The Big Yellow Bus

Outside the bus after generating funding.

Gerry Watkins, a Cirencester man, launched the Big Yellow Bus Project on the 1st August 2017 when he came up with the idea of sheltering the homeless in a double-decker bus during the winter months.

Since then, he has raised enough money to purchase the bus through various fundraising events across the region. Lynn Hilditch and Tony Curry  presented this cheque for £350 on behalf of Cirencester Thames Branch. At this presentation  Gerry said “This cheque from the Cirencester Conservatives will enable me to complete the bus conversion and I'm grateful to them for this and their previous contribution which have added to all the other generous gifts to get my project into operation.  Further donations always welcomed and useful!”

Dan Hemmings, an A level student at Cirencester College, took photographs of the event. These pictures and the information he has gleaned from Gerry will contribute to his project at College.

Gerry is passionate about helping people who find themselves homeless and has converted the double-decker bus into a safe shelter for homeless locals. Accommodation upstairs provides 5 male beds and 2 female quarters. The living space downstairs has cooking facilities, a wood burner, a rest area which can double up as a bed for a warden/night supervisor.

The Big Yellow Bus Project is aimed at improving homeless peoples' lives. Residents are expected to comply with rules such as no smoking, no drink or drugs (unless medically prescribed) or self-abuse.

The double decker is now in use.

The intention of the Project is to help those willing to be helped with drink or drug problems, anger issues or homelessness. Commitment will require signing up to any required rehabilitation courses and undertaking a couple of hours community service a day.

Contact Gerry for more information on this project or you would like to make a donation:

07808030220

gerryminicar@aol.com

Christmas Concert by the Corinium Players Guitar Ensemble Saturday 22nd Dec

The Corinium Players, don't forget your tie!

SATURDAY 22nd December 12 NOON at the ASHCROFT CHURCH

Take a break from your Christmas shopping and come along and listen to the Corinium Players Guitar Ensemble for their annual Christmas Concert at the Ashcroft Church.

The concert will include many of your favourite Christmas melodies and carols from the talented children played on the warm sounds of the classical guitar.

The concert will last for approximately 1 hour and there will be the opportunity to stay for homemade soup, mince pies and cakes.

The concert is free, but there will be retiring collection to help the group raise money for the children to attend the World Youth Guitar Festival in 2019.

Further details can be found on the website www.coriniumplayers.com

Country Matters With the Hodge: Tirpitz Rememebered after Nov 11th Commemorations

Turpitz onboad HMS Glasgow

Country Matters

By The Hodge

‘Would any regiment like as a gift from a lady a little tame white pig for a mascot? Two months old; hand fed; very affectionate.’

                                                                From The Times,  8th January 1916

 

Last month, I distinctly recall saying that I wouldn’t burden readers – that’s you and possibly one other – with tales about pigs. Now, that was my best intention but having been involved with the commemoration of the end of World War I last month, I was reminded of an unlikely tale that I thought I might share and, no, it is not from the book which is currently eating most of my time.

‘Tirpitz’ was the name given to this heroic hog from the First World War. Tirpitz was awarded an Iron Cross, albeit by sailors on a Royal Naval vessel, survived indescribable red tape in order to enter the British Isles and then raised firstly £200 and then £400 in aid of the British Red Cross before slipping into obscurity.

Tirpitz was a ’pet’ pig or mascot kept on board the Dresden. During the Falkland Islands battle, the Dresden sank apparently having been scuttled by her crew, on March 14th 1915. They escaped leaving Tirpitz as the only crew member not to abandon ship. HMS Glasgow arrived on the scene and brought Tirpitz aboard, the crew awarding him the Iron Cross for his devotion to duty.

The Petty Officer who had first spotted the pig swimming around the stricken Dresden, claimed ownership and the Glasgow eventually returned to Portsmouth some eighteen months later. The ship’s captain signalled the Commander-in-Chief requesting permission to land the pig but the matter was referred to The Admiralty and on to the Ministry of Agriculture before a decision could be made.

Eventually, temporary accommodation was built on Portsmouth jetty to house the pig whilst he underwent the quarantine demanded by the men from the ministry. But the jetty at Portsmouth was not the ideal place in wartime and plans were eventually agreed to transfer Tirpitz to a piggery on nearby Whale Island. This too did not pass off without incident. The Royal Navy’s finest loaded the pig onto a cutter and secured him in place with a net but the cutter broke free from its tow just as a sea fog blew up and Tirpitz was left drifting in the waters off the south coast of England while search parties were scrambled to find him.

Eventually he arrived and dwelt with the other pigs at Whale Island until one day the Petty Officer turned up there demanding his spoils of war. Tirpitz was duly handed over and was taken back to the sailor’s home in Yorkshire. In due course, the Petty Officer was again called up to re-join the fleet and he decided to raffle the now famous Tirpitz to raise funds for the Red Cross which he did, raising over £200.

A newspaper report shows that Tirpitz was (again) raffled in Wiltshire in aid of the British Red Cross on the instructions of Commodore Luce (late Captain of HMS Glasgow) by Messrs Knight Frank and Rutley in December 1917. The sale took place at Malmesbury and raised 400 guineas so Tirpitz truly helped the British war effort. In honouring this unlikely hero, when he died – or more likely was turned into sausages - his head was preserved and mounted. A display is on show at the Imperial War Museum.