Our regular
estate diary.

Why not check
back frequently
to see what is
going on at
Kingsholm?

Back Issues

Current Month

Home

Some good news today! Jo Keigher, who works in the Environments Services Department of the City Council, has been in touch. Last week, she brought round surplus 50 tulip bulbs that she thought would be useful for the TCC to use in one of the many flower beds we have.

She visited again today and said that there might be some more bulbs available - and did we want some more?

Each year, Jo seems to come up with surplus bulbs and plants for us. She knows that we are trying to improve the visual aspect of the estate, trying to hide the "concrete jungle" as much as we can!

Over the last 30 years we have planted upwards of 75 trees, most of which have now matured. With the "large" trees that have been here since the days of the Clapham Slums, we have almost 100 trees of varying shapes and sizes - someone went round and counted them one day!

Jo has been giving us advice and help for three years now and she always seems to be thinking of us!

This year's gift of bulbs and plants will be useful for the residents of Sherborne House, another sheltered housing scheme on the estate - this scheme was a purpose built block of 25 flats and was opened in 1971 by HRH Princes Margret. Last year they approached us to ask if they could take over the responsibility for the flower beds around their building.

We backed their request - it would give the eldery residents another "interest". Fortunately Norman Thomas in the Housing Department and Jo saw things the same way as us and the residents have now got back their green fingers! They have even recuited Jackie, their resident warden, to help.

So there will be at least 50 tulip bulbs for them to plant next autumn.

Other good news came late in the afternoon. Charlie from Gloucester Housing Services contracts team popped in to say that the order had gone in for a contractor put in a concrete ramp that was the subject of an entry on June 1.

After telling us that, it emerged that Charlie had another reason for visiting the estate! Don't tell him that we told you, but ....

Charlie wanted to dry his football kit! Somehow he had managed to get the kit absolutely soaked. And he knew that there were two clothes driers in the estate laundry.

We naturally pointed out that use of laundry was restricted to residents of the estate. And we thought of many other reasons why he could not use the machine as we accompanied him to laundry and opened the door for him!

Charlie has done us a favour or two over the past year, so we even stumped up the 20p to get the drier going. Well, we didn't want Kevin Kegan to think we were mean, did we?

With football kit dry, Charlie beat a hasty retreat, thanking us and muttering something about kick off in five minutes! You're not playing for England at Wembley tomorrow, then? Charlie muttered something Irish as he disappeared!

Dunno who he was playing for. But we will have to wait until Monday to even find out what the score was!

During the afternoon we had reports that teenagers were again congregating in Columbia Close, though there were no reports of the golf driving range having been reactivated!

Phoned the police and they said they would send someone round, but the youngsters were still there 30 minutes later and were spotted writing names on the walls with felt tip pens!

Whenever the teenagers congregate in this area, the result is some form of criminal damage. Last night it was a British Telecom phone box that got vandalised. On that occasion, someone dialled 999 on a mobile and the kids were caught redhanded and were duly taken to the police station!

We were asked if we would like to take part in a Europe-wide campaign for "unmetered local telephone calls". This is mainly to do with access to the internet. They are asking people to "close down" their web sites on Sunday June 6 and to try not to even log onto the net.

If the phone companies in the USA can offer unmetered local calls, they why can't BT and the cable companies? So we have decided to join the "demo" and this site will be "off the air" on Sunday. If you want to find out more about the campaing for unmetered calls (CUT - Campaign for Unmetered Telecomunications), click here.

Graham Williams called this afternoon from Westgate Tenants Consultative Committee. He wanted to chat about "meeting fatigue". There are a number of tenants, who are active in their groups, complaining about the ever-increasing amount of meetings that they are expected to attend.

Certainly we find that there is increasing demand on our time for the "consultation process" While it is something that has to be considered by Government and from within Town Halls, we tend agree with the Westgate approach - if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Well, perhaps not that drastic. But the bottom line is, be selective!

Had a telephone call from Housing Today about this diary! Fame at last. The reporter from said organ said she would check us out tonight. So welcome to Housing Today!