⏩ The Gloucester Start: Friday October 10th
Lions go for £220k | Last book leaves library | Things to do in Gloucester
Good morning, welcome to Friday’s Start. Here’s everything I’ve been able to find for today’s edition - have a great weekend, back on Monday.
⛅ Weekend weather: Overcast today, brightening up over the weekend.
🦁 The Lions at Large sculptures which formed a summer trail through Gloucester and Cheltenham were sold off for a combined £220,000 at an auction in Gloucester Cathedral last night. Artist PJ Crook’s ‘Leon Leading - Looking for the Ark’ alone went for £30,000, with all the money raised going to Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity’s Big Space Cancer Appeal.
📖 The last book to leave Gloucester Library’s old Brunswick Road home was carried by a human chain all he way to its new base at City Campus yesterday. The new library opens at 9am on Monday. - ITV West Country
↪️ Mock Mayor of Barton Viva O’Flynn was among those in the chain, calling it a ‘huge honour’. - Viva O’Flynn
🛍️ New shops are coming to Gloucester Quays. Alongside already-confirmed Ben Sherman, Label Yard and Menkind will open units there soon. Crew Clothing is also moving to a bigger spot. - Business Live
🎒 Parents at Kingsholm Primary School are among those being warned nationally about an inappropriate link in a popular series of children’s books. The web address in some books by Andrew Cope has been hijacked and now links to an adult site. - Gloucestershire Live
🧗 The 270 Climbing Park at Bentham is helping people improve their mental health as well as physical. Several regulars there spoke about the impact climbing has on their wellbeing as part of World Mental Health Day. - Gloucestershire Live
🏉 Gloucester Rugby are taking part in a trial believed to be the first of its kind which will see players given pitchside MRI scans. They’ve partnered with the University of Oxford to study the human body’s physiological response to head injuries. - BBC Gloucestershire
🐕 Two new four-legged recruits are in training for Gloucestershire police and have been put through their paces at a Gloucester City Council property. Police dogs Loki and Sonni sniffed out Herbert Warehouse as they are taught essential skills. - Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing Team
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📌 Glow Festival begins today in Gloucester. The festival opens on with two special events in the city centre. At 1pm, join us at St Mary de Crypt for Prayers for the City, a reflective service with music from Creative Field. Then at 7pm, head to St Mary de Lode for Reaching Out — a community concert of music, poetry, and inspiring stories marking World Mental Health Day. The evening features the Ecclesiastical Insurance Staff Choir, Gaudeamus, and Vicki and Sebastian Field, with proceeds supporting Listening Post and St Mary de Lode. Suggested donation £5 on the door. The celebrations continue the following weekend with more free music and events, including a Coffee Concert of Bach Cantatas at St Mary de Crypt and a lively Taiko Drumming workshop at St Barnabas Church. All events are free to attend, with donations invited, thanks to the generous support of Ecclesiastical Insurance. Full details at 👉 www.creativefield.uk - Thanks to Seb for sending these details in
📌 Two brand new bug hotels (and some cosy bird boxes!) have just moved into King’s Square, giving our city’s tiniest visitors a place to call home. But there’s a catch… Two of these hotels still need names, and the King’s Quarter need your creativity! Let us know what you think our buzzing new hotels should be called by dropping your ideas in the comments on the below post. We’ll shortlist our favourites and let you vote for the winners. The two winners will be revealed at a special naming ceremony this November.
📅 Things to do
I’d love to hear about any new events, clubs, group meetings or other interesting things to do for this section. Get in touch via the submission form or email thegloucesterstart@gmail.com
😱 Gloucester Horror Film Festival at Sherborne Cinema | Friday until November 6th | Prices vary | Details
🤘 Rich Dickinson’s Driving Force Live at Cafe Rene | Friday, 10pm | Free entry | Details
📖 Crafts That Built the Cathedral: Medieval Bookbinding at St Mary’s Gatehouse Learning Centre | Saturday, 9.30am | £85 | Details
💬 Sir Charles Wheatstone: Scientist and Inventor. A talk by John Jones at St Michael’s Tower | Saturday, 11.30am | £5 | Details
🛍️ Grand Reopening of Marina Coral Homeware, Shepherd Road (off Cole Avenue) | Saturday, 10am-8pm | Free | Details
⚽ Gloucester City vs Sholing at New Meadow Park | Saturday, 3pm | From £13 adults | Details
🎶 Brahms Requiem by Gloucester Choral Society at Gloucester Cathedral | Saturday, 7pm | From £10 | Details
🎻 Candlelight: A Tribute to Queen at Blackfriars Priory | Saturday, 9pm | From £19.50 | Details
Top posts from Thursday’s Start:
☕ Gloucester Docks superstore approved
♻️ Plans to close Gloucester tip for £1.3m project
🏢 Decision on redevelopment of student halls in Gloucester