As a result, the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been forced to look abroad again. An overseas recruitment programme is likely to be launched next month. The move follows comments from NHS England's new chief executive Simon Stevens, who has called for trusts to 'think like a patient, and act like a taxpayer'. Chief executive Dr Frank Harsent said trusts need to look abroad to learn from the way health care is delivered. "Health care is more global now," he said. "We are going back out to overseas recruitment next month as there is not enough qualified nurses available to work in Gloucestershire. We don't want to rely on bank staff and agencies to fill the gaps. We want to be attracting nurses who are of a high quality, that is a challenge." Care Quality Commission guidelines state wards must now publicly display staffing levels to show the level of care on duty. Wards at both major county hospitals will display how many registered nurses and nursing assistants are on duty, how many patients are on the ward, how many specialists are working and how many students are on shift - as well as the name of the nurse in charge. Maggie Arnold, director of nursing at the trust, said: "We are tying everything that we can to get more nurses in, that includes going out to universities and overseas. I cannot say we will fill every post, but we are trying our hardest." The trust failed to hit its target of treating patients within four hours at A&E, falling below the 95 per cent benchmark to 91.83 per cent in March. Hospital admissions were down almost three per cent then when compared with the previous year. GP referrals also increased by six per cent in March. Medical director Dr Sean Elyan said: "Although the situation is clearly bad in Gloucestershire, it is a lot worse in hospitals elsewhere in the country. "In some hospitals, 50 per cent of positions in acute medicine are going unfilled. "There is no doubt, we need to be in a much stronger position in two years time."

Hospitals look abroad as Gloucestershire nursing shortage continues

Hundreds of visitors gathered in the Forest of Dean today to sample archery, laser shooting, rugby and a range of other outdoor activities. The Forest of Dean Outdoor Activities Festival, which took place at The Speech House near Coleford, drew demonstrations from outdoor organisers Go Ape! Dean Heritage, Battlesport Gloucestershire and the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Birds of Prey and wildlife photography from youngsters across the Forest were on show, and former Wales Rugby player Ian Gough was on hand to raise money for military charity Hire a Hero. The event, put on by the organisers of the annual Forest of Dean Food Festival in October, also featured off-road Segways, kickboxing and live music. Co-organiser Amanda Smith said: "We arranged the festival to show people what activities are available in their area and to raise the profile of the Forest of Dean. "We've had a fantastic crowd and it's really positive that so many kids have come out to enjoy the great outdoors." Special guest Ian Gough was raising money for Hire a Hero, a charity which helps ex-military personnel back into employment. He said: "It's fantastic that events like this get the kids outside. There's a big world out there and it's important that they're in the open air appreciating it and there's lots of different activities to help them do that. " The Forest Youth Forum were displaying their wildlife photography from their recent competition. Project worker Katie Pritchard said: "It's been great that we have been able to showcase young people's work and it's been interesting to see their different perceptions on nature." "There's a real appetite for art at the moment, and anyone can be a photographer with their camera phones." Mayor of Coleford Sue Merrikin said: "It's been a tremendous week for the Forest with the royal visit and now this event. It has been able to showcase what the Forest has to offer and let's hope it's one of many events which will do this."

Hundreds gather at Forest of Dean outdoor acticvities festival

LEARNING how to play golf seems to be a case of one step forward and two steps back for this beginner. As I master one element of the swing sequence, another integral part falls apart. The result? I thin or top the ball and get an overwhelming urge to throw my club across the tranquil practice green at Lilley Brook Golf Club. Ever-patient coach Simon Harrison told me if this happens, I must simply go back a step, reaffirm the basics and go again. I documented last week just how frustrating – and addictive – this sport was proving to be and nothing has changed after lesson three. Putting the grip, the stance and the posture in place was relatively simple compared to the plethora of things to think about when it comes to the swing sequence. Simon emphasised one thing to me – put all your energy into the target, not the sky. Instead of bending my arms and scooping the ball I have to drive low and forwards towards the target. In other words – I imagine I am driving my belt buckle to the target, before my chest. Body before arms. Once again I draw parallels to rowing when thinking about this. In the rowing sequence, the legs push against the footplate, the body and the hips snap open before the arms are brought into the body at the finish. Body before arms. Then, the swing back – or the coil. A coil is created when something resists another movement and you are building up power. So when you swing the club back the lower half of your body is resisting the movement of the top half. This generates power in the back muscles and the core. Then you fire the club forwards in a throwing action, with the lower half of your body unwinding at speed before the arms move. Controlling the swing at the finish is also proving troublesome – I flick the club around my neck instead of maintaining that crucial radius between the hands and sternum. Simon gave me a bendy club with a large orange ball on the end. Give this a whack around your neck and you're likely to knock yourself out or fall over. This taught me how to control the swing at the finish and allowed me to drive forwards. After using this club, we finished the lesson with one of my best connections yet, and the ball flew around 130 yards. The buzz I get from shots like this should be savoured. As expected after three lessons, I am struggling to find consistency in my swing. Simon advised each time I fluff a shot or top the ball, I should take a step back and do four or five practice swings, getting to grips with basics once again. This is why the driving range can prove so frustrating for golfers, no matter their experience. But I can become cocky and competitive, and ultimately lose focus. So instead I am planning to take a basket of balls up to the practice area at Lilley Brook one evening this week to hone my swing in peace. A poor shot cannot be beaten away by whacking another ball in anger. Simon says LAURA arrived for her lesson with a great deal of enthusiasm but with some concerns over why she still had a tendency to top the ball. I was extremely impressed that Laura's own diagnosis of her fault was in fact correct, which shows a great understanding of the work we have done, and all she needed was a little more self-belief. After just a couple of minutes putting Laura back on track with her swing 'radius' we set about the next step. The intention of last week's lessons was to enhance the good work Laura had already done by adding power to her shots. In order for Laura to add distance we needed to generate more speed in the club head and this was achieved through firing the club with a body swing NOT an arm swing. The body fires the arms! MINDSET TO UNLOCK POWER; Imagine yourself throwing a ball. When throwing, the body first unwinds to the target and the arm 'lags' behind (this also shifts the momentum towards the front foot thus creating energy). The arm then whips through to catch up and throws the ball. A golf downswing is EXACTLY the same. I required Laura to unwind her body in this sequence while following through to the desired target and with this thought Laura set about trying a few shots...wow! Not every shot, but a large percentage were high and long. Checklist to a powerful swing; n Create a spring like COIL in the backswing (rather than just turning) by trying to keep the hips as still as you can and winding the shoulders over those still hips n Start the downswing from the hips followed by the chest and finally the arms. n Most amateurs lose most of their power by swinging down with just the arms and shoulders. n Finish in balance. Point the chest, belt buckle and right knee at your desired target

The Irons Lady: Put all your energy into the target, not the sky

WHEN it comes to the unique challenge of scheduling English cricket I have rare sympathy for the men in suits. Three competitions, international pressures and the need for counties to maximise revenue mean it is impossible to please everybody. The 2014 campaign is now well under way and Gloucestershire have opened up with back-to-back Sunday starts in the Championship. A controversial attempt to coax more punters back to the red-ball game, these weekend shifts have every chance of working well and are worth persevering with. Perseverance being the optimum word, as far too often the ECB tinker with such initiatives before they have had a proper chance to either stand or fall. The same can be said for Friday night Twenty20 matches, which give the competition some much-needed structure and regularity. Shoehorning a NatWest T20 Blast fixture at Cardiff into the Cheltenham Cricket Festival schedule is not ideal, but I cannot see a way around that. And I know how hard Gloucestershire's chief executive Will Brown and his predecessor Tom Richardson have worked to keep the two-week extravaganza at the college in its rightful place as the centrepiece of the season. Hopefully the new T20 format will encourage more elite overseas players to take part, an area where I feel the English public have been slightly cheated in recent years. Nigel Farage might disagree, but I miss the days when virtually every county had a foreign superstar in their ranks. Warwickshire fans of a certain vintage will never forget Brian Lara's record-shattering contribution to their history, while I once boarded a ferry from the Isle of Wight to Southampton with the sole intention of watching Shane Warne play for Hampshire. Here in Gloucestershire, Mike Procter and Courtney Walsh are remembered with as much affection as locally produced icons like Wally Hammond and Jack Russell. These days it is very different. As it stands Lancashire and Essex have no overseas player at all, while budget constraints and a Draconian pitch penalty mean John Bracewell will not be adding a foreign T20 specialist to his squad at Bristol this summer. New Zealander Kane Williamson was hugely impressive at Gloucestershire two summers ago and is now an established Test batsman, but sadly he is now the exception to the rule. Surrey can claim to have a overseas 'star' to call their own, but only because Graeme Smith has now retired from South Africa duties. So county cricket must continue to make its own heroes, and time will tell if it can pull it off.Michael Klinger joins the 'Will Gidman for England' club THE Will Gidman for England campaign appears to be gathering pace, and after watching him in Cardiff last week I can see why. Leading an otherwise inconsistent attack – and further hampered by David Payne's heel injury – Gidman claimed nine wickets in a rain-abridged contest and was desperately unfortunate not to be on a winning side. Colloquial bias often comes into play when supporters become selectors, but it is telling that the all- rounder's two biggest backers for international selection so far have been New Zealand's Hamish Marshall and Australian Michael Klinger. Writing in his weekly Friday column in this paper, Marshall likened Gidman's consistency to a bowling machine and described his ability to unsettle high-class players with accuracy rather than express pace. Gloucestershire captain Klinger would have more cause for complaint than most if his go-to bowler was lured by the three lions, yet he too urged Alastair Cook to take a close look at the 28-year-old when Essex play at Bristol this week. Personally I feel opening batsman Chris Dent is the better long-term bet to end the County's wait for their next England cap. But if Gidman maintains his current form he simply cannot be ignored. And it could not happen to a nicer bloke.

View from the Orchard: Sunday starts are working

STUDENT Jess Buckland has taken drastic steps to raise £3,000 for her African charity challenge by offering groups to pay to tattoo her body. A rugby club near London has kicked things off by donating almost £200 in exchange for the Kilburn Cosmos club crest to be inked on her ankle. Asda worker Jess, 21, from Quedgeley has not ruled out getting other tattoos from businesses displaying their logos on her body, in exchange for a donation to the Dig Deep charity. Dig Deep works in partnership with communities in East Africa to help improve access to clean water, sanitation and renewable energy. Jess has to raise a minimum of £3,000 by mid-June. Half of that will pay for her trip to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the rest will go towards charitable causes. "The tattoo came out really well, but it stung for a while afterwards," she said. "I've showed the rugby club and they are really happy with it. I've had a lot of positive feedback. "One of the Dig Deep charity founders was connected to the Kilburn rugby club and when I came up with the idea of getting tattooed, they wanted to support it and it has grown from there. I've heard of other people who have had a photo of them wearing a Domino's pizza uniform up the mountain in exchange for a donation. "This idea of getting tattooed instead takes it a step further. It is advertising for the company. It is a novelty and not that many people will get the opportunity. If the donation is right, I would get anything done within reason." Gods of Ink in Market Parade have done the work for free and Jess has offered to be photographed wearing one of their t-shirts on her climb. She has also received support for her latest tattoo from rugby players and supporters connected to the Kilburn club on Facebook. Peter Fitzsimmons said: "Anytime you're in London and want to visit the club let us know. I'm sure you'd have a few drinks bought for you! "Good luck with the trek and let us know how you do." Suzanne Marlow said: "This looks brilliant - total legend." Neville Quenton Marshall said: "That is amazing. Very well done, massive respect." To donate to Jess's cause, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/jessicabuckland1.

Gloucester student sells space on body for tattoos to pay for African charity trip

Brimscombe and Thrupp claimed the Flying Press Hellenic League Floodlit Cup with a scintillating extra-time win over Wantage Town at Shrivenham. Despite it being a fourth game in seven days, the Lillywhites somehow found the energy to beat the promotion favourites. Without key players Chris Greenhough and Ashley Caldwell and with manager Phil Baker away on business, the men from the Meadow belied the 13-place difference in the league table to secure the win. Both sides started at a searing pace with Wantage dangerman Jimmy Deabill forcing Lillywhites goalkeeper Adam Thomas into the first of a number of fine saves. In the 20th minute Richard Claydon headed a Tom Melledew cross just under the cross bar to give Wantage the lead. However, Brimscombe immediately hit back through a smart Joe Tustain header from Ben Deakins cross. Brimscombe were enjoying more of the possession and deservedly took the lead when Tustain drove across goal and David Woodfield found the net from close range in the 37th minute. Wantage keeper Lewis Noice made a fine save to deny Tustain a second goal in the second half as Brimscombe started the second half well. But with 12 minutes to go Wantage drew level, as Ben McCready fired in a free-kick from just outside the box and the ball deflected in off the foot of a post. Thomas made a crucial save to deny Deabill and the game was forced into extra time, leading to assistant boss Neil Long playing his trump card. On came Karl Nash from the bench to great effect and in the 113th minute his cross was headed home by Deakin at the far post. There was no respite for Wantage as in the 122nd minute Ashley Brown beat several defenders in a late surge and he crossed for Nash score and seal the win, 4-2, Brimscombe returned to action three days after their cup success with a 3-2 Hellenic League Premier Division home win over Reading Town. Josh Helmore gave the visitors the lead in the first minute as he raced clear of the defence and lobbed over Thomas. In the 35th minute the home team hit back and from Ashley Brown's corner Jon Davis arrived at the back post to nod in an equaliser. Reading flew out of the blocks in the second half and again took the lead within a minute of the restart, Mark Pearson taking advantage of a defensive lapse to fire home. Ben Prictor set Ben Deakin through to level the scores on the hour mark and with time running out Prictor's corner evaded a crowd scene in the box and Mishy Green back-heeled the ball into the net for the winner.. Brimscombe return to action on Wednesday night when Wootton Bassett are the visitors in the Hellenic League (7.45pm). They then face a second cup final of the season when they travel to Wantage to face Bracknell Town in the final of the Hellenic Supplementary Cup on Saturday.

'Humbled and overwhelmed,' the family of beautiful hairdresser, Hollie Gazzard, walked alongside 700 others in her memory. The charity walk from Gloucester to Cheltenham paid tribute to the popular and vibrant 20-year-old from Churchdown. Pretty Hollie was killed as she worked at Fringe Benefit and La Bella Beauty salon in Eastgate Street in February. The walk was the first major fundraiser for a charity set up in her name.

Dad Nick Gazzard said: "It was fantastic to see how many people turned out. It has been something for us to focus on and a big thing we wanted to do. "We want to say a massive thank you for everyone's support and that came along. "It has been quite an emotional day, but we have been humbled by the amount of people that have supported. We are just overwhelmed." Sister Chloe added: "it was amazing to see the support for Hollie and she would have been proud looking down." Among the walkers were Hollie's grandparents in their 70s and her niece, Ruby Phillipotts - just two-and-a-half years old. Aaron Abbot, manager of the King Teddy pub in Longlevens, where Hollie also worked was one of the main organisers. The 39-year-old said he would do the walk in a giant bear suit if generous punters raised £500. He said: "it was a really good day. I was lucky enough to have Hollie work with me and she was bubbly and bright. We used to have a lot of banter and she was certainly one to stand out. "It gave everyone a chance to remember Hollie."

Leader of Gloucester City Council, Paul James, added: "Like everyone I wanted to show my support for Hollie and do something positive out of what was shocking and tragic. "A remarkable number of people have taken part given the weather, which shows the depth of feeling in the city."

Family humbled as 700 come together to walk for Hollie Gazzard