⏩ The Gloucester Start: Friday October 3rd

Bishop of Gloucester in Archbishop running | Parents warned after WhatsApp chat | Things to do in Gloucester

Oct 03, 2025

Good morning, welcome to Friday’s Start - and thanks for bearing with me in the absence of yesterday’s edition. A bit to catch up on as a result - and a bumper Community Noticeboard - so we’ll get straight to it.

🌥️ Weekend weather: Sunny spells throughout.

⛪ Bishop Gloucester the Right Reverend Rachel Treweek is among the frontrunners to be named the new Archbishop of Canterbury in an announcement that could be made today. She would become the first woman to hold the role. - Stroud Times

📱 Schoolchildren have been added to a WhatsApp group chat containing ‘illegal and inappropriate’ content. Ribston Hall High School emailed parents, as did others, saying several Year 7 pupils had been affected. - BBC Gloucestershire

👮 Gloucestershire Constabulary’s suspended chief constable will face a misconduct hearing over his response to an alleged data breach. Rod Hansen, who has been removed from the role since last October, is accused of potential breaches of police standards concerning reporting improper conduct and discreditable conduct. - BBC Gloucestershire

❌ Calton Primary School has temporarily closed its specialist unit, The Space, amid ‘higher than normal levels’ of staff absences. It’s taking the opportunity to give the area a deep clean. - Gloucester News Centre

🎰 As covered in Tuesday’s Start, adult gaming centre BeLucky wants permission to stay open 24 hours a day in Westgate Street, which councillors will discuss next week. There are concerns it could lead to increased instances of antisocial behaviour. - Punchline Gloucester

⚽ Gloucester City AFC are holding a raffle primarily aimed at businesses to rename their stadium. New Meadow Park - previously the Tiger Turf Stadium - will be rebranded with the winning entrant’s brand name. Each entry costs £1,000. - Punchline Gloucester

⚓ The historical significance of saving the Kathleen & May tall ship is ‘paramount’ according to campaigners who have launched a £250,000 fundraiser to do so. The Kathleen and May Community Interest Company was formed last year with the aim to acquire and preserve the vessel. - BBC Gloucestershire

🚨 More than 500 cannabis plants were found by police at a business unit in Hardwicke. A 31-year-old man has been charged after the discovery in Quadrant Way. - Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing Team

🚨 Police are investigating two possible spiking instances, where victims may have been injected, at Teague’s Bar last month. Two women reported memory loss and waking the next day with injuries. - Gloucester News Centre

🏉 Joe Marler is pulling his rugby boots back on one more time to join the line-up for the 745 game at Kingsholm on November 9th. The fixture raises funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and sees rugby union and league combined. - 745 Game

🫁 A new breathlessness support service for people with long-term lung conditions has launched in Gloucester. Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice has partnered with the inner city care network to deliver it. - Gloucester News Centre

❤️ Lifesaving CPR skills will be taught to people for free at Gloucester Quays later this month. South Western Ambulance Service medics will be at the shopping centre October 19th as part of the Restart the Heart initiative. - Gloucester News Centre

📌 Community Noticeboard

This section is powered by you. Submit community news, initiatives and events, new openings and fundraisers, and plenty more, via this simple form for inclusion. It’s free.

📌 The Regal is hosting its annual beer festival, offering beers from around the world for just £2.15 a pint until October 12th. - Thanks to reader Harriet for this submission

📌 It’s Daikoku Ramen’s 1st birthday at Gloucester Food Dock! Grab a bowl of ramen and/or the mic, and get ready to celebrate and sing your heart out. At Daikoku Ramen this Saturday - karaoke kicks off at 6pm! More here. - Thanks to subscriber Hannah for these details

📌 Gloucester BID is delighted to welcome Bom-Bai Boyss to the growing list of eateries participating in the Foodie Passport challenge, running until October 31st. Located on Westgate Street, Bom-Bai Boyss brings the vibrant energy and bold flavours of Mumbai’s street food scene to the heart of Gloucester. The Foodie Passport encourages residents and visitors to explore Gloucester’s diverse evening food scene by dining out after 5pm, collecting stamps at participating venues, and entering a prize draw to win Gloucester Gift Cards worth up to £250. More here. - Thanks Izzy for this submission

📌 Public invited to view proposals for wetland restoration project. Eelscapes is a Landscape Recovery project aiming to restore nature-rich wetlands along the River Severn for wildlife, including the endangered European eel, and local communities. Over the past two years, local conservation charities WWT (the charity for wetlands and wildlife) and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT), have been working with the Environment Agency, land managers and local communities in the Severn Vale to develop the project’s proposals. We invite members of the public to find out more on Tuesday October 7th from 3pm-7pm at The Folk of Gloucester, 99-103 Westgate Street, Gloucester. - Thanks to reader Beth for sending in this submission

📌 The Raven Centre in Hare Lane, Gloucester. Coffee and chat every Friday with interesting speakers from 9am to 1pm. Meets every Tuesday as well at the same time. Details here. - Thanks to subscriber Carena for these details

📌 Gloucester Vineyard Church wanted to do something a bit joyful to create community with students (and anyone frankly) in King’s Square on a lunchtime. We’re particularly interested in reaching out to students and young people who might be feeling a bit lost or isolated in a new city out on their own for the first time. Every Tuesday in October 12pm-1pm we are playing 9 Square in King’s Square. Everyone is welcome to join in, meet some new people and have a laugh over lunch. There’s a WhatsApp group to stay in touch and get updates which you can join here. If you’re not sure what 9 Square is, see below 👇 - Thanks to subscriber Daniel for sending this in

📅 Things to do

Got an event or regular activity coming up you want to shout about? Send listings through at least a couple of days in advance if possible, via this form. It’s completely free.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Last week of the Moomin ABC exhibition at Museum of Gloucester | Until Sunday | £3 | Details

📽️ Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, The Roses, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey and Flow all showing at Sherborne Cinema | Friday-Sunday | £6/£7 | Details

🎺 Hot Tubes Live at The Thirsty Pine | Friday, 9pm | Free entry | Details

🛍️ Orchard Street Market at Gloucester Quays | Saturday and Sunday | Free | Details

🍻 Oktoberfest at Widden Old Boys | Saturday, 7pm | £12 | Details

🤘 Rock the 80s at Kings Theatre | Saturday, 7.30pm | £18 | Details

🏉 Gloucester Rugby vs Northampton at Kingsholm | Sunday, 5pm | From £28 adults | Details

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