⏩ The Gloucester Start: Tuesday March 18th
Inside academy's 'good' rating | Hospitals strike begins | Burglars unpunished
Good morning, welcome to Tuesday’s Start. There’s well over 500 of you signed up to these daily bulletins focused on our city now. I pull them together by hand every morning, before going to work for the day - which doesn’t give me much time to actually shout about this… So I’d be really grateful if you could hit share, forward to a friend or recommend to anyone you think might find it useful. Word of mouth really does make such a difference. Here’s everything I’ve found for today’s round-up.
🏥 A 72-hour strike by healthcare workers at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals began yesterday. Phlebotomists - specialists in taking blood samples - are in a long-running dispute over pay and banding. A further 96-hour walkout is planned if a resolution isn’t found. - Gloucestershire Live
🚌 Construction on a multi-million pound ‘Mass Rapid Transit’ transport system across Gloucestershire could begin in 2027. The county council is preparing to submit a bid for funding for the scheme, which would provide a ‘realistic’ alternative to longer car journeys. - Punchline Gloucester
☀️ Today’s weather: A much brighter day in store with temperatures peaking at 12C.
👩🏫 Gloucester Academy’s ‘good’ Ofsted rating after years of trying to turn its fortunes around is down to ‘climbing together’ according to its headteacher. The Painswick Road school has also incentivised good attendance and positive contributions to lessons by offering tokens and prizes to pupils. - BBC Gloucestershire
💼 Gloucester is the eighth best location in the country for work opportunities and jobs, new findings suggest. It’s been praised for a high employment rate and strong job growth in analysis by CoworkingCafe. - SoGlos
🚨 Reports of an adult man wearing a school uniform and making inappropriate comments to people are being investigated by police. Social media posts were widely circulated in recent days which officers said they are aware of. - Gloucester News Centre
👮 Fewer than 8% of burglaries in Gloucestershire last year resulted in a suspect being caught and charged. Of the 2,125 break-ins committed, 158 led to someone being charged or cautioned. You can search for the figures in your neighbourhood on an interactive map. - Gloucestershire Live
⚒️ Work to enhance and protect St Oswald’s Priory has begun. Improvements to the landscaping around the historic landmark, along with new architectural lighting, are being carried out, paid for in part by a £20,000 Historic England grant. - Gloucester City Council
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📌 Home cooking kits for Smoky Campfire Bean Wraps are available free to families as part of the Gloucester City HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) initiative. They can be picked up from multiple locations around the city. More here. There’s also more details about the provisions available during the Easter school holidays via the HAF across the county here.
📌 Gloucester Music Society presents guitarist Craig Ogden and accordion player Milos Milivojevic playing music by Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Rodrigo, Albaniz, Piazzolla and many others. March 23rd, 3pm at the Ivor Gurney Hall, Pitt Street GL1 2BH. Enter near the red pillar box! Adults £20, concessions. Children free. - Thanks to subscriber Angela for the submission
📌 Several charities and good causes in Gloucester and beyond are seeing donations doubled this week as part of an initiative by match-funding platform Big Give. You can find causes to support here.
📌 The much-anticipated Festival of Archaeology returns to Gloucester in July 2025, promising an exciting programme of events celebrating the city’s rich and diverse history. More details here.
The top posts from Monday’s Start:
💰 Councillors to get £20k pot for every community in Gloucestershire
🕹️ Gaming centre plan for Gloucester’s old Mecca Bingo
🚌 New bus operator to run out of Gloucester from April