⏩ The Gloucester Start: Friday January 17th
Weekend things to do | Family's £500k win | No litter fines
Good morning, welcome to Friday’s edition of the Start which as usual includes a few ideas to help fill your weekend in the city. Got something to add? Submit it via this form. There’s more than 250 of you receiving these bulletins now - thank you. Please keep spreading the word.
🚯 Not a single fine for littering or flytipping has been issued since October when Gloucester City Council’s contract with an enforcement agency ended. The council is bringing the service in-house but the wait has led to fears littering will get worse. - Gloucester News Centre, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
🍲 The Salvation Army says it is ‘deeply concerned’ about the number of people facing homelessness in Gloucester after serving almost 4,000 hot meals last year. It’s continuing that service, as well as distributing sleeping bags, duvets and supper packs, in 2025. Latest rough sleeping figures, from September, showed at least 17 people were on the city’s streets without a home. - Salvation Army
☁️ Today’s weather: Grey throughout, although should stay dry. Temperatures around 7C.
↪️ Saturday-Sunday: Pretty similar for the whole weekend with not much sun about, temperatures slightly cooler at 5C-6C.
🌳 There’s a change coming for anyone who uses the city council’s garden waste service. The bin stickers previously issued to residents, who this year will pay £53 for the scheme, have been done away with and instead you’ll need to put your house number on your green bin. - Gloucester City Council
📻 Gloucester’s community radio station GFM needs a new transmitter and has launched a £5,000 fundraising drive to get one. - Gloucester News Centre
🚨 Robbers hit a shop worker in the face during a frightening raid in Tuffley. Two men with their faces covered stole cigarettes and tobacco from behind the counter at the store in Seventh Avenue then fled in an Audi A3 yesterday morning. - BBC Gloucestershire
💰 A bigger home, a nice holiday and a new car - all that and more is on the shopping list of a Gloucester family who won more than £500,000 in a national competition just before Christmas. David Sanderson couldn’t believe it when radio host Kate Thornton called him to break the news. - Gloucestershire Live
🚌 Families living in rural areas and expecting a good bus service so their kids can get to school should instead move, according to a county councillor. It’s claimed some children are being left at the roadside because of overcrowded services. - Gloucester News Centre, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
Things to do this weekend
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🍏 Apple Tree Wassail, a traditional folk ceremony to welcome the new year with music, dancing, food and drink at The Folk, Westgate Street | Saturday 10am-4pm | Suggested £3 donation | Details
⚽ Gloucester City AFC vs Scholing in the Southern League Premier South at Tiger Turf Stadium | Saturday, 3pm | Tickets £12 adults | Details
🏉 Gloucester-Hartpury vs Trailfinders, Premiership Women’s Rugby at Kingsholm | Saturday, 3.05pm | Tickets £11.50 adults | Details
🏃♀️ England RFU Inner Warrior rugby camp for girls aged 7-12 at Gordon League, Hempsted Lane | Sunday, 11am-12pm | Free | Details
🍺 Manchester Beer Showcase at The Thirsty Pine, Brunswick Road | All weekend | Free entry | Details
🎸 Sol Sessions - music, food, networking and more - at Roots in Alvin Street | Saturday, 5.30pm-10pm | Free | Details
📽️ Sonic 3, Paddington in Peru, Moana 2, We Live in Time and Better Man all showing at The Sherborne Cinema, Kingsholm | All weekend, various times | £6/£7 | Details
The most popular posts from Thursday’s Start:
☕ New cafe opens at Gloucester bus station - Facebook
🌆 Inside Fasthosts new £1.7million offices at The Forum - Punchline Gloucester
👮 Chief Constable’s suspension lifted but investigation continues - BBC Gloucestershire